It’s interesting to know that Drizzt Do’Urden has no need for potions. He only needs what is truly necessary. Bonus stuff and potions can create a psychological barrier slowing down progress. And besides, that rare mage’s mushroom is no Regis. Sour grapes joke aside, have you ever ask yourself what should you do if the education system called you a dog? Note that I’m not referring to anybody from NUS, Nicholas Lim or no Nicholas Lim.
A valuable lesson I’ve learnt was that if you’re seen as a dog, then live like a wolf. I’m not telling you to be cynical, vindictive, horny, or a Roman soldier. Rather, the difference between a dog and a wolf lies in dignity built upon the proper understanding of what you have instead of what others have.
If you can do something, choose whether or not to do it but be prepared to live with the consequences.
If you failed someone, admit to it.
If you can’t control the situation before you, don’t react as if it’s the opposite.
If you think there’s something wrong with the world, you’re correct. That’s why people suffer, be they Monica Baey, Nicholas Lim, or Ned Stark’s bastard.
This comes to mind my analysis of the first chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien’s DC novel. If possible, I hope to do a chapter analysis post by post. Hopefully, Christopher Tolkien won’t get to read this. After all, it’s not as if I’m some kind of genius who would eventually humiliate the Singaporean education culture in an epic manner no different from Turin Turambar slaying a dragon (apparently, only three heroic figures managed to do so, the other two being Bard and that son of gun Earendil).
Now before I begin, here’s some advice to you, my fellow Singaporeans:
The Children Of Hurin is a book like no other. If you desire an epic comeback where the big dark boss upstairs finally lost the battle, this book isn’t for you. If you desire the typical Singaporean feel-good script synonymous with everybody’s favourite citizen of a Jewish state, forget about it. In this story, you’ll be seeing heroism, tragedy, and why the world actually sucks more than others would like you to believe in. In the words of the Japanese perspective...
There is no gold but only iron and blood.
There is no peace but only strife and tragedy.
There are heroes but they are mocked.
There are men of valour but alas driven mad.
There is still hope but darkness reigns for now.
There is still light but not today.
The armies of Elves and Men, the hordes of evil
One armed with radiance, the other shrouded in black
Bows were drawn, arrows loosed.
Swords glimmered, blood was spilt
Mourn with a mother for a son lain dead.
Grieve with a maiden for her lover slain.
The old stripped of armour, the young fed the crows.
When, O our Gods, will you avenge our woes?
~A Song For This Very Age
By Cuorn Clearlight (aka Kuok Ming Hui)
When you first flip open a book, what do you expect? Do you expect a likable plot? Do you expect heroes worthy of adoration and antagonists worthy of vilification, as terribly Nicholas Lim and horribly moralistically cookie cutter as this may sound? As unexpectedly pro-K culture as I sound, being drawn to the words and sentences used is a must. It’s called the flow of words amounting to alternative hypnosis. Ever wondered why the Twilight novels were so popular despite the legend of Lestat de Lioncourt, Tom Cruise or no Tom Cruise? Ever wondered how the 50 Shades trilogy became countless times more famous than the star couple of Han Solo and Princess Leia, as unfortunately accidental this statement sounds?
It’s called whether the words and sentences can suck you in. Sometimes, it’s due to personal taste. Sometimes, it’s just a question of your intelligence. Unlike contemporary works both good and bad (let alone mediocre), Tolkien’s works are not for the faint of heart. Faint of heart as in the sentence structure can be intimidating. As human beings, we’re used to shorter sequences of words. It’s okay to use long sentences so the pacing is fast enough. This is why there are fans preferring Harry Potter and it got nothing to do with how intelligent, beautiful, and sexy Emma Watson is.
As a Singaporean just like Kevin Kwan, I know how it feels to read a chapter while wondering when the paint would dry. If Americans are consumers of the fast food industry, then we Singaporeans are the consumers of a fast food culture. As a result, a few things got compromised along the way. Discipline and actual intelligence happened to be two of them.
Discipline isn’t just about not peeping at that pretty girl taking a shower at NUS, NTU, or just about anywhere else. Actual intelligence isn’t just about surviving on pragmatism alone as if surviving on junk food won’t ensure your death at SGH, NUH, or just about anywhere else. Reading Tolkien’s works require two things: The discipline of an intellectual and William Shakespeare’s level of linguistic excellence. Okay, that’s a lie. You just need to decide for yourself whether your mental fortitude is good enough and whether you want to go ahead. Also, please don’t forget your command of English. Unless your level of written English exceeds that of the average Singaporean university student, you cannot enter the kingdom of Tolkien. So why am I able to say that? Go figure.
Enough of making fun of people and my fellow Singaporeans. Let’s continue the journey of madness and darkness. Hopefully, we won’t end up in Angband unless your boyfriend is Beren and your girlfriend is Luthien Tinuviel.
