Did you feel sad at the end of the LOTR book?

[Airehiriel]

When I was just about finished reading the Lord of the Rings for the first time, I sat it down with about 50 pages left to read. I didn't pick it back up for 2 weeks. I think I was subconsciously avoiding it because when I get to the end of a book that is so involved and that I love so much, I get sad. It is like leaving behind my best friends, and not being able to enter that favorite world again. It's almost like a part of me is missing for sometime. smilies/frown.gif
Now, I hear about how weird I am very often, is this just another element of my weirdness, or are there others in the world like me, who get so attached to something that they are saddened when the experience is over?

[Peri]

Don't worry. You're not weird. I'm the same way. (Uh, oh, Maybe we're BOTH weird!) ;P When I was reading the part when they are in the mines of Moria, and Gandalf was reading from the book, I started to get the shivers. I knew that something bad was going to happen.It was like what Gandalf was reading was an omen. And I started to get really scared.

I also hate it when people die, whether they're good or evil. I'll become very angry at the author for killing them off.

[Airehiriel]

I know how you feel, I have cried when some of my favorite characters die. (Does this clearly send the message that I am a woman, or what?!)
Perhaps we both are weird! smilies/eek.gif

[LePetitChoux]

Yes! Precisely! That is EXACTLY how I felt! smilies/eek.gif
I never like finishing good books, because you know that you won't learn anything new about what they did the newxt day, for instance. Especially LotR, when por Sam goes over the sea, I always kinda hoped that Tolkien had actually written about it, it is too interesting to just be "Sam is the last ringbearer to go over the Sea", in my opinion. smilies/smile.gif

[Meela]

i cried when characters died
i am also very attached. i get like this with any film or book, and i always will myself to believe that the characters dont actually part forever, but go round each others homes for tea, or something! (not quite like the tea though..)
but i always cry at the thought of people who have been together throughout something, like lotr, splitting up and going their seperate ways

[Arathiriel]

Airehiriel:

First of all, welcome!

Now to answer your question: Yes, I understand what you mean because when I read the last line of RoTK I felt the same way!

I hated to say goodbye to Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Arwen, Eomer, Eowyn, and Faramir! I hated to say goodbye because I had gone through so much with these people and through it all they all became as dear to me as my friends in real life!

When I read the last line of RoTK, I sighed because I knew that no matter how many times I reread LOTR I will never have the same experience again as I did reading it for the first time!

It's hard to say goodbye to the people of Middle-Earth and it's an experience I will
never forget!

[VanimaEdhel]

I cry an awful lot throughout the whole of The Return of the King...every time I read it.

Well, I cry all throughout "The Fellowship of the Ring" movie too, so I'm just weird...well, not ALL throughout. It comes and goes...

[Beruthiel]

I know how all of you feel! I hate finishing books, especially LOTR. I just wish it could go on and on so that I never have to part with all of those amazing people and characters. I ALWAYS cry when I read the end fo ROTK. *sniff sniff* actually, I'm nearly to that part now (my 5th time reading LOTR).
smilies/frown.gif

[ December 13, 2002: Message edited by: Beruthiel ]

[Elvenglass]

I know excactly what you mean. I always get sad near the end of books (especially LotR) But then I read it again! And again....and again. *sigh*. But they're so great. I cried when Boromir died though. *sniff sniff* Anyways glad to see that I am not alone. smilies/smile.gif

[Diamond18]

After I finished LotR for the first time I didn't read another book for a couple of months. I just didn't feel like it, because every book I thought about reading paled in comparison to the great masterpiece I'd just finished. Plus, I didn't want to obfuscate my recollections of LotR by piling other books on top of it.

But like I said, it only lasted a couple months. You gotta go on again sometime...and I can always open up LotR whenever I want to and read it again.

It seems to be just females responding in this thread, doesn't it? smilies/wink.gif

[Arwen Imladris]

It seems to be just females responding in this thread, doesn't it?

Yup. Sorry, I won't break the trend either. smilies/smile.gif

Whenever I get to the end of LOTR, I always want to cry and go back to the time when everything was perfect, Bilbo and Frodo in the shire. That is part of the reason why FOTR is my fav book. smilies/smile.gif

[dragoneyes]

Oh, it's always females who reply these emotional threads.

Anyway, I was always sad that Merry and Pippin would never see Frodo again, and that he almost got away with out telling them again. I always wanted some kind of fellowship reunion, I bet if they were all females they'd have a monthly meeting or something.

