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Monday, January 29, 2007On Young Girls and ViolenceIt was a long time coming. Maggie finished reading the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy when she was ten. (Yeah, yeah, I know it's not really a trilogy.) I promised her back then that we'd rent the movies and she could watch them. I've got a hard-and-fast rule, you see, about reading books before watching movies. Somehow, it's a sign of a great mind, and I want my children to have great minds. (I, on the other hand, did not grow up reading the books first. Most of the time, I didn't even realize that there was a book.) So Maggie waited patiently as months turned into years. I'm not sure why we kept putting off the movies; Eric and I both love them. Maybe they're just a bit too long-and-intense to watch over and over. Or maybe it's because I was afraid the flying Orc heads would freak my daughter out. We talked about it a lot ahead of time. I explained the violent nature of the battle scenes, and how Maggie should plan on closing her eyes whenever necessary. True, she's already read every minute detail, but let's face it -- there's something about the cinematography of severed limbs and squirting blood that leaves a different impression. Maggie assured me that she would be okay -- and that she would close her eyes whenever necessary. This weekend, we finally watched The Fellowship of the Ring. All almost-four hours of it. All at once. My daughter unabashedly, unreservedly loved it, and is now rereading the book (ostensibly to check for inconsistencies -- like mother, like daughter). But the highlight of the entire experience came unexpectedly at the close of the final battle scene, after Boromir has been shot with three arrows and is finally succumbing to his wounds. Aragorn leaps from the trees and attacks the one remaining Uruk-hai who is getting ready to deal Boromir his death blow. Aragorn and the Uruk-hai battle fiercely. Then, in a final, victorious swipe, Aragorn slices off the Uruk-hai's head. "YES!" came the jubilant shout from my twelve-year-old daughter. "I'm so glad he KILLED him!" There you have it. My daughter, about whom I was so concerned, gave a whoop of victory as the Uruk-hai's head flew off camera. Those little eyelids hadn't fluttered shut for a second. Either Maggie is extremely well-balanced and was able to translate the fiction she'd already read to the graphic representation on the screen -- or she's completely warped. I'll opt for the former. Labels: family, life, parenting |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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6of my readers are feeling chatty:
She beat me...my eyes were closed!
You are blessed!!
I have never read the one-agy in three acts. I have read the Hobbit numerous times. So my first introduction to the Lord of the Rings was the movies which I think are very well done.
You and your family crack me up. You seem to have such a great, warm relationship with each child. That's so nice. I hope my relationships with my kids continue down that path as well.
I have tried to watch the films several times. I think I saw all of the first one, but just bits and pieces of the others. I didn't love them. I suppose it's just not my thing. I tend to have a short attention span, so four hours is a bit much for me!
giggling so much here as I picture my own dear sweet child doing something just like that...just as her mom would.
Glad that she enjoyed the movies...I haven't seen them.
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