Madeline Helland

BFA student @ STAMPS School of Art & Design

[madeline-helland]

READ THE BOOK!!!!

After reading The Hobbit, I have difficulty watching the movie. The first movie is decent; however, the second one frustrates me, because much of it the producer has changed to fit what he thinks would be best for a movie audience. Key parts, like when the dwarves and Bilbo are in the castle, have been altered, which affects the development of the story. Even the trailer for the second movie shows incorrect elements; some being the battle with the orcs as the dwarves are in the barrels, introduction of Tauriel and Legolas and the events in the village of Dale. Since I had to research criticism for the critical file I thought, “why not look at the movies criticism.” It didn’t surprise me that the reviews weren’t great and it disappointed me that barely any of the reviews commented on how incorrect the movies details are. Producers need to read the book and then follow it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLgnkRxlKCg

http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/12/09/review-the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug-is-better-without-being-good/

[madeline-helland]

College Prep

If this is really what a college assignment is like then I am grateful that I was able to experience it before hand. I have learned that setting short-term deadlines in vital and that waiting just makes it harder to start. I am nearing the end of writing my first drafts and I just want to be done, but I know I will have to read it through and correct it and then have Mr. Kreinbring look at if I want to do well. Finding the momentum at the end is the hardest, but I know I have to learn how to do it now so I can do well in years to come. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Hobbit; however, if I were to redo this project I would pick a different novel. I would choose a novel from a similar time period or theme as one of the other books we read this year, because the discussions and notes I have from those novels could have helped me. I would have been more keen to certain traits and styles of that time or theme.

[madeline-helland]

Strugglin'

Writing annotations for The Hobbit was difficult for me, because I felt that the style of Tolkien’s writing greatly differed from that of Wilde, Hurston, Silko and Chopin. Maybe it is because The Hobbit is an adventure fantasy novel or because it wasn’t written during a movement or renaissance of some sort; therefore, the themes and symbolism aren’t as profound. This lead me to analyze and reflect on the piece of criticism Michael Moorcock wrote Epic Pooh. At first I read it and got a little offended, because he was bashing on The Hobbit by saying, “ The sort of prose most often identified with “high” fantasy is the prose of the nursery-room” (4). From this I thought he was saying The Hobbit was like a nursery rhyme, which he is in a way, but he’s also saying that it is a happily-ever-after story with clearly defined protagonists and antagonists. The more I read and the more I went back and analyzed the book I realized this to be true.

[madeline-helland]

Poetry in The Hobbit

As I am writing the critical file I run into road blocks, so looking up some questions I have online help me figure out what it is I want to say. For example, I wanted to understand why Tolkien includes poetry in his novels and the website http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/10/the-hobbit/ gave me insight on the effect the poetry has on the novel. This website was a reminder that poetry and songs are a historic way to tell a story. This website also compares The Hobbit to Beowulf and discusses how song is used in Beowulf in comparison to The Hobbit. In many criticisms The Hobbit is compared to Beowulf, because of its style and content. 

[madeline-helland]

To start or not to start is the question

The hardest part about this essay was getting motivated to start it. Once the project is broken down it isn’t as overwhelming as when looked at as a whole. I was unmotivated to start reading the criticisms, because I thought they would be mostly negative and boring, but I was wrong. I actually enjoyed reading about the different perspectives critics have on The Hobbit and the many aspects they chose to critique. I ended up reading way more criticisms than I actually had to, but the extra ones I read ended up helping me write the annotations and introductions. One of my favorite criticisms that I read was critic Nancy Enright’s article Tolkien’s Females and the Defining of Power. It helped me analyze the structure of power in the novel and the role that female characters play in it. 

Enright, Nancy. “Tolkien’s Females and the Defining of Power.”J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Bloom's Literary Criticism. Bloom, Harold. New York NY: Infobase Publishing, 2008. 171-186. Print.

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[courtneyellecee-blog-deactivate]

I’m sitting in Starbucks and just a bit ago this beautiful little girl wearing a tutu was going around to complete strangers handing them stir sticks! I thought to myself “how cute”. Then as she came around to me and handed me my stir stick, it struck me how giving she was. I know, they are just wooden stir sticks that Starbucks provides for free, but this little girl saw something in those stir sticks and she wanted to share them with everyone. She made her rounds,  coming up to me, two women gabbing about the latest gossip, an older business man working diligently on his computer, another man playing on his phone, a young student, and a middle aged couple talking about work.  They all received her sticks with such “gratitude” playing along with her and keeping their stir sticks on the table not to touch again. 

This did not bother her. She was satisfied everyone had a stir stick. She was so bold and fearless about it and it made me think. As we grow older we become so timid not to share, to keep everything to ourselves when it comes to person to person contact with a stranger or even friends. To a child, they see things with such pure eyes and fearless hearts. What a beautiful quality. As adults, we become scared in sharing our thoughts, beliefs, and money because we fear it might be “too forward” or “improper” because we’ve been tainted. We’ve seen people not accept our “stir sticks”.  We’ve seen them toss them on the ground or even hurt us with them. What is it like to have that childlike fearlessness again?

The little girl then stopped and watch everyone continue on with their business and not pay attention to their stir sticks and so she went around again. She gave everyone another stir stick! It was adorable. Except, when she got to me she looked at me and paused. Instead of giving me another stir stick, she took mine away! Hey. that’s my stir stick you gave me. That’s not cool. But then I watched her give it to another man. I nearly cried. 

This little girl showed me how God blesses us with “stir sticks” or things in life and takes them away. “He gives and takes away”. God blesses us, so we can bless others! I was dumbfounded, shocked, and utterly amazed at how this little girl just taught me the way of the Lord with Starbucks coffee stirrers! 