[Airehiriel]

It's nice to know that I am not alone in this experience. It seems a very difficult thing to put down a good book. And a very sad thing when it is all over. Sometimes I find myself getting resistant to reading a new book because I know how I will feel! It's like leaving your real friends behind. I am very glad to know that others join me. And I cried during FOTR, too! Especially the scene where Boromir died and the scene where Sam was going to drown for Frodo!!
So moving. They did a good job with the movie. Now I hope the next one will keep up the quality.

[Diamond18]

I always wanted some kind of fellowship reunion, I bet if they were all females they'd have a monthly meeting or something.

Well, then here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=17&t=000203) is something that might interest you. Not exactly a touching or emotional reunion, mind you, but pretty funny. smilies/wink.gif (Make sure you read Kalimac's).

[Aroaraniel]

I thought it was really sad! Especially because Merry and Pippin wouldn't ever see Frodo and Gandalf and everyone again...like someone already said. I thought that was really sad...

[Cherie Centaur]

Lordy,lordy. Those posts were hystairical. Thank you Diamond18, you really help cheer me up after reading this emotional topic.

To get to the point, I also believe that when I finish reading an epic like LOTR, I feel like there is some void inside me and like I've just moved away from very good friends. That just proves how good a writer Tolkien really was. Only a talented author could make you feel such devotion for its characters. For example, when Sam says, "Well, I'm back.", you can't help but feel that even those characters you love are gone or seperated, that everything is all right and life will move on. That line, in a way, closes the story and the Appendixes open it back up and leave it open, creating that void. Just a little of my philosophy for you there. Hope you liked it. smilies/smile.gif

[Orual]

Another girl here...

I always cry when I finish Return of the King. It's like losing a good--a best friend. Or several dozen of them. When it comes to the VERY end, the part with Frodo telling Merry, Pippin, and Sam his final good-byes, I just fall apart. I have a hard time finishing it because my tears are blurring the words. My mother has always tried to convince me that it's really a happy ending, that everybody's happy with their lot in life at the end, and Sam even gets reunited with Frodo after all, but I just can't deal with it anyway. Like Sam, I thought that Frodo would be able to stay and enjoy the Shire. /sigh/ I guess it's that "realism" thing again. I guess it was all for the best. But I know that I always cry when I read the end, and I'm bringing several boxes of tissue to the Return of the King when it comes out next December.

~*~Orual~*~
PS: Four days!!!!!!

[Demloth of Dol Amroth]

i get sad because i don't have anything worth reading when i'm done with LOTR-you look at books that maybe a little while before seemed great but now seem goofy and ungainly in light of tolkien's masterpiece. tho the ending is rather bittersweet-i mean, yea, frodos going to valinor! however everyone else gets to stay in middle-earth and watch as elves disappear and men multiply-fun fun fun. oh yeah, they die eventually too-which must stink.

speaking of RoTK, i heard a nasty rumor ol' PJ was trying to get the rating for it down to R because there was so much killing! is it true? i'll be 17 by then, but still...

[ December 14, 2002: Message edited by: Demloth of Dol Amroth ]

[Pallando B.C]

I felt sad, only because I didn't know where they went.

That was the insperation to read the Silmarillion.

That was some time ago..........

[Gilbo]

smilies/confused.gif smilies/evil.gif
I read the trilogy for the first time when I was at sea, making America safe for democracy,millions of years ago.
A number of emotions came in to play.
Sadness, at the departure of friends
grief, because so much that was good left Middle Earth
Anger, because I turned the page and found appendixes, instead of more adventures.
I've read it about once a year since then, and I enjoy it just as much, every time.

[Faye Took]

Oh wow was I sad. After I reading RotK I started to cry (being the extremely sensitive person I am). After that I probably sat on my bed for about 10 minutes trying to believe it was over. I was soo sad. LoL

[dragoneyes]

All the people here are so emotional. Only one book had ever made me cry and that was C.S. Lewis' The Last Battle but I think that was just because I was tired, I can't quite remember. I takes a LOT to make me cry, believe you me, I've tried!

[Rose Cotton]

I just wish Tolkien had written more about hobbits.

