"A Knife in the Dark" - Eric's Thoughts

I have to disagree with Jacob on this early scene in this chapter—the scene where the black riders knock down Fatty Bolger’s door. Jacob argues that this makes the black riders more menacing. Personally though, I think it would have been just as menacing to have the hobbits wake up to slashed bedsheets in the other room, which is exactly Tolkien did. Additionally, the Black Rider point of view (“Let the little people blow! Sauron will deal with them later.”) is anything but menacing. The voice of the black riders sounds like more of a fun Tolkien voice from the Hobbit than sinister and evil.

Additionally, the opening of this chapter draws out a weakness that we critiqued at length previously. Earlier in our reviews, we critiqued the pointlessness of Fatty Bolger, and as we rightly remembered, Fatty made a reappearance in this chapter, running away from black riders, only to faint on someone’s doorstep saying that he hasn’t got it (i.e. the Ring). *Sigh*. Fatty Bolger does it again by proving himself to be a pointless character. Indeed, one might say that Fatty is only dead weight in this story. You might even say that he doesn’t quite carry his own weight, in a manner of speaking. You might even say that can’t quite keep up to stride and . . . okay, I’m done making corpulent jokes.

The chapter then transitions to Frodo, and how the Black Riders have stolen the ponies. Fortunately, this means that the hobbits can have breakfast, as Merry points out good-naturedly. (Plus Merry says, “Let’s get hold of Nob!”) Any scene that references Nob is a good scene. After all, it was Nob that bravely scared away the Black Riders in the Prancing Pony chapter. Perhaps Nob is the real hero of these middling chapters? Mr. Tolkien, my only complaint about this Nob character is that we didn't get to spend more time with him!

Something else that’s interesting is that Butterbur pays for the hobbits’ lost ponies, being an “honest man.” But why is Butterbur suddenly responsible for the hobbits’ ponies? The hobbits were the ones that drew the black riders into Bree. This kind of strikes me as unjust that Butterbur is paying. In any event, clearly Butterbur needed to hang up a sign in his stables stating that he assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen ponies, and that guests use the stables at their own risk. In this vein, the paragraphs discussing what happened to the ponies and how Butterbur ended up doing alright out of the deal is another cut.

Jacob is completely right to point out that the difference between this chapter, when they are entering the wild, and this chapter, is that the riders are starting to act serious and attack. Additionally, I think the other difference is that Strider is here, which while also 200% more competent than the hobbits, is also 200% more interesting. Plus flies and midges (in the quagmire scene) pose nasty threats that stimulate a reader’s attention. There’s also the possibility that Strider is not who he says he is, though to an experienced reader this obviously poses no threat.

It’s bizarre that Strider is making towards Weathertop when he states that the Black Riders are likely to make for it as well, as it “commands a large view” of the surrounding countryside. Weighing the odds of finding Gandalf (which Strider admits is “faint”) against the danger of running into Black Riders, this seems like a big mistake. Naturally the reader knows this, safe at home. But still, Strider, come on. Use some better judgment. You’re like 80 years old, son.

Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but every time I see a poem I skip those pages. Skipping the poems certainly gives me a good feeling of progress. Maybe that’s why Tolkien included them. I’m sensing this chapter is Ben bait, with the history and references to the Silmarils. Although I read the Similarion long ago, Ben will undoubtedly provide much more insight.

The chapter ends with Frodo getting stabbed. Undoubtedly a great scene: this is why people read Lord of the Rings. Frodo putting on the ring was the best thing that could have happened from a reader’s point of view: we momentarily get to see the riders described—essentially as old walking corpses, though Tolkien doesn’t say it outright. 

Overall the chapter was a fun read. What I’m wondering right now was how to integrate the strength of the riders, as Jacob points out the fact that the riders’ broke down the door in two knocks shows unnatural strength, while also cutting those earlier scenes involving Fatty.  But I still think this particular detail isn’t necessary. Upturned bedsheets and a splintered door hanging by one latch would have also showed that the Riders are capable and strong. 

What really made the difference, I think, between this chapter and those slogging chapters is Strider. Strider has interesting insights, and says far more intriguing things than Pippin complaining about a lack of second breakfast. Note that in the earlier chapters the hobbits were pursued (although I admit not as directly, and the threat of the riders is still somewhat unknown), yet those chapters were boring. So it just goes to show how important good characters are in maintaining a reader’s attention, and how a single character can completely change a scene dynamic, and make things much more pleasurable for the reader.