Kate Neville
Well-Known Member
I've been exchanging thoughts with Rachel Port on the Narnion thread, but I'd like a wider response. I want to know what y'all think an eye-opener is. I see two justifiable readings.
Rachel seems to think that "eye-opener" refers to the story or story-teller that/who elicits a reaction of surprise from the audience. The evidence for that is the reading that Bilbo seems to say that Legolas' story was an eye-opener for Gandalf. I fully understand that reading.
On the other hand, Bilbo also says that everyone had an eye-opener, but clearly most of the Council attendants didn't say anything. Also, Gandalf says that he was the only one not surprised, although it is clear that his news about Saruman was a huge surprise to most of the Elves. If the eye-opener is the story, Gandalf was full of them.
I admit it is a phrase with multiple readings, and I've read it both ways. But I come down on the side of "eye-opener" as a description of a response.
What says the Council of Corey?
The referenced passage us below.
Nothing decided!’ cried Pippin. ‘Then what were you all doing? You were shut up for hours.’
‘Talking,’ said Bilbo. ‘There was a deal of talk, and everyone had an eye-opener. Even old Gandalf. I think Legolas’s bit of news about Gollum caught even him on the hop, though he passed it off.’
‘You were wrong,’ said Gandalf. ‘You were inattentive. I had already heard of it from Gwaihir. If you want to know, the only real eye-openers, as you put it, were you and Frodo; and I was the only one that was not surprised.’
Here's the context, Kate. I think it shows that Gandalf was not surprised by the hobbits' stories, though everyone else was.
Rachel seems to think that "eye-opener" refers to the story or story-teller that/who elicits a reaction of surprise from the audience. The evidence for that is the reading that Bilbo seems to say that Legolas' story was an eye-opener for Gandalf. I fully understand that reading.
On the other hand, Bilbo also says that everyone had an eye-opener, but clearly most of the Council attendants didn't say anything. Also, Gandalf says that he was the only one not surprised, although it is clear that his news about Saruman was a huge surprise to most of the Elves. If the eye-opener is the story, Gandalf was full of them.
I admit it is a phrase with multiple readings, and I've read it both ways. But I come down on the side of "eye-opener" as a description of a response.
What says the Council of Corey?
The referenced passage us below.
Nothing decided!’ cried Pippin. ‘Then what were you all doing? You were shut up for hours.’
‘Talking,’ said Bilbo. ‘There was a deal of talk, and everyone had an eye-opener. Even old Gandalf. I think Legolas’s bit of news about Gollum caught even him on the hop, though he passed it off.’
‘You were wrong,’ said Gandalf. ‘You were inattentive. I had already heard of it from Gwaihir. If you want to know, the only real eye-openers, as you put it, were you and Frodo; and I was the only one that was not surprised.’
Here's the context, Kate. I think it shows that Gandalf was not surprised by the hobbits' stories, though everyone else was.