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FRIENDSHIP happier_bunny 2007-09-22 08:36 pm UTC (link)

crap, i forgot my own rule about the subject line 1. Some members of the fellowship start off as friends. How do those relationships grow? How do they all start to fit together in groups and the fellowship as a whole? (ie Gimli and Legolas or Aragorn and Boromir or Boromir and the Hobbits) What are the catalysts for their growth? Of course the hobbits start off as friends but watching their devotion to one another but what is really amazing to watch is the new friendships that are formed. I love Legolas and Gimli...from their snark to their mutual respect for each other by the end of the film. They work well together and when Legolas saves Gimli on the bridge while he's screaming, "Not the beard"...I just die. And the fondness Legolas has for Gimli's infatuation with Lady Galadriel is adorable. And then Boromir and Aragorn. They start as comrades before the council and then they fight but they join together as comrade at arms with a very different vision of how things should play out. Yet I believe that Boromir, through his redemption, gives Aragorn faith in men...and in himself. "I would have followed you my brother...my captain...my King." KILLS ME DEAD. Boromir and Merry and Pippen. He's always there for them. He teaches them to fight, he carries them in the snow, he jumps with them in Mordor and he paddles them on the river. He seems to be amused by them but when they are in need he's there, trying to save them...telling them to run. And they in turn have such respect for him that they stay and fight. I COULD NOT LOVE THE FRIENDSHIPS IN THIS MOVIE TRILOGY MORE! I like how they all start off out of respect for Gandalf, but when he falls, it's each other they all turn to and cling together for one common purpose. 2. Each member comes to Rivendell as an individual, with individual agendas. How does this change as the journey progresses? I think that the minute they all agree to join the Fellowship, they put their individual agendas aside (or in Boromir's case he really tries to) and focus on the goal of getting Frodo and the ring to Mordor. Plus as they grow more devoted to one another, their choices are less individualized and more for the greater good... 3. What are your favorite friendships and why? I love them all so much. Sam/Frodo - their devotion and respect is so touching. Merry/Pippen - they accept each other for who they are...love it! 4 Hobbits - they just enjoy each other. It makes me happy to watch. Legolas/Gimli - they grow to respect each other adn their differences. happy sigh Aragorn/Boromir - what can I say, I'm a sucker for their relationship (and not in a slashy way) I love that Boromir recognizes Aragorn for the man he is going to be and that Aragorn sees good in Boromir in spite of his folly. However, it's the group dynamic that makes this first movie so special for me. The way they come together for a common purpose and remain true to one another, growing closer as the journey progresses and the danger grows. 4. I've always been moved by the faith, belief, and respect that the members of the Fellowship form for one another. How are those tested throughout the journey? How do they grow? An obvious one is the way Frodo tests Sam by trying to leave him behind. But Samwise remains true and devoted. I love him so and I often think that while they are all heroes, he makes the greatest journey. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: FRIENDSHIP happier_bunny 2007-09-22 08:38 pm UTC (link)
	kljf;ljsafl;jsaf I forgot to mention Bilbo and Gandalf. (Reply to this) (Parent)

FRIENDSHIP ozcmom 2007-09-22 08:53 pm UTC (link)

1 & 2. Wow, a pretty complex one to start with! And in a way I think I will entwine 1 & 2 together, if that's OK? Because I'm not sure I completely agree with the 'all with individual agendas' thing, particularly the hobbits. Pip and Merry went for pretty much the same reason, and Sam a similar one, his dedication to Frodo. The others though? Now there's where it gets into complexities, especially with Boromir - the only one I believe who started on the Quest with the Fellowship with an agenda that changed not just a little, but went through a complete cycle within that time. Without him, I believe, and his 'cycle' Aragorn would possibly have not become the Man he did. I really believe it was Boromir's death far more than Gandalf's that made Aragorn finally accept that he could no longer avoid the mantle of 'king'. 3. I believe the friendship between Sam and Frodo is one that was central to the book's theme, that friendship withstands... for without Sam Frodo wouldn't have made it. And I think the fact that Sam carried the Ring for a while is forgotten to the detriment of the character analysis of Sam - he carried it, and he still gave it back to Frodo, yet he wasn't regarded as a 'ring bearer' as Frodo and Bilbo were. So many times Sam literally saved the day, especially toward the end, but it was still always Frodo who was regarded as the leader - which is the way of most 'sidekicks'. Yes, this is a little hurried, but I wanted to get something in before heading off on a 5 hour run around that can't be avoided (for some reason planes won't change their departures times for in depth discussions on FOTR! Damn them!) The main relationship though, I wouldn't call it a friendship as such, was Aragorn and Boromir, in FOTR. Through Boromir Aragorn got to see what it was for the people of Gondor to struggle against Mordor, without their king, and I believe Aragorn learnt the meaning of 'never giving up' from Boromir, the strength of Boromir's convictions, and in the end the strength of the Man to first succumb to the Ring, but then to redeem himself and fighting it off, despite his own belief he'd failed. I think the death scene is one of the most poignant, and critical turning points of the movies. It's where Aragorn kinda 'woke up to himself' I guess. We also see the friendship of Pip and Merry go through cycles, but grow stronger. And of course Legolas and Gimli? The comic relief? *g* But moreso that two races so different from each other, with only disdain for one another at the beginning becoming the closest of friends. And I gotta go, but I will return! (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: FRIENDSHIP happier_bunny 2007-09-25 02:33 am UTC (link)

