Book 1, Chapter 10: Strider

[Lalaith]

I love the term butterburying!

I've never read the entire Bored of the Rings either.

[Primula Baggins]

I thought it was hilarious when I was a teenager (I'd read LotR several times by then), and some of the jokes still make me laugh when I remember them, but overall it hasn't aged well. It's definitely not for kids; it's firmly at the taste level of the Harvard Lampoon, and it's a product of the Sixties (and is dated pretty badly as a result).

But some parts are very, very funny.

[Alatar]

It was pity that stayed his hand. "What a pity I've run out of bullets", he thought...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

If someone wants to start a Bored of the Rings thread, that would be fine. But let's not get too far afield in this discussion.

[solicitr]

it's firmly at the taste level of the Harvard Lampoon

In fact, the authors (Henry Beard and Doug Kenney) went on to write Animal House....

Henry and Doug graduated from Harvard and decided they liked what they had been doing, so they founded the National Lampoon and guided it through its 70s glory days. Satire seems to thrive when things suck all over (See SNL, original cast).

[LadyDarkStar84]

As theduffster said ... I was worried when Strider and Butterbur wanted to talk to Frodo in private. At first I didn't trust Strider like Sam, but Gandalf's letter changed my mind. I saw Butterbur as a forgetful person from the start of the chapter and was glad he got the letter to Frodo, otherwise I believe that it would've taken some more convincing on Strider's part to get everyone to trust him and see him as a good guy, like I see him now. I'm glad Strider went along on the journey. I was worried about Merry not returning and something bad happening to him but I'm glad everything turned out alright in the end and he returned safely. I have read on since then and have completed book 1 and reading now the chapter entitled many meetings. This was one of my favorite chapters so far in the book.

[vison]

Then you are not MY Lady Dark Star.

But I bet you're just as nice.

[theduffster]

Glad to see you're so far along.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Lady Dark Star, I look forward to hearing your first impressions of each chapter as we go along, since it will be much closer in time than most of the rest of us (even though I am sure that you will move through the book much faster than these discussions will proceed).

I will ask that others who are participating in the discussions avoid spoilers of future chapters beyond where Lady DS is currently at, or at least mark such spoilers so that she knows to avoid them. If you could keep us informed of where you are at, we will know what we need to avoid spoiling you about.

[Frelga]

Welcome, Lady! I envy you your fresh journey. Have you watched the movies or is it all new to you?

Of all the lines in the book, for some reason one of the most touching to me was Strider saying that he wanted to be trusted for his own sake. There is something so disarming about this man, tired of his lonely dangerous journeys, fed up with the stupid villagers who sneer at him, and longing for a simple act of trust and acceptance.

Of course, it seems that this belongs more to the Trotter than Aragorn, who is not exactly a lone wolf he appears to be in this chapter. But I still find it touching.

[Hurin]

I cannot remember at all my reaction when I encountered Strider in this chapter on my first reading some 40 years ago. However, for some reason I do remember that I was extremely suspicious of Sam when he was caught eavesdropping ouside the window at the end of "The Shadow of the Past". I had just learned about Mordor and the Rings and suddenly there was someone "spying" on Frodo and Gandalf. Of course, within a few paragraphs my suspicions were allayed and I realized that Sam was a good guy. But I'll never forget how alarmed I was about Sam for a moment.

[River]

Of course, it seems that this belongs more to the Trotter than Aragorn, who is not exactly a lone wolf he appears to be in this chapter. But I still find it touching.

Well, my impression is Aragorn doesn't spend a lot of time in the places where he is liked and trusted - Rangering is sort of his job.

I don't think Aragorn was really facing temptation to take the ring in this chapter. He was illustrating a point, but I never got the impression he really wanted it. He's a strong-willed man and he'd made his choice before meeting the hobbits.

