Interlacing in LotR and elsewhere

[littlemanpoet]

Interlacing is what Tolkien does by having at least two different storylines going in one book. Frodo&Sam in one place while Merry&Pippin are captives while Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli are on the chase. This is tough to pull off. How do you think Tolkien did? What worked well, what didn't? Should such a technique be avoided by writers of serious fantasy? If not, what would be some guidelines for writing good interlace?

[Imperica]

Personally I thought it added to the excitement and anticipation. Also kept me from being bored.

[NyteSky]

Tolkien of course did it excellently. I personally would have preferred it if he alternated a bit more often, but that's not a big deal either way. Actually I've found that many authors, and most of the better ones (in my opinion) use interlacing. I think it works quite well, usually. The trick is keeping both interesting and keep them a good distance apart but not so much that the reader loses track of what's happening. When used properly, it helps a great deal I think.

[Nimrodel]

It's what kept me turning pages! I think Tolkien did a masterful job of it!

[Rose Cotton]

I especially like it when you get to RotK. At the end of the first part when Pippin is caught beneith a troll and seems to die you can't help but want to continue.

[littlemanpoet]

If Tolkien had NOT done interlacing, but had resorted to the OTHER ways of telling the same story (EITHER by an omniscient author perspective which pulls you out of the story too much OR by leaving you hanging until the end and finding out everything else that fed into the climax only at the denouement), it would have been very unsatisfactory, and important characters like Merry, Pippin, Legolas and Gimli, not to mention Theoden, Eowyn, and all the rest that were not directly about Frodo, Sam and Gollum, would never have received the character development Tolkien gave them.

[Luthien_ Tinuviel]

I agree with everyone!!!!! I hope they do interlacing in the movies too. My dad thinks they might do one about Sam and Frodo and one about everyone else. I sure hope they don't!

[Nar]

Taking the other side of the argument, it drove me crazy every time the action switched between the Frodo and Sam group and the other two groups. At the beginning of every book, it took me many pages to get over my resentment at these interlopers and recover my readerly empathy for them. It didn't matter who the story switched to, I just found the transitions wrenching. I resented Frodo and Sam for intruding in the story, then I resented Merry, Pippin and Aragorn for intruding in the story. Each time, I got over it and fell just as deeply into the new story, but it took a while.

However, I can't say I wish it were otherwise. Today, a writer would probably organize the story into shorter segmants and do rapid cutting as in movies. Those long books had a certain hypnotic effect-- particularly the Frodo and Sam and Gollum story. I think on the whole that that effect was worth a little frusteration.

[ June 18, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]

[ June 18, 2002: Message edited by: Nar ]

[Eärendil]

I agree with littlemanpoet.
And..I just love the interlacing, it seems so perfect to me, and that´s one of the reasons they are my favourite books (well, three of my faves.) Dunno why though, maybe it´s me having a liking for that.... smilies/wink.gif smilies/rolleyes.gif

[akhtene]

I think the interlacing used by Tolkien is just great. It allowed to create a really whole historical picture, not just describe the adventures of a group of characters. And even if it drives somebody mad, first of all it whips up curiosity, desire to know what is happening to other characters at the time of some other events described. You sort of find yourself in several places at one and the same time.

I'm only too happy that Tolkien didn't use this interlacing from the very start of the first book (or maybe he didn't need to?..) I don't believe it can make a good beginning, when the reader is absolutely confused by unrelated characters,places and situations, starts making wild guesses or simply can't understand what it is all about.
So "The Fellowship..." sets the background, presents most of the characters, allows the story grip the reader and create some emotional links.

[Kuruharan]

Taking the other side of the argument, it drove me crazy every time the action switched between the Frodo and Sam group and the other two groups.

Be glad he didn't alternate between the groups every couple of chapters. smilies/wink.gif

If he had it probably would have destroyed any sense of continuity in the story.

[Thinhyandoiel]

I agree with Nar. Not that I don't like the interlacing. It gave sufficient time to see what was going on in each party and develop the story better on both sides.
But the moment I got to the second book of TTT I desperately wanted to continue with Pippin, Merry, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, etc. It took me a whole half chapter to get back into the story, and shaking my fist at that dratted Gollum everytime he spoke. And then I'd be shaking my fist at dear old Sam for being so untrusting! And then back to Gollum, and so on. 'Twas great fun! And I don't think many other authors can do it as well as Tolkien did, even if there was that little "Aww, why are you there?!" period for a few pages.

[Evenstar1]

Yes! I totally agree! I couldn't WAIT to see what would happen to everyone: it was like the BEST soap opera EVER! smilies/biggrin.gif (That's a compliment, btw.)

I loved the build-up and build-down, too. Here's how I saw it:

(Frodo, Sam)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Gandalf)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir)
(Frodo, Sam)....(Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir)
(Frodo, Sam)....(Merry, Pippen)....(Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli)
(Frodo, Sam)....(Merry, Pippen)....(Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf)
(Frodo, Sam)....(Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Gandalf)
(Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen)
(Frodo, Sam)

Loved it!

[ June 19, 2002: Message edited by: Evenstar1 ]

[NyteSky]

I agree with Nar and Thinhyandoiel, except I think that that's why it was good. If it's driving you crazy to find out what happens next but then you get really involved in the part that you're in only to have it switch back, then the author did it perfectly. That way you keep reading because to stop would cause the built up curiousity to slowly eat away at your brain until you go raving mad. smilies/wink.gif It's a tricky line to walk though. Too much space between parts, or one boring part and the author can lose the audience. It's risky, but worth it if done well.

[Nar]

Nytesky, I agree with you that that's good. I don't think most writers could get away with it the way Tolkien does. Today we're used to smaller chunks of story and quicker cuts, but you sense reading it that this is the right tack for him and his time. This is part of the compelling sense that Tolkien's in touch with an older tradition that goes back to before the novel. And thank you, Evenstar1 for that great map of the characters in the storyline from the book. I liked it a lot, particularly because I was reminded of each part of the story as I looked at its character set.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

There is interlacing in smaller units of the story as well - when Merry and Pippin are separated, one in Rohan, one in Gondor, the chapters go back and forth between them. And the story is told masterfully at the climax, going from the army at the Black Gate back to Frodo and Sam, then back to Cormallen Fields and finally to those waiting in Minas Tirith. That definitely heightens the suspense for me!