Speaking of the greatest love story in Tolkien literature (yes, the story of Aragorn and Arwen paled in comparison and I don’t care how many Singaporeans actually heard of the original and greatest deal), The Children Of Hurin took place many years after this Shakespearean tale of man and elf. The mention was blatantly there. At the same time, it must be stated that the tale of Beren and Luthien was directly linked to a set of jewels famously known as the Silmarilli. Long story short, there’s this race of Elves called the Noldor. Known as the elite of the living races of Arda, their most notable feat ended creating a disaster worse than any financial meltdown in human history. Actually, that’s an understatement. There’s this major power of darkness, his name was Morgoth. Originally named Melkor, we can also call him the big dark boss upstairs. Or the big dark boss for the sake of convenience. So Morgoth stole the Silmarilli and the head of the Noldor wasn’t amused by this act of theft. To Feanor, stealing his people’s racial jewels was an act countless times worst than IP theft, the heist a far greater act of thievery than any feat committed by the duo of Bonnie and Clyde. So there you have it. A summary of how the most epic war in epic fantasy started. Remember, it took only one guy, a set of racial jewels, and a pissed off Elven lord. Also, Feanor did stupid things in a bid to heal his stupid pride. The most notable feat of stupidity actually involved the mass murder of other Elves. Kono hito de nashi...
Now in The Children Of Hurin, the impact of what started the whole damned war was still sorely felt. Feanor started it and no one could reverse it. As for Feanor, he actually died a long time ago. So how dark were the days since war continued raging? Let’s do a bit of Singaporean historical maths here:
During World War 2, Singapore endured the darkest days of its existence. More specifically, we’re talking about three years and eight months. That’s way worse than Winston Churchill turning emo upon hearing word of the impossibru happening.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore#Aftermath
So imagine this: Singapore renamed as Syonan-to as a trophy to the Showa Emperor. Not for three years and eight months but three centuries and eight decades. Not to mention still counting as well. That’s how terrible things were to the necessary alliance of Elves and Men.
At this point, I must mention that not all Men decided to be the good guys by helping the good guys. In The Children Of Hurin, the Three Houses Of Men (i.e. the aforementioned good guys) never mentioned why their forefathers decided to rage quit the East and flee West. It’s apparent, however, that either the trauma, anger, or both were too much for them to even speak about. Of course, this would have resulted in the Elves casting their suspicions. Rightfully so, to tell the cold hard truth. I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but it’s a good thing that Feanor died. No, I don’t have a Beorning axe to grind despite my past and the upcoming general elections.
The first chapter wasn’t so much about our most tragic hero. Rather, it’s more about his heroic dad, Hurin. Now please be warned that for some reason, Tolkien chose to write some serious genealogical stuff. You know the deal. Who gave birth to who and who was the grandfather to who... boring stuff, I have to say. But if you want to, you can try tracing the genealogy as you keep reading. I have to say that worked tremendously well in carrying on with the book. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be Hajime to do that. And besides, that’d mean your girlfriend is scary, attractive, and have an envious figure at the same time.
This chapter focused on two notable aspects of bravery in dark times like this: Pragmatism and faith. In life, it’s very hard to have both. Even more so if you’re a Singaporean. But then again, no one ever said Hurin was from Singapore. His pragmatism shows in the simple form of understanding. He knew what was going to happen. The conversation between him and his beloved wife Morwen. They say a picture tells a hundred words, some may even say a comic strip tells a thousand more. Tolkien’s genius proved that this is no absolute logic. In a sequence of spoken words, the reader would embark on a trip reaching to the very depths of Hurin’s personality and humanity. While not all things were revealed, Hurin’s unwavering fortitude was for all to see. Remember, we’re talking about the dark age of warfare, funerals, and whether you’re going to die in the next 24 hours. This was a global war zone, not some family feud incapable of making a City of Atlantis out of Singapore.
This comes to three other characters. Namely, Morwen, Sador, and Turin. These three represented three different outlooks to life. Namely, sorrow, unworthiness, and innocence.
Let’s start with sorrow. Morwen, on the first glance, may turn off the typical angry Singaporean. Why? Because of two things: The fact she was part of nobility and looked down on Sador. In particular, her attitude towards Sador may result in some unwanted reminders. Yet, it was already explained in the story that she’s literally a war survivor.
[...but she was somewhat stern of mood and proud. The sorrows of the House of Beor saddened her heart; for she came as an exile to Dor-lomin from Dorthonion after the ruin of the Bragollach.]
~The Children Of Hurin; Chapter I: The Childhood Of Turin
We all know a person’s childhood is linked to his parents. Sometimes, things went well because your parents were blessed with love and wisdom. If it’s neither, that’s called abusive childhood. Since it’s impossible to have wisdom without love, love without wisdom means you’re going to screwed as well. Most likely an emotionally abusive childhood in the most insidious way. Turin was lucky. Even though his father was rarely at home, his mother was more than up for it. A note to all you married men before I continue: Please don’t use Hurin as an example to neglect your family due to work. I know it’s hard, but please take seriously the fact that unlike Hurin, your job doesn’t require you to risk death. Literally.
