starspray | SWG Holiday Feast Reading Prompt Fills

Starter Course:

I didn't read all of the chapters in the scavenger hunt, because I don't think I own the books several of them are from. At some point, though I do want to reread all of Roverandom.

"Of the Making of the Silmarils & the Unrest of the Noldor" - this is a chapter I had not read in a while. I'm not usually super interested in the Noldor, but it was good to be reminded of the extent and the subtly of Melkor's machinations in Aman. I think it's common to forget that part, because he seemingly completely ditches subtlety in Middle-earth. It might be fun for someone to do a meta comparing and contrasting Melkor in Valinor and Annatar in Eregion.

"Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad" - I don't often reread this one because it makes me sad. The description of Fingon's death was a gut-punch the first time I read it and it continues to be one of the passages I find most wrenching.

"The Taming of Smeagol" - Lots of fun landscape descriptions in this chapter. Grumbling Sam is fun, and grimly determined Frodo needs a hug. I'm still baffled by the scene where Frodo goes temporarily blind, though. Is it a trauma thing or a Nazgul thing or a combination of the two or...?

Fish Course & Dessert:

I think "The Grey Havens" fulfills both course prompts. I was going to read it anyway because I want to write about Frodo post-canon. I love this chapter a lot. The image of "elf magic" making the Shire heal and bloom again in record time is delightful, and it's such a great contrast with the Elves leaving at the end--their time is ending and fading, while the time of Men (and hobbits) is really starting to thrive.

Main Course:

I read "The Scouring of the Shire" for the same reasons I read "The Grey Havens" and I think this chapter touches on a lot of Tolkien's themes, a sort of synecdoche of The Lord of the Rings as a whole. The villain, Saruman, is pettier than Sauron, but he still manages to replicate Mordor in miniature in the Shire and particularly in Bywater and Bag End itself, and it takes the hobbits uniting with each other to oust him and his ruffians. Even Saruman's death replicates Sauron's, with his spirit rising up and being blown away to bits by a west wind.

So you hit Loyalty, Love (for the Shire), War vs Peace, Light vs Dark, Greed, Power, Sacrifice, Words and Names (Sharkey, "Chief", "gathering and sharing", etc), and Rebirth and Renewal as the chapter ends and rebuilding begins. Not to mention The Fall as embodied by Saruman--Frodo has a whole speech about how he was once good and wise and fair. And Pity is not mentioned in the SWG's list of themes but that's present too, in everything that Frodo says and does in the chapter.

Cheese Course:

I read "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen," and usually I come away thinking and feeling a lot more for Gilraen than for Aragorn or Arwen, but I also read Letter 246 recently and while I've always really liked Arwen she's shot up pretty close to the top of my list of favorites.

Also I really like how in Lorien she sees Aragorn all dressed up and Tolkien doesn't literally say "oh no he's hot" but the sentiment is definitely there and it's really delightful.