He does come across as rather rough at first, but, in retrospect, he had reason to be that way. As he says later, he was about as sure about trusting the hobbits as they were about trusting him...the Enemy had set traps for him before. And he's been placed in a very awkward position because under the current arrangement, he has to be the one to make the first move in a place where he would rather not openly introduce himself by name for fear of who might hear it. The fact that he must introduce himself to people who have Nazgûl on their tails would only take the nervousness up a notch. And then the silly hobbits started dancing on tables and doing disappearing acts and attracting way more attention than he wanted to deal with. If I were him, I'd be wondering if these hobbits were bait in a trap or complete amateurs too and I'd be trying to find out fast.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Húrin, that's interesting. I don't remember whether I was ever suspicious of Sam, even briefly. Unfortunately, I really don't remember any of my initial impressions about the book (even though it wasn't quite as long ago when I first read it as it was for you; more like 35 years or a bit less).

[Frelga]

Of course, it seems that this belongs more to the Trotter than Aragorn, who is not exactly a lone wolf he appears to be in this chapter. But I still find it touching.

Well, my impression is Aragorn doesn't spend a lot of time in the places where he is liked and trusted - Rangering is sort of his job.

I am not sure about that. He's the Lone Ranger in the movie (he chose exile, my foot!), but the book makes it clear that he is a Chieftain of the Dúnedain, and presumably has the support network among them.

In any case, it is clear that he spends a lot of time alone in the wilderness, and even if I think his statement is slightly out of character as it is revealed later, I still find it touching.

[LadyDarkStar84]

i have not seen any of the movies but plan to watch them after I finish the entire book.

[Lalaith]

Welcome, Lady Dark Star! I look forward to your participation in our discussion.

[River]

SPOILER ALERT! Lady Dark Star, avert your eyes!









Last warning...

I am not sure about that. He's the Lone Ranger in the movie (he chose exile, my foot!), but the book makes it clear that he is a Chieftain of the Dúnedain, and presumably has the support network among them.

In any case, it is clear that he spends a lot of time alone in the wilderness, and even if I think his statement is slightly out of character as it is revealed later, I still find it touching.

Even in the books he tends to operate alone, though. He's not utterly friendless, obviously, but the Rangers themselves are very scattered and, as a group, mistrusted by those they protect. I'm not sure the people of Bree know Strider leads the Rangers, or that the Rangers even have a leader. I also think that some of that anonymity might also be by design - Aragorn isn't ready to come forth yet and he doesn't want everyone to know who he is. He left Gondor when he was Thorongil and getting overly popular because he decided the time just wasn't right to step up to his birthright. My guess is, 99.9% of the time he's hanging around people who don't already know who he is, he's hiding behind that scruffy, disreputable exterior. It's that 0.1% of the time when he needs to come across as trustworthy that he has problems. Especially since he's gotten so good at his act that others who'd like to help the hobbits are getting in his way!

I didn't like the whole character arc Aragorn was given in the movies either. That was lame. He hadn't chosen exile. He was just patiently waiting for his moment. But until that moment came, he had to keep a low profile. Sauron had reason to hate and fear the line of Elendil. If it was widely known Aragorn walked the earth and sought to crowns of Arnor and Gondor, what do you think would happen to him and to everyone associated with him? He was on a path that would lead to either spectacular success or spectacular failure even before The Ring showed up.

[Queen_Beruthiel]

Mind if I join in?

I'll avoid spoilers.

The character of Strider reminds me of Hawkeye, from The Last of the Mohicans. Tolkien is on record somewhere as having enjoyed reading westerns when young, and he could hardly have avoided the books of Fenimore Cooper.

Some of us hoped that Daniel Day-Lewis would be cast as Strider but, sadly, it was not to be....

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Mind? I'm thrilled to see you here!

Can you elaborate on how the character of Strider reminds you of Hawkeye? I think that would be very interesting.

[solicitr]

In fact Tolkien said in a letter that he enjoyed Fenimore Cooper as a boy, and credited him and Longfellow's Hiawatha with a fascination with "Red Indians" and his desire (unfulfilled) to shoot well with a bow. Yes, I can certainly see some of Natty Bumppo (the Deerslayer/Pathfinder/Hawkeye) in Strider the Ranger.