Page 694 – “Chapter 7 – Journey to the Cross-roads”

I have a sinking feeling that this chapter is going to include a lot of walking.

The Titanic agrees.

Frodo and Sam eat breakfast with Faramir before they get ready to go. He is giving them a small bit of food, and warns them against drinking any water that flows down from Mordor. Otherwise, they should be alright. He also mentions that scouts have returned with news of…nothing. The roads are eerily empty and quiet, leading Faramir to believe that a great strike or something big is imminent. In the meantime, the hobbits might be able to slip around quite easily. Faramir also gifts Frodo and Sam two walking-sticks, elaborately carved and shortened to their height.

First Mentions:

-Imlad Morgul: The valley of Minas Morgul, terrifying and deadly. You know how Rivendell is also called Imladris? Look, a similarity in language!

Aren’t carved walking-sticks a little silly to be taking into Mordor? Those are going to get beat up. They’re not really practical, are they? The last thing that I would ever want as a decorated heirloom is something like a walking-stick – something that I’m going to take into the wilderness and throw around a lot of the time. It’s like having a a diamond-encrusted nail file. What’s the point?

The interesting line here is in Faramir’s mention of the quiet roads. He says that a storm is coming, seemingly having a conversation that is moved to a Gandalf-Pippin talk in the movie.

This scene!

Will that still happen? I could see it, but the lines here are very similar, enough so to make me think that it just moved almost straight over.

What doesn’t happen? Faramir doesn’t take Frodo and Sam to Osgiliath. Pshaw.

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-Imlad

-lebethron

-woodwrights

Woodwrights write on wood, right?

“‘To have found it turns evil to great good.’”

Page 693 – “‘I know not.’”

End of chapter. Short page.

Faramir is letting Frodo go. He doesn’t want him to follow Gollum, but he has no choice but to do so. Fully expecting them never to meet again, Faramir wishes that Frodo, one day, will tell him the story of this adventure. Farewell for now.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 24 – “Murder? Faramir smells murder in the air!”

Yes, Faramir believes that Gollum has done some murder in his past. Why, that’s true!

He killed Fake Jack Black that one time.

Also in truth, Faramir believes that there is no chance that Frodo comes out of this alive. It would be a fool’s hope to think that Frodo could ever be successful in his quest. Even then, only a fool would also believe that he would have the strength to turn around and save his skin after so obstinately sticking to the plan, dangerous though it is. Hey, call me a fool.

I’ve been doing this for so many days in a row…maybe I am a fool.

NEVER.

No one dies today.

“He rose and bowed low to Frodo, and drawing the curtain passed out into the cave.”

Page 692 – “‘…if one sees a friend bound unwitting to his own harm.’”

It’s been one heck of a weekend.

Here I am, writing this post from the Jersey Shore (no, not like that), at the end of a very long day. Is this a diary, then? What do I say?

Hello, Diary, let’s talk about some stuff.

No, not like that.

Where should Frodo go? Faramir will not lead him to Minas Morgul and the passes above. Evil things are said about that place. In fact, Faramir offers little help at all. Whatever can Frodo do?

So…what is life worth? BIG QUESTION DAY. Frodo wants to…needs to get into Mordor. Should he fail, the world will fall, and all may die. Faramir is worried that his only option is to take the mysterious and dangerous road of Cirith Ungol. Faramir believes this will end poorly. But what are the other options? Faramir thinks that if Frodo goes by way of Cirith Ungol, he will die. The only other way in is through the Black Gate. That way, Frodo will die. Faramir could help him, and lead him through the dangers. No, for then Faramir will die. Every route is death. Which way should they go? Is there a correct choice? Does it even matter?

“I am bound,” Frodo says, “by solemn undertaking to the Council, to find a way or perish in the seeking.” Heroic. Duty-driven. Ned Stark would love it. And, as such, is failure a success? Should Frodo die in trying to destroy the ring, does he fulfill his duty? If so, then no risk is too great. He must try. He may fail, but not to try would be the true failure.

I guess Yoda might be wrong in this case. There is some try. There is do. There is always do. There is also try. There is no not trying. Even that little green man might get that.

You have to try. Otherwise it’s not worth it. It’s wrong.

No one dies today.

“‘Then what would you have me do?’”

Page 691 – “‘This I will not have secret,’ said Faramir.”

Not much time today. Make it quick!

Make it QUACK!

Faramir wants to know what the deal is. The FULL deal. Frodo explains, since Gollum won’t. Faramir is afraid of this pass, Cirith Ungol, but won’t stop them. He wants to, and warns Frodo that he feels like Gollum is leading him into a trap, but he won’t, in good faith, keep Frodo from following where he will.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 43 – “There’s a darkness in there. Stop that.”

Literally, Faramir has one of those moments where he tells Frodo that he wants to stop him, but he won’t. He can’t, as a good and faithful man, true to his word. That’s nice.