This little angel in her pink tutu taught me two life lessons in a span of 5 minutes. To give fearlessly, whether it’s my thoughts, beliefs, or material things.  And she made me understand the meaning of “He gives and takes away”. 

What’s your “stir stick”? Who do you have to give it to? You don’t have to be 3 years old and in a pink tutu to do it.

[madeline-helland]

The Hobbit #6

Tolkien wrote in one of his letters, "What I think is a primary ‘fact’ about my work, that it is all of a piece, and fundamentally linguistic in inspiration. [. . .] It is not a ‘hobby’, in the sense of something quite different from one’s work, taken up as a relief-outlet. The invention of languages is the foundation. The ‘stories’ were made rather to provide a world for the languages than the reverse. To me a name comes first and the story follows. I should have preferred to write in ‘Elvish’. But, of course, such a work as The Lord of the Rings has been edited and only as much ‘language’ has been left in as I thought would be stomached by readers. (I now find that many would have liked more.) [. . .] It is to me, anyway, largely an essay in ‘linguistic aesthetic’, as I sometimes say to people who ask me ‘what is it all about’." It is interesting to read this quote from Tolkien, because I would have never thought that the names came first and the story followed. I am amazed that he created whole languages just for a few books. Tolkien’s pursuit for knowledge and his imagination are what make his pieces so unique. It is evident that Tolkien enjoyed and was invested in writing these novels. Tolkien writes creatively, yet it is evident that much time and planning went into the stories to make them believeable. “Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?” is used by Lord Elrond to great Gandalf. The element of a made up language makes the story that much more interesting and real.

[madeline-helland]

THe Hobbit #5

The style of the The Hobbit is archaic. This is made evident to the reader not only by the descriptions of the settings, but by the way Tolkien writes. He writes almost poetically and describes the scenes using imagery, similes and other literary techniques. A great example of his style is, “The lands opened wide about him, filled with the waters of the river which broke up and wandered in a hundred winding courses, or halted in marshes and pools dotted with isles on every side; but still a strong water flowed on steadily through the midst. And far away, its dark head in a torn cloud, there loomed the Mountain! Its nearest neighbours to the North-East and the tumbled land that joined it to them could not be seen. All alone it rose and looked across the marshes to the forest. The Lonely Mountain! Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it in the least.”(174) It is evident in this passage that Tolkien writes in an eloquent manner. He describes, yet he doesn’t over depict a scenerio to the point where it would bore the reader. He uses personification in this passage to describe the land and the horrific mountain. His style compare to that of C.S. Lewis, which can be accredited to them both being British professors around the same time period. They were also friends who wrote novels of the same genre.

[madeline-helland]

The Hobbit #4 I really enjoy the maps and images that fantasy authors tend to add into their novels. First, I find them helpful in understanding the story, but I also find them beautiful in their archaic style. The maps give the reader of how ancient the stories behind the stories are; they are an artifact to the travelers, and the reader gets the chance to understand and feel a part of the journey.

[madeline-helland]

The Hobbit #3

I have heard people say that The Hobbit is based off of or has themes from the Bible. In some respect I can see some similar themes; however, I do not see how it would be based off the Bible. After looking into this theory, it appears that many began saying this after they found out Tolkien was Christian. Many of the themes, like unexpected heroism and good versus evil, are aspects of many religions. The Hobbit is a story about living for a greater purpose, which is a value that many religions highly regard and even those who do not have a religion. It’s not like one can say Gandalf is like God and Bilbo is like Jesus, because they are mortals and possess human qualities.

[madeline-helland]

The Hobbit #2

Immediately, when I begin reading I feel a part of the adventure. Maybe some of it could be due to the fact that I like the fantasy genre, but it can also be accredited to the way Tolkien writes. Tokien uses vivid imagery, fantastical characters and suspense to lure the reader in. For example, Tolkien writes, “But the dwarves were all for supper as soon as possible just then, and would not stay. On they all went, leading then ponies, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the very brink of the river. It was flowing fast and noisily as mountain-streams do of a summer evening, when sun has been all day on the snow far up above. There was only a narrow bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; and over that they had to go, slow and careful, one by one, each leading his pony by the bridle. The elves had brought bright lanterns to the shore, and they sang a merry song as the party went across.” (47-48) This passage gives me enough detail so that I can imagine what Thorin and Company are traversing through. Tolkien makes the character seem so alive by using dialogue and descriptions to help the reader understand them. In addition, the reader gets to know the characters better through each event that comes up. The novel is filled with action, which leads to a constant feeling of suspense.

[madeline-helland]

The Hobbit

The AP lit project suddenly didn’t seem so bad when I found out that I could read the hobbit as my research essay book. I had been wanting to read the Lord of the Rings series for quite a while and this project gave me the perfect opportunity to start it. I wanted to read the Hobbit for a few reasons. First, it had been recommended to me many times, so I figured it might be good. Second, I find the fiction, fantasy genre exciting and it allows me to use my imagination and be creative. And lastly, I wanted to see how different the movies are from the book (which is a lot if you watch the second Hobbit movie).

[madeline-helland]

m-m-m-maddi

To teachers I am a remix of prior students. Often I have heard teachers say, “oh, you remind me of so and so.” I take it as a compliment because they are usually people who I admire for their skills in art or leadership roles. They are usually people like Jenna VanFletteran or Kalyna Petrusha, people who are kind and hard working. I hope there are characteristics about me that set me apart from other students, but there have and will be so many more to come that will be a remix of other students and myself. 

[madeline-helland]

The GO effect is original in that it allows High School students to work together to accomplish building an orphanage and hospital. It teaches kids the importance of community and finding something more to live for aside from school and their home lives. Other schools have charity week, but I don't know of any other schools that have accomplished this.

[madeline-helland]

Now dis be original doe!