Comments on I Will Wait

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OMG! I just wrote 300 words and hit one key (I do not know which and lost them!). I am furious. I cannot re-constitute them--it was a lot of pretentious blather anyway! I kind of hate the Halls of Mandos, although I do like to read the stories.

It's a thankless task! I am referring to the fact that I wrote one and posted it here almost immediately before you posted this one--Feanor! (I have brass balls and no sense!)

Anyway, nice job with a thankless task. I won't re-do my philosophical musing on how I feel about the Halls of Mandos bit of canon. Mainly I want to strangle Namo!

Is she here? Father? Fingon? Are they crushed under the weight of might-have-beens and paths not taken, as he is?

I wonder too, if they are all crushed in that way? Something inside of me wants to object. Right or wrong, if ever there were a group of people who struggled and did the best they could it always strikes me that it was the exiled Noldor. I'd give them all an A for effort and throw the doors open, with maybe a warning to Feanor to focus outward a bit more!

None of this "you're not sorry enough yet!"

Are the Halls of Mandos designed to be rehabilitative or punitive? I don't think the Valar, given how they handled things the first time around, are guilt free or capable of rehabitation and in no moral position to punish.



I lost my whole review on yours too. Not sure what happened, I was more eloquent the first time!

We get so little info on the Halls of Mandos. I feel these individuals suffered enough in life. As you stated they struggled against insurmountable odds, in horrific situations and managed to create so much despite those odds. They kept going, even after having been told by Namo in the Doom that it would all be for nothing, that no endeavor of theirs would succeed. But they proved him wrong, maybe not in major ways but definitely in the small everyday ways of creating a civilization that was beautiful, fair and strong. Somehow they kept hope alive on the midst of such pain, misery and loss. Their lives contained enough suffering; I would find it undeniably cruel if they were subject to even more punishment in Mandos. Ideally I would see Mandos as a time of healing. A review of their lives--good and bad moments--and an assessment. A coming to terms with past traumas and comfort for things that were beyond their control. Vairë with the history, Lorien with the dreams and rest, Namo with the psychological counseling. I would prefer to see them as rehabilitative. I dont feel the Valar have much ground to punish them. They were punished enough in my opinion, during their lives. But I do think that some things had to be addressed and realized before they were released. And adequate closure provided. 

It is hard to make me like Turgon, but you've pulled it off! I found it very easy to sympathise with him here, probably because he is not some kind of shining hero but very human and facing his mistakes. I also found Námo entirely reasonable - painfully irritating, yes, but it's presumably his job to make people face the reality of their lives. In Turgon's place, I would have hated him too, but from the outside, I have to acknowledge that it's necessary to find closure. So that was entirely convincing!

What I liked best, though, was how you handled the transition back to life. The imagery of the door and the light were immediately understandable, and Turgon's slow realisation that he actually needs to breathe and that he could suddenly see and feel again was very effective.

Thank you! I never particularly cared for him either but writing this story made me change my opinion and I grew to like him as well.

and yes exactly about Namo--he is purposefully irritating. He needs to prod and challenge to get a response and to make Turgon think. I'm glad it worked for you. As irritating as he may be I do feel for him, having to do this with each fëa coming to his Halls. Turgon's realization that Fëanor is probably finding it far more irritating is not far off. 

I'm so glad you liked the transition. I've so many conflicting thoughts but I decided to go with this one because it felt right. Thanks for reading abd commenting!