Welcome Guest 

Register

Forum Home » Books Discussion » BC Archive: Lord of the Rings » Quote of the week May 24th 2004 (4X The Choices of Master Samwise)
Author Topic:
PotbellyHairyfoot
Grandpa Moderator
Posts: 2929
Send Message
Avatar
Post Quote of the week May 24th 2004 (4X The Choices of Master Samwise)
on: May 25, 2004 03:01
The great door slammed to. Boom. The bars of Iron fell into place inside. Clang. The gate was shut. Sam hurled himself against the bolted brazen plates and fell senseless to the ground. He was out in the darkness. Frodo was alive but taken by the enemy
Morwinyoniel
Gallery Admin & Realm Head of Estë
Posts: 1637
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Quote of the week May 24th 2004 (4X The Choices of Master Samwise)
on: May 26, 2004 06:01
The cliffhanger of all times...

This passage shows well Sam's desperation, when he doesn't reach the orcs in time. He was out in the darkness - I think his passing out was caused by this desperation quite as much as by throwing himself too hard against the closed gate.
Figwit
Book Club Moderator & Misty Mountain Monster
Posts: 1966
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Quote of the week May 24th 2004 (4X The Choices of Master Samwise)
on: May 26, 2004 11:55
It would have been more of a cliffhanger if Tolkien had left off where Sam believed Frodo had died and went into Mordor
RubySandybanks
CoE Volunteer
Posts: 115
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Quote of the week May 24th 2004 (4X The Choices of Master Samwise)
on: May 29, 2004 12:09
I agree Figwit. What a cliffhanger that would be!

About the quote now:
Am I the only one that asks myself, "What?" after "The great door slammed to." I suspect that this must deliberate on Tolkien's part and not just a typo. He was a linguist after all. Perhaps in England it's okay to end a sentence with a preposition??? Maybe it was to give the reader a sense of abruptness or surprise. Somehow that statement bothered me.
I sense a finality after reading the quote. Appropriate here I guess since it is the end of the chapter and of the book.
I do like the short statements. Very powerful.
Boom. Clang. These sounds are intensified because we know that Sam is wearing the ring.
Perhaps the darkness here refers to Sam's complete and utter feelings of helplessness and despair about being separated from Frodo. After all poor Sam has been through it should not end like this.
Members Online
Print Friendly, PDF & Email