Post by Stormrider on Jan 20, 2009 19:37:41 GMT -6
From: DaleAnn (Original Message) Sent: 10/21/2002 10:20 AM
Stormrider would like to track Pippin's development thrrough TTT. She is responsible to post however, anyone may comment or add to it.
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From: Elanor Sent: 10/30/2002 9:08 PM
This question is in regard to both Merry and Pippin. In this reading I've been focusing on my own mental images so they don't get messed up my the new movie. I recently realized that the Merry and Pippin I see now are so different than the playful hobbits I see in the Shire that they almost look different in my head. I can't really pinpoint why, though, and am interested to see how the movie pulls it off. I can't even see the change happen in my head let alone visualize how actors would do it.
Has anyone else noticed a change in their character? If so, what do you attribute it to?
keep shining
elanor
PS-DaleAnn- hope you don't mind me posting this in your tracking thread too much...
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From: Amaranth Sent: 11/1/2002 1:56 AM
I've always attributed the change in Merry and Pippin to the Ent juice,and that they went through such a horrible time with the Uruk-Hai.
But that's just my guess. ~ Diana
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From: Selmo Sent: 11/1/2002 4:41 AM
It would be astonishing if Pippin and Merry didn't change a great deal during their journey from The Shire to Isengard.
They had both lead a sheltered life of privilege and comfort at home. Nothing worried them because they had nothing to worry about. When they vollunteered to go with Frodo, they knew they faced danger but had no concept of what that meant; they set out without any weapons.
They quickly learnt what danger was. At first they were totaly helpless, needing the protection of Maggot, Bombadil and Strider. As they developed, they took limited action against the Black Riders at Weathertop and at the Ford. In Moria they were able to take a full part in fighting Orcs. Pippin was still able to show moments of apparent light-heartedness, but some of that,I'm sure, was fake, a cover for his fear. At home, the hobbits knew about death; on the journey, they became aquainted with it, seeing their friends Gandalf and Boromir die protecting them. Boromir's death must have had a profound effect on them.
It was during the chase across Rohan that Merry and Pippin realised that they had changed. With no-one there to help them, they knew they would have to think and act for themselves and they found, because of their experiences on the journey, they could. From that point on, both Merry and Pippin had the courage and the confidence to make decisions and take action on their own initiative. Pippin was no longer a clumsy, flippant adolescent. He had grown up. He could still be light-hearted when he felt safe, but he had become an experienced fighter and decision-maker. He earned his title of "Prince of Halflings".
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From: Alaere_Dûnhilien Sent: 11/1/2002 12:10 PM
I totally agree with Selmo. Throughout life, people always change, by all the things that they experience. This is certainly the case with Merry and Pippin. They even have to, if they want to survive. At one point, they probably must have realized that they can't expect the others to "babysit" them all the time. And even if they hadn't changed so much, then the things that they have seen on their journey, would surely have had an impact on them for the rest of their lives. Regarding Pippin's lightheartedness, I would really regret him losing that entirely, because it was funny to read about his stupidities. It is said that boys will be boys, so maybe he doesn't do it to cover up his fear (though that is a very sensible explanation, I think I am going to adopt this one) but only because he is like that.
Greetings
Lara
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From: Storrmrider Sent: 11/1/2002 2:35 PM
Yes, they have changed and grown since they set out. At the beginning of their capture by the Orcs, Pippin has some self doubts about his contribution to the Company as being more of a hinderance than a help. He even wishes he had stayed in Rivendell or went back home.
As the Orcs drag him and Merry across the country toward Isengard, Pippin is able to use his wits and accumulating experiences since he set out with Frodo to help him think of a way of escape.
Pippin's intuition showed him that Strider was bending to the earth searching for clues to the Hobbits' fate. The Orc liquid helped him keep alert and ready to take action when the opportunity presented itself. Even though Pippin knew he would be punished more severely later, he still took his chance and ran off the path and dropped his precious brooch to give Strider hope that their pursuit was not fruitless. He sacrificed a precious gift in a cruicial moment and it was not done in vain as he thought it would be.
Pippin who was younger, was the Hobbit to take more action and initiative in this situation but I think that was because Merry had a head injury and was not able to react with clear thinking because of it.
I had to admire Pippin when he was able to play Grishnak for a fool by leading him on that they knew where The Ring was. He grabbed at a chance to play on Grishnak's greed and avarice to get him to carry them off away from the other Orcs and the attacking Rohirrim. Merry was alert enough at this point, too, to play along with Pippin and help in the subtrafuge.
Stormrider
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From: sparrow Sent: 11/6/2002 9:15 PM
Selmo wrote: It was during the chase across Rohan that Merry and Pippin realised that they had changed. With no-one there to help them, they knew they would have to think and act for themselves and they found, because of their experiences on the journey, they could.
Yes! I know this is true because one of the most life-changing events in my life was getting separated from my group when I was visiting a foreign country for the first time. I had no cash, did not speak the language, and did not know my way around. Having no choice but to make the best of the situation, I ended up seeing that parts of the city I most wanted to see and had a great day. When I caught back up with my friends at the end of the day, they were more relieved to see me than I was to see them (turns out I had the only key to our room!). This experience gave me the courage to venture out on my own in another foreign city the following weekend, and to take charge of my own life when I got back home. Merry and Pippin likewise took charge in the role of gate keepers awaiting the arrival of Aragorn and company.
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From: Stormrider Sent: 12/6/2002 5:44 PM
Waldakingofrohan:
I had never thought of Merry and Pippin as decoys before. That is a very good concept. Whether or not they were meant to be so or realized it themselves, the fact that the Uruk Hai nabbed them and were dragging them back to Isengard is proof that they were very effective decoys.
Stormrider