Feedback and Suggestion Box - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 11-30-2005, 03:37 PM

*gasp* Estelyn Telcontar's alternate personality, Merisuewyniel of the Splintered Ent, breaks out and sets a time limit, something she has been unable to achieve on her Entishprises! Is this Parodia raising her head amidst the hallowed dark ivory tower of Books? Will we next see a Post by Post discussion of The Revenge of the Entish Bow, only to be hurried biweekly through to a deconstruction of The Reunification of the Entish Bow?

Be wery, wery afwaid, Downers. Next she could bring out other means of prodding and prognostication for those who aren't posting and thereby inspiring that classic, Paddle to the Seat of Parody Moot .

davem · 12-02-2005, 01:36 PM

Is it just me?...

First of all, let me say I was determined to post on each of the Appendices, to have contributed to each of the CbC discussions....but...

Does anyone else feel a sense of 'anti-climax' as far as discussing the Appendices goes. I put something together for the first part of Appendix A, & I've read the second part in preparation for a post, but though I came up with odd things - the pride of the Gondorians leading them from one disaster to another, the fact that in the main it read like a history text, so that when Saruman or the White Council was mentioned it felt a bit out of place, etc, - I just find my heart isn't in the appendices.

I feel like I've finished, that I just want to say 'Shut the book now dad, I don't want to read anymore.' that I can't face posting another thing on CbC (waits for cheering to die down before continuing.......
............
...........
..........)

Ok, so, is it just me, or has anyone else hit the Appendices & just felt 'I can't be bothered'?

The reason I ask is, is it something about the style of the Appendices - 'The Sil' style of it: lots of names & dates, great battles & high tragedy, etc, etc - or to put it another way: no Hobbits? Or maybe that's not it, maybe its that I'm just emotionally drained by the story itself. Whatever the reason, I feel I just can't summon the will or energy to do it.

Tolkien stated their purpose was to provide background, both the movie & the radio series end with Sam's return to Bag End & leave it there. Aren't the Appendices actually just a 'poor man's Silmarillion'? (As I think Heren implied in his post on the Appendix thread - sorry if I've misrepresented your position H-I.

Anyway, is it me, or is it the Appendices?

Formendacil · 12-02-2005, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davem

Is it just me?...

Quote:

Originally Posted by davem

Ok, so, is it just me, or has anyone else hit the Appendices & just felt 'I can't be bothered'?

I think it's just you...

For myself, it was the opposite. With most of the chapters, I would dive in after several other posters had, and THEN contribute something. In the case of Book VI, I think I have still to post on close to half the chapters.

But with the Appendices, I'm finding them easier to just jump into, offer some unprompted observations, and not feel the need to wait for inspiration to strike, because the inspiration is striking a lot faster.

Of course, I'm a factoid monkey, so I could just be wierd...

davem · 12-02-2005, 02:18 PM

Maybe we should get Fordim to start a poll

drigel · 12-02-2005, 02:20 PM

I had hopes, but it's nature lends little to converse, more to observe. Which, for me, makes good reading, others maybe not so much. I did like the Lewis reference concerning Forochel, davem.

davem · 12-02-2005, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drigel

I had hopes, but it's nature lends little to converse, more to observe. Which, for me, makes good reading, others maybe not so much. I did like the Lewis reference concerning Forochel, davem.

Oh, I enjoyed reading the Appendices - but as background. I think I feel the same as you. Its finding something to discuss about them. I think maybe they're too 'dense', too compacted. Maybe what it is, is I find there's so much there, so compressed, that 'it would take a week's answer or none at all' to discuss each paragraph. I think I feel overwhelmed by them & don't know where to start. After 18 months of working through the book, maybe I'm just tired? Or maybe its that so many characters are introduced, do something, & then die & we're onto someone else - we never get emotionally involved with any of them. Yet many of their stories are tragedies, & I feel I'm not engaged enough by them.

drigel · 12-02-2005, 02:37 PM

too many honeydo's from Lal wearing you out?

Possibly throw the threads out quicker and move on...? If someone wants to post on a prior chapter they can and the other posters get the email, right?

Estelyn Telcontar · 12-04-2005, 04:45 PM

I'm going at the pace of two threads a week for the Appendices - that's fast enough. I hope that this week's section, "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen", will have lots of contributions!

This is like a chapter of the book to me, more interesting and emotional than the rest of the Appendices.

11-30-2005, 03:37 PM	#1
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,005	gasp Estelyn Telcontar's alternate personality, Merisuewyniel of the Splintered Ent, breaks out and sets a time limit, something she has been unable to achieve on her Entishprises! Is this Parodia raising her head amidst the hallowed dark ivory tower of Books? Will we next see a Post by Post discussion of The Revenge of the Entish Bow, only to be hurried biweekly through to a deconstruction of The Reunification of the Entish Bow? Be wery, wery afwaid, Downers. Next she could bring out other means of prodding and prognostication for those who aren't posting and thereby inspiring that classic, Paddle to the Seat of Parody Moot . __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

12-02-2005, 01:36 PM	#2
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Is it just me?... First of all, let me say I was determined to post on each of the Appendices, to have contributed to each of the CbC discussions....but... Does anyone else feel a sense of 'anti-climax' as far as discussing the Appendices goes. I put something together for the first part of Appendix A, & I've read the second part in preparation for a post, but though I came up with odd things - the pride of the Gondorians leading them from one disaster to another, the fact that in the main it read like a history text, so that when Saruman or the White Council was mentioned it felt a bit out of place, etc, - I just find my heart isn't in the appendices. I feel like I've finished, that I just want to say 'Shut the book now dad, I don't want to read anymore.' that I can't face posting another thing on CbC (waits for cheering to die down before continuing....... ............ ........... ..........) Ok, so, is it just me, or has anyone else hit the Appendices & just felt 'I can't be bothered'? The reason I ask is, is it something about the style of the Appendices - 'The Sil' style of it: lots of names & dates, great battles & high tragedy, etc, etc - or to put it another way: no Hobbits? Or maybe that's not it, maybe its that I'm just emotionally drained by the story itself. Whatever the reason, I feel I just can't summon the will or energy to do it. Tolkien stated their purpose was to provide background, both the movie & the radio series end with Sam's return to Bag End & leave it there. Aren't the Appendices actually just a 'poor man's Silmarillion'? (As I think Heren implied in his post on the Appendix thread - sorry if I've misrepresented your position H-I. Anyway, is it me, or is it the Appendices? __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects." Last edited by davem; 12-02-2005 at 01:39 PM.

12-02-2005, 02:18 PM	#4
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Maybe we should get Fordim to start a poll __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

12-04-2005, 04:45 PM	#8
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I'm going at the pace of two threads a week for the Appendices - that's fast enough. I hope that this week's section, "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen", will have lots of contributions! This is like a chapter of the book to me, more interesting and emotional than the rest of the Appendices. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

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12-02-2005, 02:20 PM	#5
drigel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: commonplace city Posts: 518	I had hopes, but it's nature lends little to converse, more to observe. Which, for me, makes good reading, others maybe not so much. I did like the Lewis reference concerning Forochel, davem.

12-02-2005, 02:37 PM	#7
drigel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: commonplace city Posts: 518	too many honeydo's from Lal wearing you out? Possibly throw the threads out quicker and move on...? If someone wants to post on a prior chapter they can and the other posters get the email, right?