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| The Acceptable Sacrifice by Larner | 22 Review(s) |
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| TithenFeredir | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Frodo's conflicting feelings about the his "hero" status and the food at the feast felt familiar. I think it recalls the feelings of anyone who has experienced illness and the often unwanted sympathy and attention that goes with it. It is rather heartbreaking for Frodo to feel so tainted, (or maybe ruined is a better word?), by his exposure to the ring. ~TF Author Reply: Thank you for recognizing this. Too much too soon, while Frodo is still far from fully recovered from what he's been through. And what the Ring must have made him imagine and consider must have been horrid, and of course he'd feel tainted by it all, I'd think. Thanks for the feedback. | |
| PIppinfan1988 | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| That was deep...I think this goes along with what PJ had Gandalf say in the films--he told Frodo that evil would be drawn to him, from within and without. Frodo's thoughts about wanting a feast even though he knew he couldn't handle so much food goes hand-in-hand with children who have starved for food. They tend to hoard despite the fact it might spoil before they have the chance to eat it. Well done again! Pippinfan Author Reply: It was directly inspired by the experience of Holocaust survivors. Many had to have either a full loaf of bread handy at all times, or a cup of water to hand everywhere they went or something similar. And my one foster child who had been given poor nutrition by his birth mother and who'd experienced more abandonments as a child that you could believe did just what you described. Frodo is already manifesting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. | |
| Inkling | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Oh dear! This is one frustrated hobbit, poor lad. Somehow this conversation makes me wonder all sorts of improper things, like…is Gandalf a virgin??? Ahem…anyway, a very sad and thought-provoking chapter, and an interesting progression from the hints in your earlier stories that the Ring had robbed Frodo of all desire for lasses. Ps--loved the feast, and the bit with Eomer: king of somewhere, he thought; horses or something. Hee hee! Author Reply: Being Sauron's Ring, I certainly can't see it allowing a typical Hobbit marriage with cheer and sharing and love of children. It would react, I think, very strongly to the emotional components of sexual activities of its bearers, and would either prefer they become sadistic OR rob them of sexual awareness completely, perhaps to punish them for not taking It to Its master. Frodo was solitary enough It probably didn't worry too much about his friendships, particularly when It was mostly dormant; but a marriage would mean Frodo would be around one with whom he has a strong relationship most of the 24/7. I would think It would work either to turn Its bearer into a sadistic, monomaniacal patriarch or to withdraw from the family except at times when he would come to all demanding and arbitrary and probably abusive. And it would want the physical relationship to be fearful on the part of the partner to its bearer, I would think. As such, I really think it would encourage thoughts of rape and sadistic activities; and once it found that this wasn't flying with the bearer it would do its best to shut down sexual awareness except when it could further encourage more possessive and demanding images and activities. And glad you enjoyed Frodo's response to Eomer--I can see it after a confusing day--"I've never seen this guy in my life; my shoulder hurts; I want to go back to bed or something; why am I supposed to be polite to him? Oh, yeah, he's a brother King to Aragorn, and now his friend, I must suppose....." | |
| Antane | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Oh, our poor Frodo! To not only be a victim of a brutal and repeated rape himself, but to have such feelings fill him whenever he looked at a lass. Pity and horror indeed. I hope Gandalf has convinced him those feelings aren't coming from himself. I've read other authors saying once he got the Ring he didn't desire lasses but it's never convinced me why that should be. But oh, my poor darling... Author Reply: Personally I suspect the only rape Frodo experienced was the mental and spiritual ravishment of his mind by the Ring, but heaven knows that would be brutal enough to survive. Once the Ring fully awoke when it realized the Nazgul were hunting its bearer, I would think being with the Ring would be similar to being handcuffed to a supremely verbally abusive family member coming down off meth and having no way of ridding yourself of the situation. But it would not want an equal partnership in a sexual relationship--it would push for a sadistic one, I'd think. And, once it realized its bearer was having no truck with such things I think it would do its best to suppress sexuality so as to punish him. Frodo's nature was not given to domination, and had he been such a person he'd have been totally inappropriate as the Ringbearer. As I came to write this story I found myself wanting to explore the reasons WHY Frodo no longer usually saw women as attractive once the Ring came to him; and why the Ring would actively suppress sexual attraction. | |
| Kitty | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| With every chapter I want more to hug Frodo and to comfort him, as did Aragorn. I loved this scene. Frodo's confession about his feelings for lasses was quite disturbing. Poor hobbit, it's truly horrible to have to live with this! I am so glad Gandalf was there for him and could ease his troubled mind at least a bit. It is no wonder Frodo couldn't really heal in ME if he had to struggle with reminders like this! Author Reply: Frodo was deliberately written as suffering from shell shock after the rescue from Mordor, and I know I recognized it the first time I read it when I was thirteen-fourteen years old, and that the reason he left Middle Earth had to do with him no longer able to fit into normal life. PTSD is not an easy condition to live with--you're going along mostly fine, and then, BAM! You find yourself facing some reminder of then and it pushes you right back into feeling you're back there in the survival situation. It's not just Frodo who's confused about what he's experiencing, but those surrounding him as well. They are beginning to recognize there are triggers to the withdrawals, but still aren't certain what and why they are. The feast was one of the triggers; the being aware of eyes on him at it and just after it triggers the dream of being searched for by THE EYE and the Nazgul; and he's just plain overwhelmed by too much stimulation after a morning of surprise. And the realization of how the Ring was trying to shape his sexuality to resemble that of Its master and then suppressing it when he didn't go along with it must have been shocking! That, however, may prove one of the easier hurdles to get over. The experience he's been through has broken his health, too. | |
