I have a passion for nature and I fantasize often about journeying to a distant meadow and lying in the grass while the sun's rays warm my bones and the supple grass cushions me as I lay in peace.
I am currently an undergraduate studying History and Journalism in California, and I am greatly interested by the history of the Medieval era.
Currently, I am devoted to three bands: Noah and the Whale, Mumford & Sons, and Fleet Foxes. However, I have an undying love for The Beatles.
My cat's name is Tolkien.
First Lord of the Rings reading experience:
I read the books for the first time when I was in 5th grade, but I hardly consider that my first "experience." I read it with my friend and frankly neither one of us understood a single sentence.
Finally in high school I reread the books and I fell in love with the world and the escapist nature of embarking on the tale's journey. Now I'm 19 years old and I'm currently rereading the books for the third time. I consider this as my greatest experience with the books. I've obtained enough knowledge of the world of Middle-earth to truly delve into the story, and since I've recently obtained a remarkable affinity for simple and minimalistic lifestyles, the fantasy of singing along with Tom Bombadil has never been so vivid and alluring.
Favorite Tolkien character:
Tom Bombadil.
Although the answer to this inquiry is likely to change as frequently as dusk and dawn, I find a deep personal affection for the character of Tom Bombadil.
Many people criticize Tolkien's inclusion of Tom Bombadil as being fragmented and pointless. Many claim that the entire chapter regarding the forest dweller seems thrown in as an afterthought, and that it is an unconvincing and brief reprisal of the playful tone of The Hobbit.
I do not disagree that Tom Bombadil does seem to be picked up dearly from The Hobbit and dropped into the Lord of the Rings, but I refuse to admit that this is detrimental in any sense. If anything, I appreciate the delicate bridge that he creates between the simple and jolly life of The Shire and the serious and solemn journey that lies in the East and with the One Ring.
As Frodo and the other hobbits get farther from the dear Shire and closer to the dark parts of the world, Bombadil represents the merry vestiges of The Shire and of the writing styles of The Hobbit. His rhymes are cheerful, his wit is inspiring, and his indifference to the Ring of Power is refreshing. To dear old Tom, the only real enemy that concerns him is Old Man Willow. And to me, that just sums up a wonderfully simple character that brings a grin to my face every time I hop along with him.
