These are the archives from 2010-2018 for the discussion forum hosted by the UNM Hobbit Society at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, USA. The purpose of our group is to meet and associate with others interested in Tolkien, and to learn more about the author, his written works, and his sources through discussion, guest lectures and academically oriented activities. This blog is intended to expand discussion among UNM Hobbit Society members beyond what meeting times allow.
I find these so incredibly fascinating!! I starting watching the movies when I was very young so the images in my mind when I finally started reading the books where almost directly what was shown in the movies. So seeing these is wild. I literally cannot image what it would have been like to read these without already having an idea of what things/people could potentially look like.
I wonder after seeing these if Tolkien always had the same ideas for Gollum and the hobbits regarding their appearances. Since The Hobbit was written as basically a stand-alone book, Tolkien may not have had all his thoughts in place for Gollum or the hobbits as a whole. If Gollum were different than he is and perhaps was a much different creature than a half-ling but was closer to the giant toad creature in the last image the story may have gone in a very different route. It's interesting in general to look at these pictures and think about what would have happened with the stories if the characters were thought of and designed differently.
I think it is incredibly interesting to see these pictures! I read the books before I saw the movies, but I had still seen posters and publicity for the movies before I started reading. So, even though I didn't know exactly who was who in the movie posters, as I began to read the books it was easy to figure that out and picture them in the book. I find myself at a crossroads with regards to how I feel about having those images before I started reading the books. Part of me thinks it was nice because I knew how to construct the characters visually in my head, but I am torn because I think I would have preferred to have struggled and come up with my own interpretation. I wonder what I would've come up with!
The diversity of interpretation here is so interesting. Maybe this is why Tolkien didn't always feel comfortable with trying to paint the pictures he saw in his mind throughout his myth-making, because there's a beauty to vagueness that leaves room for individual interpretation. I wonder if that's part of the appeal in myths...we can take what we read and form a variety of mental pictures depending on our personality.
4 comments:
I find these so incredibly fascinating!! I starting watching the movies when I was very young so the images in my mind when I finally started reading the books where almost directly what was shown in the movies. So seeing these is wild. I literally cannot image what it would have been like to read these without already having an idea of what things/people could potentially look like.
I wonder after seeing these if Tolkien always had the same ideas for Gollum and the hobbits regarding their appearances. Since The Hobbit was written as basically a stand-alone book, Tolkien may not have had all his thoughts in place for Gollum or the hobbits as a whole. If Gollum were different than he is and perhaps was a much different creature than a half-ling but was closer to the giant toad creature in the last image the story may have gone in a very different route. It's interesting in general to look at these pictures and think about what would have happened with the stories if the characters were thought of and designed differently.
I think it is incredibly interesting to see these pictures! I read the books before I saw the movies, but I had still seen posters and publicity for the movies before I started reading. So, even though I didn't know exactly who was who in the movie posters, as I began to read the books it was easy to figure that out and picture them in the book. I find myself at a crossroads with regards to how I feel about having those images before I started reading the books. Part of me thinks it was nice because I knew how to construct the characters visually in my head, but I am torn because I think I would have preferred to have struggled and come up with my own interpretation. I wonder what I would've come up with!
The diversity of interpretation here is so interesting. Maybe this is why Tolkien didn't always feel comfortable with trying to paint the pictures he saw in his mind throughout his myth-making, because there's a beauty to vagueness that leaves room for individual interpretation. I wonder if that's part of the appeal in myths...we can take what we read and form a variety of mental pictures depending on our personality.
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