Tom Bombadil - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

Legolas · 18th July 2002, 06:21 PM

Hey TOm Bombadil Tom Bombadillo!

Say, who likes this rather bouncy fellow with his blue jacket and boots of yellow? And who doesn't....?

Whats the Deal with Mr. Dillo...how did he come to be the Master, and why, as the Master, does the ring not affect him. Why in a Middle-Earth of pain and destruction is he such a happy fellow?

I like Tom...even tho he is a wee bit odd. It would have been good to have a Tom in the film tho, but I guess that would add another 30 minutes to the running-time...

What do you think of the short little man who likes River-Daughters then? (who is the river-mother?)
:flash:

skoon · 18th July 2002, 09:10 PM

I dunno, the first time I read the book I found that his section really slowed it down. I found it more interesting reading it again after the movie for the fact that it wasn't in the movie & I wanted more. I think it would have been fun ro see Old Man Willow, but I guess they did leave it out as it probablly would slow down the movie & doesn't seem to add much. Sorry Tom!

Legolas · 18th July 2002, 09:28 PM

I found him confusing at first, I didn't really know what he was there for, he was like Superman, arriving just in the nick of time to save the hobbits. Then when I read the book again and took it all in better i kinda grew to like his character.

:flash:

ray gower · 18th July 2002, 11:26 PM

I think he did two things in the book:

1/ He livened up what would have been a necessarily fraught but bookwise dull journey, with the Hobbits fleeing in fear of one danger, yet fearing what is ahead.
2/ Proved that not everybody would be particularly worried about what happened elsewhere- Isolationism.

Shaun · 19th July 2002, 05:08 AM

I liked Tom, not totally though. Sometimes with all that singing he was annoying. But I liked him helping out the Hobbits. I didn't think his section slowed down too much compared to the rest of the first book.

I agree with Ray's second point. The ring having no effect on him embodies his ideals. Also his proximity to the Shire, which its inhabitants are mostly isolated from the rest of the world, emphasises that.

The reason that the ring doesn't have control over him is because he is a powerful and very old being. I don't think Tolkien ever tells us what exactly he is.

keltikkitty · 30th September 2002, 11:44 PM

I liked Tom personally. I was getting just a tad bored with their journey until he came along. He was funny and odd. He just brought something to the story.

To me a story isn't just what the main characters do or say. It's also what the secondary characters say and do that affect the main characters and I think he had a good affect on Frodo and the gang.

keltikkitty:aliengray

Legolas · 1st October 2002, 02:15 PM

I wonder, if Tom was included in the film, who would have played him in the film? someone small, fat and cheery faced perhaps...hmm...
:flash:

Diamond9697 · 1st October 2002, 02:56 PM

I agree that the main thing he was in the book for was to have something between the time the Hobbits left the Shire and the time they got to the town. And to show the dangers that there to be found on this adventure from the very beginning. This wasn't so important in the movie so they just left it out although I think it would have been interesting to the the bit about the barrow-wraiths at least.

Stacy · 2nd October 2002, 12:48 AM

Tom is really interesting. He is one of the most important mysteries in Tolkien's books, because we don't know what he is. There are some people who say that he is a Maia like Gandalf or Sauron, but he is not affected by the power of the ring like they are. That suggests that he is something more powerful than the Maiar, maybe a Vala living incognito in Middle Earth perhaps?

imported_Data · 2nd October 2002, 10:31 PM

Maybe Tom wasn't affected by the Ring because he doesn't crave power at all, not even subconsciously.

Diamond9697 · 3rd October 2002, 03:20 PM

that's an interesting thought...I mean he seemed more than happy to take care of his woods and his wife and he was content with that. The ring seems to affect most those who want something more than what they have.

Leyla · 3rd October 2002, 09:17 PM

Aah, good old Tom. A good old jolly chap was deffinitely needed for the book. Some one who was living happily and content with life - deffinitely a contrast to other characters. You need that one stable person.

Stacy · 3rd October 2002, 11:54 PM

I beg to disagree. The ring is supposed to corrupt anyone who comes by it, no matter if they desire power or not. Gandalf obviously didn't want any power, but he didn't dare to take the ring. As he said, as long as the ring was with them, it was a danger even to the Wise. I think it had no effect on Tom because he is a lot more powerful than he seems.

Leyla · 4th October 2002, 10:06 PM

You're right, he must be. I wish we saw more of him - he doesn't even get a mention in the film.

Stacy · 5th October 2002, 02:15 AM

Yeah, the movie shifted the focus off the hobbits and more on the humans. The book is supposed to be about how the hobbits, a diminutive and obscure race, could rise up and destroy the great evil of the Third Age. I didn't like the fact that they cut out the scenes where the hobbits are left to fend for themselves such as in the Old Forest or at the Ford of Bruinen. But then again, they had to cut something or else it might be 10 hours long...

