Middle Earth
Name: Caroline
Age: 20
Talents: horseback riding, technical theatre / set design, talking, listening, walking dogs (I walk all four big dogs at once), languages (I’ve been bilingual since I was 4, and I have found that practicing a third language has come relatively easy), ceramics & tap dance (two of my more minor talents)
1. What do you think of J.R.R. Tolkien? I find him to be a intriguing person. I think he was amazing for having such a creative and serious mind. I say “serious”, because he took the time to create a whole world with maps, histories, and languages. His life reminds me a bit of Charles Chaplin’s, because they both grew up in some form of poverty and although Chaplin wasn’t literally orphaned, he was left to take care of himself after his mother had to be sent to a asylum.
2. What are your thoughts on The Lord of the Rings (book and/or movies)? The books are for serious readers. Meaning the writing style is too difficult for many to handle. To me this is a good thing because it weeds out the real fans from the “trend-fans” (people who call themselves ‘fans’ of something simply because it’s popular at the moment). I love the books for their character development, and the thoroughness of description in general. The movies really pleased me. I felt like they were more than acceptable adaptations. I’m glad that Jackson took the historical-fantasy quality seriously; as opposed to making it more like a Harry Potter-type movie (don’t get me wrong, I love Harry Potter). In the movies I wish they had taken Legolas more seriously. He gets stuck with very few lines, and I don’t think they get across his maturity quite well enough. But overall, I’m pleased with the movies.
3. Which was your favorite section in the book and/or scene in the movie? In the movies, my favourite scene is when Arwen and Frodo are riding to Rivendell. I love watching that mad gallop across the fields! In the books, I’m less confident in deciding a favourite scene. But I think I might choose the scene in ROTK when Pippin gets crushed under that troll. My reasoning is that I was so emotionally taken by that scene, I thought for sure he was dead, that I didn’t continue reading for 4 days for fear of having his death confirmed.
4. What is your least favorite section in the book and/or scene in the movie? In the book I think I might say that my least favourite section was in the Fellowship when they’re in Moria. I found that to be really dull the first time I read it. In the movies? Probably in “The Two Towers” when Legolas says “A red sun rises, blood has been spilt this night.” It’s such an isolated line, and Orlando Bloom delivers it in such a…. I don’t know how to end that sentence, but it irritates me almost every time I watch it these days.
5. Have you read The Silmarillion, The Unfinished Tales, or any other of Tolkien's related works? Yes, I have read “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again”. I own “The Silmarillion”, but have only begun it. I definitely plan to read more of Tolkien.
6. Who is your favorite LotR character and why? In the books, it is Legolas. He is intelligent, and has lived for a long time, yet is considered young among his race. Overall, movies and books, Sam is my favourite. I identify the best with him. He is caring, loyal to the bone, practical, and calm. Also, he is self-confident and brave without knowing it. I admire him for standing by Frodo, no matter how much the Ring changed his friend!
7. Who is your least favorite LotR character and why? This is a really difficult question for me. The thought of who I like the least has never occurred to me. But here goes. My answer is Isildur. Isildur is my answer because he was the type of man who gives the race of men their bad reputation for being power hungry and weak-willed. I believe that he was probably arrogant to boot. A good person would not have taken the ring of the enemy that killed his father, and kept it as a trophy!
8. What are your thoughts on technology? Technology can be useful. It makes life easier for many. But people have taken it too far. Technology is no good when it’s made at the expense of nature and the Earth’s health. Technology is a mixture of good and evil.
9. What are your thoughts on nature? Nature is beautiful. It should be protected and respected by all. Seeing it and its creatures abused is deeply sad. I love forests especially. Exploring in them never gets boring.
10. What are your thoughts on war? I do not like it. Too many wars are started with too little thought, and then dragged out. It is a rare case when it can actually be justified. People need to give diplomacy a better chance.
11. What do you think are your top five positive characteristics? loyal, thoughtful, anti-conflict, cuddly, occasionally funny.
12. What do you think are your top five negative characteristics? lazy, un-ambitious, shy, long-winded, and I lose confidence too easily.
13. Given the choice, which race would you NOT want to be? I would not like to be part of the race with the biggest population in the lj community currently.
14. If you could live anywhere on Earth (modern, not Arda), where would it be? Somewhere in the United Kingdom. Probably in London, or just outside of it. At some point, later in life, I could definitely see myself in Wales.
15. Despite whatever your thoughts on war might be, if you were absolutely forced to go into battle, what weapon would you wield (can be modern or historical)? A bow, so that I could shoot off my enemies from a distance. But I would also like to learn swordsmanship and use various styles of sword.
16. What are your thoughts on death? It is something we must all face one day. I am worried that it will be painful to die, but I’m no longer as afraid as I used to be. I feel fairly confident that death is not the end, that there is something afterwards. But if there isn’t any afterlife, then I don’t think that would be terrible either.
17. What are your favorite books (excluding LotR)? “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell is my absolute favourite book in the world. But I also really like Tamora Peirce’s “Song of The Lioness” Quartet, “The Immortals” Quartet, “Protector of the Small” Quartet. Patricia C. Wrede’s “The Enchanted Forest Chronicles”. Garth Nix’s “Sabriel”, “Lirael”, and “Abhorsen”. “The Golden Compass” by Philip Pullman. C.S. Lewis’s “Chronicles of Narnia” (all except ‘The Magician’s Nephew’). Harry Potter series. “My Autobiography” by Charles Chaplin. Etc, etc, etc.
18. Describe your biggest role model. Don’t hold this as hard fact, but I’ll say Charles Chaplin. I really admire that he was able to stay motivated despite the often challenging personal life he had. Also, I would like him as a role model because he found his passion in life, and turned it into something amazing. He stood loyal to his passion, and was able to make a successful career out of it.
19. How did you hear about sorting_realm/tolkiens_realm? I found it on my own. I decided I wanted to be part of more Lord of The Rings related communities on LJ, so I began searching.
20. If you had the One Ring, what would you do with it? Be honest! It depends on whether I knew that it was THE One Ring. If I knew, I would probably be frightened of it and try and hide it or get rid of it somehow. But if I didn’t know how evil it was, I would probably slip it on. I think I would be very Bilbo about it, and think that it was neat to turn invisible.