I believe the friendship between Sam and Frodo is one that was central to the book's theme, that friendship withstands... I agree and not only does it withstand but it's can be complete devotion without losing your sense of self. I love the friendship between these 2. I actually think that Boromir and Aragorn did form a friendship because Boromir was really able to hurt Aragorn with his words as they watched Gollum on the river.. But I agree with you in that Boromir gave Aragorn some faith through his redemption. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: FRIENDSHIP ozcmom 2007-09-25 06:13 am UTC (link)

I don't know that I would call Aragorn and Boromir's relationship a friendship, to be honest. I would rather call it a comradeship. There was too little time and too much that stood between them for them to truly develop a friendship. They both grew to respect one another, which wasn't the case at the beginning, in the Council (in the books this is the first time they meet, there wasn't any 'shards of Narsil' meeting before as Boromir only rode into Rivendell the morning of the Council meeting). But even at Boromir's death Aragorn still didn't really know the man, so I feel there wasn't a true 'friendship' there, but definitely a comrade-in-arms type of respect. As Aragorn went on, (and I adore PJ and Viggo's addition of Aragorn taking Boromir's vambraces and wearing them!!!) he probably grew to understand Boromir more, seeing what the man had been through, the way Denethor had raised him, used him, and then forced him to go after the answer/Ring. (Reply to this) (Parent)

FRIENDSHIP faile02 2007-09-23 12:26 am UTC (link)

(I feel like I'm writing an English paper, here!) 4. I've always been moved by the faith, belief, and respect that the members of the Fellowship form for one another. How are those tested throughout the journey? How do they grow? You're right about this. The whole Fellowship starts off as a group of people that have almost no ties to each other, and yet, at the end of the movie, they've become each others family. It's really interesting to watch, because out of all of them, the only one they know and trust is Gandalf. Frodo instantly gains respect in the eyes of the group, because he's the first one to stand up and take responsibility for this thing they call can't help but fight over. Honestly, I always thought that Frodo was the strongest one of them all, and the most self-reliant, despite Sam. Sam's the one that teaches him that he can't do it all alone, and while you see part of that in the first film, it's really the very end of it "I can't carry it, but I can carry you!" that shows just how much Frodo needs other people. This is also shown at the end of FotR, when the Fellowship split. Frodo has to destroy the Ring, but Aragorn et al. need to get to the rest of Middle Earth, or Frodo's journey will be for naught, anyway. Somebody mentioned how it's Boromir's death that pushes Aragorn to reforge the sword, and while I agree that his death is definitely a factor, I really feel that Gandolf's death is what forces him to take charge in the beginning. Gandolf is the catalyst, while Boromir is the final ingredient. After Gandolf 'dies', there is nobody left to lead them, except for Aragorn. He spent all this time ignoring who he was, when he's forced to face it, he now has to prove to himself that he can actually do it. The Fellowship gives him the faith he needs. Boromir is totally the one that grows the most, in this film. He goes through a complete transformation, and everybody knows that self-sacrifice is the only way to redeem ones-self after trying to take the thing you sought to protect. I always feel so sorry for him, because as soon as he understands what he needs to do, he's dead. It's sort of a bittersweet lesson for him, though he saved the Hobbits from death. I could go on, but I think I'll save it for the next post. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: FRIENDSHIP happier_bunny 2007-09-25 02:35 am UTC (link)
	I know, perhaps these were a bit too intense. hee the only one they know and trust is Gandalf. Yes. and I agree with your statement that Frodo quickly gains their respect. I love Boromir and his final scenes KILL ME. I always sob. (Reply to this) (Parent)