Book III, Chapter 8: What's going on?
Gandalf deflects several questions from the party about
what is going on with Saruman. Why is he being secretive about events in
Isengard?
I feel that Gandalf is both being cautious because he knows firsthand that
there's many dangers afoot in Isengard and being somewhat cagey because he
himself isn't sure what's going on given the Ents' uprising. He wants to
find out what exactly has become of Saruman before he turns his attention to
Gondor and Sauron.
Book III, Chapter 8: Orc-slaying competition, revisited
Why do you think Legolas and Gimli had a contest to see
who could kill the most Orcs during the battle? Did their attitudes about
the contest change as it went on? What effect did it have on them?
The contest seems to be a bonding ritual for the two. Gimli, earnest
Dwarf that he is, felt it was a matter of pride that he should have a larger
body count, and Legolas I believe managed to find a way of turning that
seriousness into something "lighthearted" (that's a poor choice of word for the
goings on during a battle, but I hope everyone gets the drift). Honestly,
I think Legolas in the end undercounts the number of orcs he took out in order
to let Gimli win! But the two have managed to find a way to engage in
friendly competition, and that cements the bond between them.
Book III, Chapter 8: The Glittering Caves
What does Gimli's description of the Glittering Caves
reveal about him? About the different ways in which Men and Dwarves
approach the natural world?
Dwarves do love that stone, and Gimli's description of the caves softens his
character and also gives him a way to build further bonds with Legolas.
The elf might appreciate the beauty in the living world more, but here they
both sense that the other has an aesthetic sense, and an ability to connect to
the natural world, albeit different forms of nature. They're once again
engaged in another contest, this one over whose nature is the more
breathtaking.
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"Elves and dragons! . . . Cabbages and potatoes are better for me and you!"
--The Gaffer
