Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Rings by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien - Essay Example

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings is one of the books by John Ronald Reuel Tolken, making part the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In writing the books, Tolken had intended to create a myth for the British audience. He explains his desire to create new myths as coming from a strong wish not to keep retelling the myths that had already been told. In creating new myths, Tolken invented new languages and built the cultures and myths around the new languages that he had created. The book Fellowship of the Rings is the first in the three volume story of the Lord of the Rings. Through the use of the first person narration technique (the story is in prose form), the author leaves it upon the reader to understand the plot, the characters, and the motivation for their actions. The language that is used by the author through the narrator also ensures that it is upon the reader to understand the story. Within the story, however, the author has used a technique where information is passed on from character to character in the course of the various interactions that the characters engage in. The mythical tale tells the story of an epic and imaginary world of the middle earth. The lord of the rings refers to the Dark Lord who lost a ring from which he derived most of his power. He now has a strong desire or need to reclaim the ring and, using it, he can enslave the middle earth in which the story is set. The Dark Lord created other rings so as to control the ring that he seeks. Most of the characters that are in the book were introduced to the audience in the book The Hobbit, in which the author uses different story telling techniques to tell his story and capture the interest of the audiences. The story displays clarity of thought by the author in the way that he advances the actions and plot in the story. In any given story, characters are an important part of it. They play a major and basic role, just like the actual events in the story do. Through the various interactions that the different characters have, the reader is able to understand the plot of the story. The ways though which the characters interact with each other shape the meaning of the narration. In the book, the characters interact through storytelling, poems and other forms of interactions. Despite the interactions that take place between the characters in the book, the reader has an overall understanding of the situation that is not available to the characters in the story. The author in the Lord of the Rings uses a variety of techniques so as to present the fantasy world that he has created. The third person narrator is used in the story. The narrator is detached from the audience and from the action. This means that he (the narrator) is able to follow all the different characters at all times. The third person narrator is not a character in the story. The author does not seek to form a direct connection with the reader so he is able to focus on creating a mythical and fantasy world that is appealing. In the story, the author does not make any reference to the reader, and neither does he make references to the modern world. It is only in one scene where he describes the elements that are in the fireworks. He says “…like an express train, turned a somersault…” (Tolkien 27). The express train is the only element of the story that tells of the modern world (‘The Fantastic Narrator’). The use of storytelling by the characters that the author has created can be seen in chapter 2 of book 1. This is in the instance where Gandalf is telling Frodo about the existence and the power of the rings. In this case, Gandalf begins to function as a homodiegenic narrator. This refers to a character that is within the story, and the story that he narrates is, therefore, marked as direct speech. He tells the story to Frodo as he has been given a position of knowledge and, therefore, is more aware of the information about the ring than Frodo is. This serves to express the fears and concerns that the characters have regarding the various situations. Another instance of storytelling by the characters that are within the book can be seen in the instance in chapter 11 of book 1. This is where Strider is giving an account of Beren and Luthien. In this case, Strider is telling a story to the characters, but unlike in Gandalf’s case, the story that he is telling is seen to be out of the plot of the main narrative. In the narration, the author does not provide the reader with any clues or with any ideas and references. The metaphors and descriptions that are used in the plot do not assist the reader to understand the plot of the story. The author also does not go back in the plot of the story to remind the audience at which point one set of characters in the story were left before he can continue with it. This can be attributed to the fact that the books were intended for an adult audience. This, therefore, means that he does not need to apply some of the common narrative techniques that are applied to help in the plot development. This kind of narrative technique enables the narrator to present events that happened in the past and carry implications(such as the loss of the ring) on the characters and on the story in general. The story can, therefore, be said to be a narration of ‘there and back.’ In the story, there are various instances of digressions in the adventures that are narrated. This, in effect, causes the three volumes to be set on the road. On the road, the main character in the story encounters different adventures as he progresses. While the characters may grow and mature as the story develops, each of the cases is experienced afresh. There is, however, a unified structure through which the story is told. The story can also be seen to have an economy in the narrative techniques that are employed. This only serves to move along the ring in its journey from Hobbiton to Mordor. The narrative also makes use of songs and poems in the story. This has been done in several instances in the book. This is, however, not done to add any poetic value. The poems do not add any intrinsic poetic value or merit to the poem either. They are added into the story because they have a dramatic value that they bring into the various sections of the story in which they are used. They also bring some narrative effect when they are used in the story. The songs and the poems that are used in the book are a reflection of the political and the moral development that the hobbits go through. While the initial songs in the book are simple, in the later chapters, the songs are more complex reflecting the growth that has been undergone. Such use of song can be seen in the song by Frodo “…O wing on the waterfall,…”(Tolkien 173) The use of language in the book is also such that the choice of words reflects the deep connection with nature. The words reveal the relationship that the characters have with nature. Even at the times when the characters are going through imminently dangerous situations, the danger is reflected in the choice of words. An example is in “…and cold be sleep under stone…” (Tolkien 195). This statement is reflective of the power of death, and of the ability for language to be used to hurt others (Chance 43). The power of language in the story can be seen in its symbolic value. The use of the prose form in writing the story enables it (which is sometimes slow and detailed) to be developed enough for the reader to fully understand scenes that require the story to be told in details and, therefore, are well suited by the prose form in the episode that tells of the imprisonment of Gandalf by Saruman and the consequent rescue by Gwaihir. The prose also allows the narrator to explain the long periods of delay between when there is Bilbo’s party and the return of Gandalf. The tension that exists between different characters in the book and different parties is also developed and shown in the text. The narrator, however, develops the tensions and keeps them suppressed at the same time.. An instance of such suppressed tensions is at the point where Gloin accepts rebuke from Gandalf for sniping at Legolas. Such repressed tensions may not have been so apparent or suppressed had the story been told in another form or from another point of view. The narration also allows for extra descriptions and digressions. Such digressions include the destination of the ring. The initial destination of the ring has been shown to Rivendell, not Mordor. The first stage in the ring’s journey can, therefore, be seen to be a major digression in the story. Another digression in the narration of the story can be seen through the journey that takes the company through Moria. The company is taken through the journey in the dark. The waking of Balrog helps the reader to understand the civilization of the dwarfs. It is this digression that leads up to the climax in the story. Just like the ring, Gandalf must be put into the flame and Frodo will be forced to give up his power so that the occupants of the middle earth can gain their freedom. From the narrative, the interactions between the two characters can be understood. The third person narrative technique that is used in the story allows it to be told in a way that is truthful and detached. This detached way of telling the story enables the reader to clearly identify the villains as well as the heroes in the story. The reader is, therefore, left to figure out the plot and the meaning of the events in the story. The narrator does, however, gives elaborate descriptions which make it easy for the reader to figure out what is going on in the story. The narrator has the intention of persuading the readers to believe and share in the magical and mythical world that he has created. He seeks to get the reader to identify with the heroes who are on a quest to find the ring and destroy it, while at the same time being repulsed by those who seek to get the ring for their selfish gains. It is also important to note that the narration of the story begins with a prologue. This prologue serves to introduce the reader to the history and the customs of the hobbits. By having a detailed introduction of the customs and the ways of the hobbits, the author is able to set up the reader to understand the different turns and contexts that the story gets into. It also positions the narrator, who is in the third person in this case, as an outsider to the hobbit’s world. This ensures that the reader does not make any special claims to having inside information about the hobbits and their world. The narrator also gives an account of the historical events that have led to the present situation with the ring. The choice of language in the book is also appropriate for the mythical story. This understanding is further emphasized by the prologue that is given in the story. The introduction of the context, the history, and the terms in the book help to promote understanding of it. The third person narrative technique is, therefore, appropriately used in this book so as to help the reader in understanding the characters, events, and the plot of the story. By having the characters narrate some of the stories through the third person narrative, the author is able to gain the reader’s attention and interest in the story that he is narrating. The style that is used has been able to capture the mythical world in a way that video games would not be able to do. The film’s adaptation of the book was, however, able to cover most of the elements of the mythical world that are in the story. However, even when a story is translated into a movie, there are some mythical elements that are lost in the translation. The choice of a prose narrative was, therefore, the most appropriate one within which the story could be told. The translation of the story into film also means that the level of involvement in it for the audience is reduced. This is because it reduces the level of cultural experience within the story. Works Cited Chance, Jane. The Lord of the Rings: The Mythology of Power. Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2001. Print. Penney, Carole. The Fantastic Narrator. Retrieved on 01 February 2012 from http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/gm/penney14.html Tolken, John. The Fellowship of the Rings: The Lord of the Rings part 1. Harper Collins Publishers, 2009. Print. Read More