Thursday, January 24, 2008

"Conspiracy"

I enjoyed reading about the friends collecting information and planning on helping Frodo no matter the ending result. First of all, I was surprised that they were each able to keep it a secret given how chatty and gossip-friendly hobbits appear to be. Of course, they were able to talk amongst themselves, but the entire situation shows a deep relationship among the friends. "Family by choice even though not by blood." There is something about this whole plan and especially the sacrifice that I think our society misses; a feature of deep selflessness that is very atypical. What do you think?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree I think it is weird that they had not tallked about it before since they are so gossipy. I think the fact that they look out for each other is kind of a lost art. Today people are all about getting their own needs met over the need of other myself included it is rare to find that kind of friendship.

Ron Madlock said...

I also agree with the hobbits being able to keep a secret was a shock but i have a problem with the situation. its cool and all that they played to help him but it was sneaky.my biggest problem is with Sam being the main conspirer. he is supposed to be his closest friend someone he could trust, but he is telling things thats not supposed to be spoke of.i knew he was sneaky how subservient he was.he was too agreeable to be trusted. people that agree that quickly and that politely all the time have something up their sleeve. sorry i dont feel the same way about the situation i just think they cant be trusted.

Eileen Joy said...

Rebecca: your comment about "family by choice even though not by blood" [or perhaps, regardless of whether or not also blood-related, because all of the hobbits are, in a sense, related: their world is too small and their culture too insular to allow for much exogamy: marriage outside the "clan," so to speak] is part of what I was trying to get at in class last week: that the four hobbits--Sam, Frodo, Merry, and Pippin--have a deep bond with each other that somehow seems to go beyond just the connections that the Shire world affords them, especially since they are willing to leave that world together. And it definitely represents, as you say, a "deep selflessness" that, yes, I think *is* often missing in our narcissistic, winner-take-all capitalist society. Also, we tend to define our ethical obligations very narrowly. Then again, you will notice that the triology often paints an almost "too black-and-white" world, in which those who are similar only stick with those who are like them, although I think we are led to believe that, since a human, an elf, and a dwarf eventually join Frodo's "band," that something beyond similarity ties these men together, through thick and thin [and what *is* that "something," ultimately, and is it worth it?--these are questions to consider throughout the semester].

Anonymous said...

I did enjoy the concept of a multi-racial party setting aside their differences for the greater good although there are conflicts between dwarves and elves that are illustrated throughout the trilogy. Unfortunately, the evil southronds are an obvious parallel to muslims and can spoil the unity theme to some degree.