He truly wants to give Gollum a safe accompaniment to a location outside Gondor, like, to let him free, away from Frodo, and be shown the way. That’s super nice!

It’s nice.

No one dies today.

“‘For it seems less evil to counsel another man to break troth than to do so oneself, especially…’”

Page 690 – “‘Master knows,’ said Gollum with a sidelong glance…”

How many different places have I written this blog? Evanston, sure, where I started. Chicago, where I live now, obviously. But also, out at my parent’s house in the suburbs and a brief weekend in St. Louis. Is that it? Well, now you can add the Philadelphia airport. EXCITING.

Not yet on an airplane proper.

As such, it’s hard to concentrate. But let’s try.

Faramir seems satisfied with Gollum’s answers, and Frodo is relieved that they look to be holding water. Faramir releases Gollum into Frodo’s care…but Frodo has no idea what Faramir intends to do with him. It hasn’t been established. However, Faramir announces that Frodo is free to go. He must appear before Denethor in Minas Tirith within a year, but otherwise he is good to go. Anyone under his protection (Sam and Gollum), is free as well. Gollum, however, is under more of a agreement. Should he leave Frodo, his life is forfeit once more. Not a lot of room to screw up.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 61 – “You have a second chance. Better shape up.”

Good stuff today. Faramir is nice, Gollum seems to be believable, and Sam…well, Sam stays out of it. Frodo gets exactly what he hoped for. I know Sam didn’t hope for it (he sighs when Frodo accepts Gollum back), but he needs to learn sometime, as we all know.

And Faramir makes the one demand that Frodo must appear in Minas Tirith within a year. You know who made a similar demand? Éomer. Remember that? He let Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli continue to roam the lands of Rohan, but they had to agree to visit Edoras once their hunt was over. They did, and things went well! See, people are good.

No one dies today.

“Gollum made no reply.”

Page 689 – “…malice of his eyes with their heavy pale lids.”

Gotta keep this short. Another busy day, and I have to catch a flight in 8 hours! (Yeah…not a lot of sleep happening tonight.)

I really just need Lou Ferrigno to put me in a sleeper hold.

Faramir questions Gollum. He wants to know basically everything, but Gollum doesn’t tell him much at all. However, Faramir believes something in Gollum, and allows Frodo to loose his bonds. Faramir then asks Gollum if he knows where he is, and if he intends to come back. Gollum shrinks away, cowering. Faramir sees the truth in him. He’ll simply have him swear to keep his word.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 54 – “Honesty? That’s a new one.”

I don’t know what Faramir finds trustworthy. I really don’t. Maybe it’s the moment where he mentions that Gollum’s fish were caught with a heavy price. Gollum then drops the fish (he still had one in his hand) and says that he doesn’t want it anyway. No, Faramir didn’t mean that the fish literally came at a price, but it was kind of funny that Gollum took it to mean all he had to do was renounce the fish. Stinky fishes!

Ah yes, everyone’s favorite Pokemon!

So, there was a moment of levity there. Nice. I think I have to call it now.

No one dies today.

“‘What oath will you swear never to return; and never to lead any living creature hither by word or sign?’”

Page 688 – “…ever to make him understand or believe that Frodo had…”

There are days that writing this is hard. Usually, it’s because there’s just not much to say. Remember all that walking? Other days, there’s just more important stuff going on. As such, I find little interesting about talking about how Frodo coerced Gollum into being caught by Anborn. Frodo returned to the caves, where he and Sam were brought before Faramir. Gollum joined in a moment, tied and very unhappy. That’s what’s there today, but I can’t say much about it.

Today’s Gollum Meter: 37 – “Times are bad, but it’s not all your fault. Try to stay above it.”

It’s a tough spot. Gollum’s trust for Frodo is basically gone, and that doesn’t bode well for anything in the future.

Words My Computer Didn’t Like:

-masster

Anyway, I have a lot to do over the next few days, and posts might be short, delayed, or all out late. I’m unsure of what all will be going on. I’ve laughed at times about how staunchly committed I am to this blog, day in and day out. I haven’t hit anything hard to enough to knock me out of rhythm. It’s weird, like this is my own little public diary, but all I talk about is Lord of the Rings. I find fiction, in general, fascinating. The worlds inhabited and the lives lived by characters so amazingly real and true, even if they’re in a fantastical genre. Life is big, even when fictional. It’s a lens I use, I guess. What am I getting at right now? I don’t know. It’s all important, from the big commitments you make to friends and family, to the little ones you make to yourself to make life richer. This is one of mine, to me. Learning about life from a book I love. I can only hope that it makes me stronger, better, and full of life of all sorts.

In the greatest irony of all, book-wise, anyway…

No one dies today.

Somewhere, every light lit up, and the lines jammed.

“Gollum blinked, hooding the…”