18th July 2002, 06:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Legolas something more magical Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: In a giant Oak tree in a forest not too far away... Posts: 3,970	Tom Bombadil Hey TOm Bombadil Tom Bombadillo! Say, who likes this rather bouncy fellow with his blue jacket and boots of yellow? And who doesn't....? Whats the Deal with Mr. Dillo...how did he come to be the Master, and why, as the Master, does the ring not affect him. Why in a Middle-Earth of pain and destruction is he such a happy fellow? I like Tom...even tho he is a wee bit odd. It would have been good to have a Tom in the film tho, but I guess that would add another 30 minutes to the running-time... What do you think of the short little man who likes River-Daughters then? (who is the river-mother?) :flash:

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18th July 2002, 09:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
skoon Official keeper of Narim! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: British Columbia, CANADA Posts: 4,342	I dunno, the first time I read the book I found that his section really slowed it down. I found it more interesting reading it again after the movie for the fact that it wasn't in the movie & I wanted more. I think it would have been fun ro see Old Man Willow, but I guess they did leave it out as it probablly would slow down the movie & doesn't seem to add much. Sorry Tom!

18th July 2002, 09:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Legolas something more magical Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: In a giant Oak tree in a forest not too far away... Posts: 3,970	I found him confusing at first, I didn't really know what he was there for, he was like Superman, arriving just in the nick of time to save the hobbits. Then when I read the book again and took it all in better i kinda grew to like his character. :flash:

18th July 2002, 11:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
ray gower Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Gwynedd Posts: 3,576	I think he did two things in the book: 1/ He livened up what would have been a necessarily fraught but bookwise dull journey, with the Hobbits fleeing in fear of one danger, yet fearing what is ahead. 2/ Proved that not everybody would be particularly worried about what happened elsewhere- Isolationism.

19th July 2002, 05:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
Shaun R.I.P. Ashes Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Australia Posts: 1,798	I liked Tom, not totally though. Sometimes with all that singing he was annoying. But I liked him helping out the Hobbits. I didn't think his section slowed down too much compared to the rest of the first book. I agree with Ray's second point. The ring having no effect on him embodies his ideals. Also his proximity to the Shire, which its inhabitants are mostly isolated from the rest of the world, emphasises that. The reason that the ring doesn't have control over him is because he is a powerful and very old being. I don't think Tolkien ever tells us what exactly he is.

30th September 2002, 11:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
keltikkitty Got the tiger by the tail Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 273	I liked Tom personally. I was getting just a tad bored with their journey until he came along. He was funny and odd. He just brought something to the story. To me a story isn't just what the main characters do or say. It's also what the secondary characters say and do that affect the main characters and I think he had a good affect on Frodo and the gang. keltikkitty:aliengray

1st October 2002, 02:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Legolas something more magical Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: In a giant Oak tree in a forest not too far away... Posts: 3,970	I wonder, if Tom was included in the film, who would have played him in the film? someone small, fat and cheery faced perhaps...hmm... :flash:

1st October 2002, 02:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
Diamond9697 Lookin Good Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,872	I agree that the main thing he was in the book for was to have something between the time the Hobbits left the Shire and the time they got to the town. And to show the dangers that there to be found on this adventure from the very beginning. This wasn't so important in the movie so they just left it out although I think it would have been interesting to the the bit about the barrow-wraiths at least.

2nd October 2002, 12:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Stacy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 255	Tom is really interesting. He is one of the most important mysteries in Tolkien's books, because we don't know what he is. There are some people who say that he is a Maia like Gandalf or Sauron, but he is not affected by the power of the ring like they are. That suggests that he is something more powerful than the Maiar, maybe a Vala living incognito in Middle Earth perhaps?

2nd October 2002, 10:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
imported_Data 'meba Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Alaska Posts: 360	Maybe Tom wasn't affected by the Ring because he doesn't crave power at all, not even subconsciously.

3rd October 2002, 03:20 PM	#11 (permalink)
Diamond9697 Lookin Good Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,872	that's an interesting thought...I mean he seemed more than happy to take care of his woods and his wife and he was content with that. The ring seems to affect most those who want something more than what they have.

3rd October 2002, 09:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
Leyla The Great and Powerful Oz Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: UK Posts: 96	Aah, good old Tom. A good old jolly chap was deffinitely needed for the book. Some one who was living happily and content with life - deffinitely a contrast to other characters. You need that one stable person.

3rd October 2002, 11:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
Stacy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 255	I beg to disagree. The ring is supposed to corrupt anyone who comes by it, no matter if they desire power or not. Gandalf obviously didn't want any power, but he didn't dare to take the ring. As he said, as long as the ring was with them, it was a danger even to the Wise. I think it had no effect on Tom because he is a lot more powerful than he seems.

4th October 2002, 10:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
Leyla The Great and Powerful Oz Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: UK Posts: 96	You're right, he must be. I wish we saw more of him - he doesn't even get a mention in the film.

5th October 2002, 02:15 AM	#15 (permalink)
Stacy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 255	Yeah, the movie shifted the focus off the hobbits and more on the humans. The book is supposed to be about how the hobbits, a diminutive and obscure race, could rise up and destroy the great evil of the Third Age. I didn't like the fact that they cut out the scenes where the hobbits are left to fend for themselves such as in the Old Forest or at the Ford of Bruinen. But then again, they had to cut something or else it might be 10 hours long...