Need help... plz come in =)

[hutcruchi]

Hi all!!
I need some help:
Look I'm new in this whole thing of English books, but i recived some homework to do - I need to write a book report on the lord of the rings the fellowship of the rings ( only on the first volume).
and the truth is that I'm doing all right except for the messege \ morale in the story.
I have to find some messeges or morals in the story but I just can't!
can anyone help me plz???

thanks! =)

[Alcuin]

Tolkien said in an interview with the BBC that the story was about death. Men (and dwarves and hobbits) die but do not want to die; the elves cannot die, but neither can they escape Arda (creation) while it exists: they are immortal but not eternal, and they grow weary of the world. Seeking to avoid death trapped the Nine Men; seeking to avoid change trapped the Elven smiths who made the Rings.

There is an alternate commonly-cited theme of power and the abuse of power. Sauron is looking for power and control over others; Bombadil has renounced power over others. Saruman is seeking control over others and his own aggrandizement; Gandalf has renounced control over others and is willing to accept both his own death and even abasement to achieve his assigned task. Frodo Baggins gives up the Shire in order to save it; his cousin Lotho Sackville-Baggins hopes to control it but destroys himself and nearly destroys the Shire.

There are dualities or pairs throughout the story. Aragorn is paired against Denethor (the rightful king against the steward who would be king and meets a bad end), Boromir (same thing, but Boromir repents and is redeemed at the cost of his life), and Faramir (the good steward who gives up his power, retains his office, and lives long and happily). Aragorn is also in opposition to the Witch-King, a fallen Númenórean (probably of noble or even royal birth) from the Second Age who would be king, but falls; and against the Mouth of Sauron (same thing but not as old as the Nazgûl).

There is the pair of Legolas (art, as represented by the Elves) and Gimli (craft, as represented by the Dwarves). Gandalf and the Balrog are the confrontation of the Flame of Anor (literally the Flame of the Sun, of creative force) against the Flame of Udûn (literally the Flame of Hell, of destructive force). Sam is the good servant of Frodo, Gollum is the evil one; but Sam cannot bring himself to trust Gollum in any fashion, and his mistrust at the entrance to Shelob’s Lair when Gollum is prepared to repent ensures Gollum’s damnation and nearly seals Frodo’s doom.

There is a continual theme of rebirth and renewal. The Lost Kingdom of Arnor is restored by Aragorn, as is the Kingship of Gondor and the rule of the Line of Elendil; his marriage to Arwen restores the Line of Lúthien and the Peredhil (Half-Elven). Aragorn is even called the Renewer, Envinyatar. Gandalf is renewed after his demise after the battle with the Balrog. Théoden is renewed from his bewitchment by Wormtongue. Narsil, the Sword-that-was-broken, is reforged into Andúril. Éowyn is renewed from bitterness of heart and lust for battle to gentleness and love of life, and not by Aragorn but by Faramir. The Shire is renewed by Sam, who uses the Gift of Galadriel to replace the destruction wrecked by Saruman and his allies. On one level, even the Dead Men of Dunharrow are renewed, and freed from their curse to pass away at last.

There is loss, akin to death, that cannot be mended. The elves leave Middle-earth forever. Elrond loses Arwen, his beloved daughter. Galadriel loses Lórien, her kingdom in Middle-earth, and diminishes to pass into the West. The One Ring is lost, as are all the things made with the Three Rings of the Elves. In fact, everything associated with the elves, even the memory of them, must eventually be lost to Men. In the end, Arwen loses Aragorn, and she must pass away, too, having made the Choice of Lúthien to follow him into mortality.

Don’t forget the pure good vs. evil comparisons. The bad guys are Old Man Willow, the Balrog, Saruman, and Sauron. Sauron’s minions are the Nazgûl. The orcs serve the Balrog, Saruman, or Sauron, depending upon where they are. Gollum fails at his chance of redemption.

Ah, yes, and Faith: what Tolkien calls the eucastrophe, the unexpected good outcome, “a piercing glimpse of joy, and heart's desire.” To Tolkien, all these bad things are offset by the eucastrophe, the good outcome that is planned in advance by God, but cannot by its very nature be seen beforehand by Men, who must have Faith that through struggle and perseverance the eucastrophe will be achieved. The redemption and salvation in the mythic tale is an echo or harbinger of the True Myth, the death and resurrection of Christ and the redemption and salvation of Mankind through Jesus. While this is not politically correct, and might even get you in trouble in a lot of American schools these days, it is indeed a powerful theme about which Tolkien himself writes and which he emphasizes.

How is that for a start?

[hutcruchi]

Thanks Alcuin! =)

very much!

but as I said before: I'm new in this whole thing of English books so probably you wrote some good things in your thread but I tryin and yet didn't understand what you wrote there =)
so plz if you can just write me what is the morals or messeges in the story (only in the first volume - like you don't know what is going to happen next)
anf if you can write it simple it will helps me a lot!
so thanks again =)

[Valandil]

I'm sorry hutcruchi, but we generally try to avoid doing things where we might basically write people's papers for them.

So I'm going to close this thread.

I hope that doesn't discourage you - and that you will read and enjoy the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, that you'll do great on your paper, and that you'll stick around Enmoot.