Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Literary tag

If I have ever been tagged before, I have not noticed.  Until now.  Thanks, Merriette! :-)  This is very rare, you know, but I'll do it for you and my own amusement.

1 - What is your favorite book?

The Lord of the Rings.  I know, big surprise. 

2 - Who is your favorite character in that book and why?
Samwise Gamgee, closely followed by Frodo (or vice versa, depending on when you ask me).  Sam is humble, down-to-earth, not especially clever or good with a sword or handsome or dashing or well-spoken, but he feels things deeply even when he can't say why.  He knows that he's part of a Grand Story.  He's also a hero in the highest sense of the word - faithful to the end, persistent and persevering and sacrificial, who carries his friend Frodo up Mount Doom.  He reminds me of Jesus, who is even more faithful and persistent than a hobbit, and who carried our sins and sorrows up a Hill when we could not.  And after the Evil was destroyed and it was finished, then came the waking, and finding that everything sad was coming untrue.


:-)  Oh, and Sam is a gardener, a cook, and a wellspring of hilarious phrases from the Gaffer.  How could I not like him best?

3 - If you could spend a day as a character in the book who would it be and why?
Rosie Cotton.  Because she gets to live in the Shire, marry Samwise, and have lots of cute hobbit children. ;-)  Only a day would be too short to do all that, though, so I'm ignoring that part, muhaha.



4 - Would you rather read Pride and Prejudice or Little Women?

I've read both, and P&P would probably be a quicker read, but at the moment I'd pick Little Women.  We're about to watch it for my "Young Ladies Film Society" (i.e. movie night for girls from church), and I'd like to be able to notice the big things they added/changed in the film.

5 - Where is your favorite place to read a good book?

I've had many.  Once it was the tree in my grandparents' back yard, which alas, is now gone.   Often on my bed, in the car, by a cozy fire, or at the kitchen table with a plate of something yummy.  These days, it's mostly on the couch.  With a mug of tea or coffee, ideally, and sometimes a bit of chocolate.


I shall not tag, but if you want to answer the same questions, of course you're quite free too.

Lovely Wednesday night to you all!  I think I shall go refresh my coffee now, and read my current book - Dug Down Deep, by Joshua Harris, which I did end up buying and which has been quite refreshing and good.

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for doing this, Rael--I enjoyed reading your answers.
    Did you draw that picture?
    I love what you said about Sam and can agree with him being your favorite, since you like Frodo second best. :)

    That picture of Frodo has always been one of my favorites. What could be better than reclining in a beautiful tree and reading a good book?

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  2. Merriette, thanks for the comment! Yes, I did draw that picture, maybe 4-5 years ago. It was a present for a friend's graduation, but I did think to scan it before I gave it to her so I can sort of keep it, too.

    Yes, for a long time Frodo was my favorite, and then I couldn't decide between him and Sam, so I just go back and forth in praising their good qualities. ;-)

    I'm guessing Frodo is your favorite... might I be right?

    I love that picture too. :-) It's not even a screenshot from the film, which is a bit funny. Frodo does sit in a tree with a pipe in the Extended FotR, but not a book. Hehe!

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  3. (Since we were both 'tagged' at the same time, I thought I'd potter over and see your answers!)

    The Lord of the Rings certainly has an abundance of good characters! It's difficult for me to pick one over another, but I do like Samwise. I think perhaps Arwen is my favourite, though, because I love the way she didn't go out to war like Eowyn did, but waited faithfully for Aragorn to come back and kind of "kept the hearth-fire burning."

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  4. Ah, Jeanne, that is so true! I'm glad Eowyn learned to be more womanly later (I think she mainly went to fight because she was discontent and despairing, which changed), but Arwen was a better example of patience and waiting at home for her man... I do like reading the Arwen/Aragorn section of the Appendices, to get more of her story.

    I think I shall "potter over" (lovely phrase!) and see your answers. :-)

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