Student Must-Read 1: LOTR: The Fellowship Of The Ring
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
These lines from The Fellowship Of The Ring have always stood out to me the most. I think they capture the true treasures of what Tolkien was trying to achieve.
He himself stated the intention: “to try my hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them.”
In this interaction between Frodo and Gandalf, we have the ultimate human concern…the persistent predicament. Sometimes the road ahead seems too much of an undertaking; sometimes we falter and maybe we even wish that things could be otherwise.
But the answer Gandalf gives is truly poignant and central to the book as a whole. Our only option “is what to do with the time given us”, the only way is one of responsibility, and ultimately it is this free decision to take our own path that determines the story.
Lord of the Rings is the proverbial mainstay in fantasy fiction. Its prominence in culture is long cemented. From the Peter Jackson films, to the spin-off T.V show (Rings Of Power), the world of Middle Earth continues to live on. It’s almost hard to believe the original books written by J.R.R Tolkien were published in 1954 (70 years ago).
Perhaps above everything, the original LOTR books have pathos and depth in equal measure. The lore of Middle Earth is of course rich. But more than that, our central narrative is the quintessential narrative. It is the hero’s journey at its finest and most admirable. It can almost be summarized in the line:
“There is a seed of courage hidden (often deeply, it is true) in the heart of the fattest and most timid hobbit, waiting for some final and desperate danger to make it grow.”
The Fellowship Of The Ring has this journey built into its structure. We begin in the homely and comfortable boundaries of the shire. Slowly, the world opens up and enlarges, and when it is finally time for Frodo and Sam to step forth, we enter the world beyond the shire with them.
Everything we see in their journey is connected to a deeper history. Part of the joy of reading the book is the feeling that you are understanding more about the world as the central characters are discovering it.
I consider The Fellowship Of The Ring as a student must-read because it is still as relevant as it always was.
Students will find in this story: characters to whom they can relate, a depth of plot, intrigue, and some of the best friendship dynamics in any book.
It will inspire creativity and make you think about constructing a story in a new way. If you are interested in world-building, there is so much to learn from the first part of this epic tale.
You will journey through forests and over mountains, into pristine cities and along the deepest rivers.
That is why LOTR: The Fellowship Of The Ring is the first student must-read pick!
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