Who wants to read about elves anyway? *ducks flying objects*

[Anmarwen]

I was sooo sad as i finished the
first book, as Boromir died!I cried and thought: why??
And as Gandalf fell from the brigde in Moria
in the movie, i cried like i where Pippin or so..
But i dont think that this is wierdness!!
Not at all.. smilies/wink.gif

Namarie
Anmarwen

[Mattius]

hey im a male!

well i didnt cry but i sure felt gutted at the end of reading the book, i was like, it cant end this way, aragorn is miles away from gimli and legalos, the hobbits are splitting up and gandalf is off too. i thought it was really dissapointing as an ending but then i found... THE SILAMARILION hurrah! and the book of lost tales and unfinshed tales and all is well!

[Airehiriel]

It's nice to know that there are guys who are moved by the ending of a story. Even if it is not the same way us females get emotionally moved! smilies/biggrin.gif

[Neferchoirwen]

Oh, it was the only book I ever cried to! And I have this feeling that I'll be changed the second time I'll read it.

And everytime I see Boromir and Aragorn on that death scene, I shake and my eyes well up.

I almost did the same thing as you did, Airehiliel, but I didn't want the suspense to kill me. So I read the last 5 chapters alone in my room out loud, with the accents and all...and when I got to the "fab four" (as I call them now, after acouring the Shire the way they did) seeing each other for one last time, I cried. I'd memorize Frodo's speech by heart when I have the time, and I bet my eyes'll be wet when I'll get the chancec to know every word by heart.

[ December 16, 2002: Message edited by: Neferchoirwen ]

[Helkahothion]

I felt tears dwelling when I read the words: Well, I'm back. It was really sad to read Frodo go. Especialy the second time.
________
DODGE MAXXCAB HISTORY (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/Dodge_MAXXcab)

[Afrodal Fenyar]

Hey, I'm not a female. Guess what I am then.

But actually, I did feel kind of sad too. But it was more like "blah, it's over, no point in reading it again", I didn't cry at least :P Didn't feel sad at all during the book, those events didn't really touch me. But it's always boring when a book ends.

[Gorwingel]

After I finished reading LOTR I actually felt kind of let down! (I did not cry though) After the first time I was kind of mad that Frodo went to the Grey Havens (he went through all of that to save Middle Earth and now he is leaving smilies/eek.gif Why?) I actually kind of felt like Sam (that is why I think that a whole bunch of people who have watched the films but have not read the books are going to be very surprised about how it ends, maybe that is why they keep showing Arwen and talking about the Grey Havens in TTT so that you know about it in ROTK *lightbulb moment*) But now I understand why he left, though I wish he had not.

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

I did feel sad towards the end when everyone was practically going their own ways. Then I felt dissapointed that this was happening, then I kind of felt angry. But when I finished the book I felt empty. Yes it was kind of like losing friends, losing that fantasy feeling, and coming back to reality. Some people might describe this as like coming down from a high, and maybe becoming depressed (if only for a short while), but it kind of wasn't like that for me. It was a weird feeling. It was relly foriegn to me and I didn't like it, I couldn't shake it off me either. I finished it and it was like 'ok, now what do I do' And it wasn't like being bored, it was kind of like something wasn't right, something was missing, and likie something else I can't describe. I finished it in the late afternoon on my bed and the sun was getting low. The window in my room faces the ocean and I remember sitting there by myself for a while. Then the sun started setting. It's kind of wierd because the setting of the sun is sort of symbolic with endings. And I don't like sunsets, yet I sat there watching it for a long time. I looked at the clock by my bed and went downstairs to watch the Simpsons.

That's what it was like for me my first time finishing the book. I get those feelings every time, but it isn't nearly as big as the first time I finished it. And I never feel that way efter the Hobbit because once I finish that, then it's off to the Fellowship and LotR.

[Niluial]

I was VERY sad smilies/frown.gif! When I read the books I read them quickly wanting to know what was going to happen but by the time I was on my last chapter I took forever not wanting it to end. But I finished it with a teary face and guess what I did I read LOTR again and again and no it did not get boring every time it felt like a new adventure! smilies/biggrin.gif

[Faramir Fan]

I hate it when I get to the end of ROTK, which usually prompts me to pick up FOTR and start again - lol.

[The Only Real Estel]

It's to bad the book had to end. It's also kind've to bad that frodo wasn't able to, 'enjoy the shire for years and years', as Sam (and probably all of us too) had hoped. I don't really feel sad though, just wish there were more books close to being as good as Tolkien's were. smilies/cool.gif

[ April 23, 2003: Message edited by: The Only Real Estel ]

[Luinalatawen]

Yes, I did, I always feel sad because the Hobbits (and others) who have been through so much together are split up and some never see certain other characters again. I also want to go back and read the whole adventure again once I finish.

