journal entry 1: Foreword-Valaquenta

[Bombadillo]

These are the thought processes and emotions that I undergo while reading the Silmarillion for the first time. It’s for my motivation, interpretation, and pleasure, and for your entertainment and reminiscent comparisons. I know this will be a good book and everyone continually reminds me, but so far I haven’t been able to read much further than Valaquenta. For effect, I am using my dad’s dirt-old, yellow, and tattered copy from 1981. Each posted entry is actually a few tiny ones on portions of the book, because I don’t want forget what I’m thinking (I’ll date them.). I’ll keep organization uniform for your convenience and because it bugs me when something’s different. I think future entries will be much longer than this one. Expect just a little bit more of the book’s formality to bleed through into my entries too; I hope it affects me that much.
If you have anything you think I'd enjoy, or any advice for the journal, please PM me and I'd be super-grateful. I won't read here, so you can use spoilers freely.


11/27/2004
So here I am, at the beginning of the Silmarillion again. Not even: I just read the covers, the foreword, and tried to memorize the “note on pronunciation� and as many Elvish roots as I could. Then I gathered my Return of the King (for the more extensive Elvish chart), a dictionary, and newer, more revised copy of the Sil to keep nearby for reference as I read this book through! That’s enough for one night. My procrastination has proved inevitable anyway, and at least this was productive. Now I’m prepared to tackle some actual story, tomorrow.


11/29
Ainulindalë
Ainulindalë does not intimidate me as much as one would expect (maybe since I already read it so many times). It has an odd, unidentifiable charm, plus I’m amused by the fact that music spawned time and space. Of course it would be a fine, poetic art, and co-Inkling C.S. Lewis agreed! I remember during my previous attempts to read this, I would be distracted, trying to imagine the music, when of course no one can, since it is everything in its entirety, and me in just one short note. Now that I understand that, I’d be angered if a composer tried to capture the Music of the Ainur in song. (unless Tolkien wrote sheet music).

This time, I definitely read faster, and was surprisingly more exited by the glory of Ilúvatar and the Ainur. I pictured them almost as stars, but huge and with gel-like light. Like I said before, I can’t identify what was so awesome about it, but Tolkien is so the god of the fantasy world.

Also, I was sort of looking for how Tom Bombadil could fit in there. I think he could have be produced by an Ainur who spouted from that portion of Ilúvatar’s mind with the ability to imagine and create. I’m intrigued, but I’m putting that thought aside for now; it’s irrelevant to this story, and I'm probably not the first one with that theory.


11/30
Valaquenta
Just looking at the title brought back two thoughts from earlier readings: this is hard, and Tulkas rocks. And, oh, man, I was still waiting for Tolkien to mention Gandalf, in any form. Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have recognized a different name or his origins anyway yet, but he mentioned the Balrog! So far, my favorite writing of Tolkien’s is the three paragraphs in "The Bridge of Khazad Dûm," LotR Book II, the talk and the clash on the bridge, because they’re equal, and they complement each other, and they’re both more glorious than anyone not Tolkien could have shown. And here, I’m learning about their makers and their deeds that shaped the Earth for that scene… oh, boy, this is promising.

Pacing myself is already difficult; I am so caught up in thoughts and ideas, I feel like I must keep reading, but I have to write these down right away, they’re of such strong excitement. I’m torn in halves, and I’m unreasonably anxious about it.

[Artanis]

Thank you Bombadillo!

I remember myself how hard it was to get through these two first chapters to begin with. It was another matter when I returned to them later after having read through the Valinor chapters.

[Manveru]

ya its a lot easier the second time around (and the third time )

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

dont give up, mind you

[Rían]

Keep at it, Bomb! It's fabulous!!

I think Tom Bombadil was created when an Ainu hiccupped ...

[Attalus]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

I think Tom Bombadil was created when an Ainu hiccupped ...

It's better than most of the cruddy theories that I have read about him.