Gandalf deflects several questions from the party about what is going on
with Saruman. Why is he being secretive about events in Isengard?
Long explanations are wearying, and there is much to be done. Why explain all
the events at Isengard to those who will see for themseleves soon anyway. I do
think that Gandalf keeps the presence of Merry and Pippin secret on purpose,
just to surprise the Three Hunters.
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?
I think the contest was a way of keeping their spirits up in what appeared to
be a nearly hopeless battle. Also, dehumanizing the enemy in this way made
Legolas and Gimli more effective fighters. Gaining "points" in a game is easier
than killing another sentient being. Perhaps Tolkien had seen such things
happen in real warfare.
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?
Well, maybe we need to see a bit of the softer side of Gimli after that
Orc-killing contest. Tolkien's love of trees and nature are brought out all
through the books. Gimli's description of the caves, and his idea of carefully
adapting them to Dwarvish or human use, reminds us that rock and stone are part
of nature as well as growing
things.
*******************************************************
Although now long estranged, Man is not wholly lost nor wholly changed.
Dis-graced he may be, yet is not de-throned,
and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned:
Man, Sub-creator, the refracted Light
through whom is splintered from a single White
to many hues, and endlessly combined
in living shpes that move from mind to mind.
Though all the crannies of the world we filled
with Elves and Goblins, though we dared to build
Gods and their houses out of dark and light,
and sowed the seed of dragons--'twas our right
(used or misused). That right has not decayed:
We make still by the law in which we're made!