So here's my 100th post, I have acquired Wight status. It's taken me 4 months to do so. GRRRRRRR. I wish the posts came faster!

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

So here's my 100th post, I have acquired Wight status. It's taken me 4 months to do so. GRRRRRRR. I wish the posts came faster!

Status and your number of posts don't matter Luinalatawen. Don't worry about how many posts you have. All that matters it what you post, it's quality not quantity. smilies/smile.gif

That's just my advice, if you don't want it, well I'm fine with that.

[Rindoien, elf of Lothlorien]

Tell me about it! When Eowyn died I cried buckets...even though it was obvious she was coming back. I didn't really like Theoden ( to self: smilies/eek.gif how dare you speak of the characters like that!?) but I still cried when he died. LOTR is a book I treasure so much...

[Tinuviel of Denton]

Depending on which book, yes and no. The first two, no, because I knew that there was more to come. The third book, most definately. I saying goodbye to characters that I learn to love (and even ) at the end of a trilogy, series, whatever. I always want to read it again. And again. And again. And again...

[The Inebriated Surat]

This is a common trait! But There are more books and unending amounts of other products! Plus Forum's are just Great! It is impossable to do everything there is to do with LOTR!!!! smilies/smile.gif

[Lathriel]

I never really cried during LOTR except at the end. I felt like I had been through so much with these characters. I had experienced all their fears and triumphs and then suddenly it was over. I was sad that Frodo couldn't stay in the shire for many many years because at first I thought he would.
I usually don't cry when someone dies except if I was very Very attached to them.

(For those who get emotional while reading books don't read Mists of Avalon I cried buckets at the end of the book)

[GlingleglingleglingleFairy]

I don't usually cry much but I did at the end of RotK, although the bit that really made me crack was Bilbo's "I sit beside the fire and think......."

[Annúnlótëiel]

I know how many of you feel. I esspecially agree that it is sad how characters that have been together go "thier sperate ways". That is why I find the ending so bitter sweet. It's like yes they move on and things change. That makes it so sad to me, perhaps it is becuase I changes and I like to brood on the past, but that is just me personally. smilies/smile.gif

I was sad and it was like I don't want it to end, even though before I was so eager to get through it and find out everything ect.

I think the fact that it is a bittersweet ending makes it more realistic and makes you think and reflect more. I feel many character have rather melancholly "ends" but I can only try to make myself feel better by thinking that they are finally happy some time, and they always will have thier memories.

Look at me talking about the chracters as if they are real..guess that either shows how much I love them or that I'm crazy...

[Annúnlótëiel]

Forgive me I left out the word % " in my post. I mean I % " changes and I like to brood on the past.

[Annúnlótëiel]

% " not %

Oh I am sorry...I don't know what is wrong with my hands....


Well also I just want to know if anyone also thought the end was bitter sweet and whether they thought it added realism, in the way of human life and emotions, to the novel.

thank you

[Mitheithel]

Hey, Airehiriel, that shows you are a real fan! I have read all Tolkien`s books that have reached my hand, and oh that grief, when they ended

smilies/frown.gif

[Yavanna228]

Ah! how lovely to find others who share my weirdness! i put off reading the end of ROTK for so long because i dreaded coming to the end of that magical journey with those characters who had become as dear as friends. I cried and cried when i got to the end of it, but the part that really started me crying was where the minstrel comes to tell the story of Frodo and Sam...the words that Tolkien used were so poignant and sweet that i just cracked...and for those of you who don't know what i'm talking about, here it is:
And he sang to them, now in the Elven-tongue, now in the speech of the West, until their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought out to regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness.
i think i've been there smilies/smile.gif alright, so my weirdness is laid bare...that was almost therapeutic! smilies/biggrin.gif i'm with you all the way!

[Aule]

I always get upset at the end. I love the story so much that i hate to read about the fellowship never being together again. The last things you read about in the appendix is of the deaths of Aragorn and merry and pippin being laid to rest nxt to him. And the gimli and Legolas going over the sea. Nothing this speacial will eer happen again in any age of ME.
I usually start reading the book again so that i don't become too deperessed smilies/biggrin.gif

[Yavanna228]

Aule, good remedy! smilies/smile.gif I find myself doing that alot too...and as I stand at the moment, it's very near the end again. ::sigh:: Ah well, that means I'll get to read it again! hurrah!
Peace