This comes to Sador. Fact one: He’s crippled. Fact two: It was due to an accident. Fact three: Morwen looked down on him as a result. Here, I’m going to talk about fact one and three. For the last one, it seemed unacceptable to have Morwen to look down on a poor crippled servant. This was definitely a different case from Monica Baey entering Israel mode against NUS. However, it must be pointed out that in another scenario and another world, it’s very likely Morwen would have behaved in the opposite manner. There are ways to cope with grief and loss, but not all are good. Through her attitude towards Sador, one could sense a destructive coping mechanism against grief. Years of understanding the cold hard truth made her a cynical lady. This was in contrast with her husband where years of understanding the same cold hard truth made him a courageous lion of a lord.
As for fact one, this was tied with Turin’s childhood. Sador’s existence wasn’t just an eyesore to a subtly cynical Morwen. He was effectively a fatherly figure to Turin due to his physical disability hindering his life. Contrary to Morwen’s short-sighted realism, reality proved to us that disability can result in pleasantly unintended consequences. This is proof that no man’s world view is the absolute truth unless it’s proven that there’s a man who is also God. Otherwise, no man can ever be called God.
It must be noted that there were two aspects of Turin’s childhood that would eventually shape the tragic hero he was meant to be.
[But Turin was loved less than she (i.e. his sister Urwen). He was dark-haired as his mother, and promised to be like her in mood also; for he was not merry, and spoke little, though he learned to speak early and ever seemed older than his years. Turin was slow to forget injustice or mockery; but the fire of his father was also in him, and he could be sudden and fierce. Yet he was quick to pity, and the hurts or sadness of living things might move him to tears; and he was like his father in this also...]
~The Children Of Hurin; Chapter I: The Childhood Of Turin
It’s been commonly said that local Singaporean women are materialistic, arrogant, and pro-white regardless of skin colour. In fact, things got so bad that I was left wondering whether it’s legal for a Malaysian doctor in Australia joining the dark side of Sammyboy forum. To all my fellow Singaporean guys, my advice to you is this: Please learn from Hurin. He’s your role model. My advice to local Singaporean girls is this: It doesn’t matter if you’re Chinese, Malay, Indian, or Eurasian. Unless you’re married or attached, please understand that a man like Hurin is far more of any you see in dramas and movies.
So why was Turin less loved than his sister? Was it because it’s easier to be adored if you’re the younger child and that your older sibling happened to be a guy? This part of Turin reminded me of myself, I’m not joking here. From this excerpt, we know that Turin was one hell of a complicated kid. He’s not the kind of boy any parent could manage. In the eyes of the typical Singaporean parent, Turin would be unmanageable at worst and nigh impossible to understand at best. Wait, am I referring to myself? Anyway, it must be pointed out that his maturity was way ahead of his peers. In any Singaporean school, be it good or exceptional, this kind of guy would have been hailed as a boss. Unfortunately, there’d also be a higher chance of him being the only Jewish kid in the chaotic world of schoolyard democracy and hegemonies.
Because it’s getting late now, I have to close it with an interesting part of the chapter. While it’s logical for Tolkien to begin the tale from Turin’s genealogy, the reader wasn’t introduced straightaway to Hurin’s. Tolkien chose to give the reader a Stone Cold Stunner even though he wasn’t born in an era known for Vince MacMahon and, later on, Donald Trump. This is not a joke, guys and girls. Donald Trump really appeared on the wrestling TV before he became President Trump. The following scene took us to the only flying transport available to the good guys: Eagles, be they bald or golden, so long they’re big enough. Just ask Gandalf, he knows.
Long story short, Hurin and his brother Huor ended up in Gondolin. This was an Elven city of great renown. At the same time, it’s the Elven version of North Korea. Surrounded by a ring of unnavigable mountains with the only entrance being secret and heavily guarded, Gondolin was a sight to behold. Atop a hill overshadowed and surrounded by a fortress of mountains, one might wonder whether New Zealand could afford this manner of natural bulwark of beauty and strength.
At that point, I couldn’t help but wonder where this part would be heading. Roughly one-third of the chapter was spent on Gondolin and related scenes beyond the walls. With that, I’m going to end this with two more excerpts from the first chapter.
[Huor wedded Rian, the cousin of Morwen; she was the daughter of Belegund son of Bregolas. By hard fate was she born in such days, for she was gentle of heart and loved neither hunting nor war. Her love was given to trees and to the flowers of the wild, and she was a singer and a maker of songs. Two months only had she been wedded to Huor when he went with his brother to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and she never saw him again.]
[Then at last Hurin sprang into his saddle, and his golden banner was unfurled, and the trumpets sang again in the morning; and thus Hurin Thalion rode away to Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
But Morwen and Turin stood still by the doors, until far away they heard the faint call of a single horn on the wind: Hurin had passed over the shoulder of the hill, beyond which he could see his house no more.]
P.S: Due to the limitations imposed by Apple and Safari, there’s no way I was able to proof read. Thankfully, I doubt the Tolkiens would read this. Otherwise, it’s going to be a disaster.
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