| Lily | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Slightly Tookish recommended this story to me and, though my online time is limited, I could not restist - and I'm glad I couldn't. This is the most insightful story at Cormallen I have ever read. You capture Frodo's character so well. I also like how Gandalf is speaking to him in his mind and that he is using "Iorhael" rather than the common "Frodo". Great work!! I'm looking forward to read more! Author Reply: Thank you. I'm not certain it is Gandalf speaking in Frodo's mind, though. And I try to consider how Frodo would have reacted had this been a "real" experience. Thanks so much for the feedback. | |
| Ami | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Again, a very poignant chapter. I liked the way you associated virginity and innocence and Frodo's feelings of loosing one, but not the other. I agree very much with Frodo's feelings of the feast and all the celebrations after. I think you are right that The Professor made a bit of a mistep with this so soon after Frodo's awakening. I've disliked the scene where Frodo is made to bear a sword instead of someone actually understanding his need for not wishing to wear one. Even with all the praise, Frodo is feeling the lack of empathy and compassion which perhaps is the greatest thing he needs to heal. Author Reply: There's a fair amount of compassion around him, but not as much empathy as he needs, probably. But to go from immediately waking to acclamation to feast just seems rushed. And I've wanted to explore WHY Frodo didn't wish to wear a sword this day, and the reasons for doing so anyway. I've long felt that for Frodo to have remained a bachelor was less likely than for Bilbo to do so; having lost his parents so young would lead so many of tempraments similar to Frodo's to marry the earlier so as to give themselves back the feeling of the family lost, and to confirm that they are carrying on with the gift of life. Usually we do think of innocence and virginity going hand in hand; but I'm remembering two books I read, _Soul Catcher_ by Frank Herbert in which a young boy who is very innocent is still deemed an acceptable sacrifice after he's been initiated into sexual congress because he remains an innocent individual, and Joy Chant's _Red Moon, Black Mountain_ in which a young man loses his innocence and mourns its loss, but is assured that what he has gained in wisdom and compassion and empathy more that make up for it. I think Frodo needs to accept this truth as much in his heart as in his mind, but it's not an easy lesson to learn. Glad you have decided to give this one a try, considering how precious your online time is. Thanks for the feedback. | |
| harrowcat | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/19/2005 |
| Oh this is making me shiver Larner - both with pity and horror. It is getting very dark and deep. My reaction, of intense hatred and anger at Sauron and the Ring and increasing honour for Frodo that he could control such strong feelings, when I saw how you have taken Frodo's apparent lack of interest in the lasses that one step further makes me realise just how involved I have become with Middle Earth. It is very easy to see how Frodo becomes suicidal! I can seem the most logical step to put an end to everyone's suffering and done from a desire to stop being the, self-perceived, cause of other people's distress. Author Reply: We're right there alongside Sam and Aragorn, hating the Ring and its foul master for what was done to one of the gentlest and most giving individuals ever created. It becomes ever easier to understand why Frodo needs the buffer provided by being on the threshold of the Undying Lands and with the Valar nearby to allow him proper healing. Every time he almost lets go of one of the problems he faces while in Middle Earth, he gets a curveball thrown at him, and it all too often slips right back into place once more. | |
| Linda Hoyland | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/18/2005 |
| I just loved your Beautiful Frodo and Aragorn moment in a chapter full of good things.I had never before realised just how odd it is to take two invalids straight out of bed to a feast !You describe Frodo's mixed feelings beautifully and the evil of the Ring. I also like the theme of loss of innocence,a theme which will become prominent in my current story soon.Many thanks for your much appreciated review. Author Reply: This is one of the places Tolkien sort of skipped rational progression--the King has healing hands, so they sleep for two weeks and appear to be well again and go right into the feast--except even before they leave Minas Tirith we begin to get hints Frodo isn't maybe as well as he seems as he gladly accepts the stargem from Arwen and fingers it frequently, particularly when stressed or ill. So it appears that Frodo is keeping his deteriorating condition from everyone, but can't quite hide it from Arwen and probably from the Elves and Gandalf. If the stargem helped once he was separated from the Elves and Gandalf and all, what did he find helpful before he got it? So I will play with that as the story goes on. | |
| Armariel | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/18/2005 |
| Lovely....I like to see Frodo be a bad patient once in a while, I don't want to see him so sweet and passive alllll the time! Great to see Aragorn show up *gggg* Author Reply: I doubt Frodo was very sweet or passive a good deal of his time of recovery--certainly I doubt he was later when he was trying to decide whether to go to Elevenhome. And Aragorn will be a frequent visitor during Frodo's recovery, I suspect. Thanks for the review! | |