Hello everybody! I'm new on the forum Now I'm reading "The Hobbit" and I really like it.About LOTR I only saw the movies and I liked very very much Merry and Pippin
So I wonder: Are they friends like they show in the movies(I know they're also cousins) ? And,do they like joking as in the films or they are a little more serious? For example,I was curious, and I read the final part of the book where there is written that while they were coming back home with Sam they started singing:also in the film they usually sing I think that if PJ has chosen them,maybe, they're so in the book too…but it's possible I'm wrong However,in my opinion, in the film they show to be really clever in TTT. What do you think about? Thanks!

Merry and Pippin are both friends in the book and in the books they are much more serious characters. If you like their goofy nature in the films you might be disappointed with them but don't get me wrong they are two great characters in the books but just have a completely different feel. Two differences between the two version that should be noted are, one they don't manipulate Fangorn into attacking Isengard as the Ents had already decided to go to war (this change irked me with the movie), the other is that, at the battle of the Black Gate Pippin actually slays a Troll to save his friends Beregond. The two characters have a lot of depth but having read the books before I watched the movies I didn't care for the PJ's version.

Edit: On the note about singing, Tolkien was from a different time and people often sung to past time, and to create a rhythm to work in tandem with one another so its featured heavily in world of Middle-Earth in fact he has the world being sung into existence by the Valar.

They are among the 'lighter' characters in the books but not as much so as in the film as Curufinew notes. Similarly to how PJ made Gimli more of a comic relief than in the books. There are light, humorous elements there but they are exaggerated in the film. It's the nature of film though and one of the many alterations which have to be made to bring a book like LotR to film in a way that is fun and accessible to larger audiences.

Personally I would like to congratulate you on going from film to book. I have met many people that have been drawn into a love of LotR from the films but in fact very few of them have actually gone on to read the books. They love Tolkien's world from the scope and distance of the films, eat up the Extended edition, have watched and rewatched the bonuses on the DVDs, etc. but that's enough for them. It's wonderful to see someone that takes the plunge to pick up the texts.

It's great to start with the Hobbit. I will warn you that when you get into LotR you may find it difficult to get through the start of FotR. There are times I've reread it that I find myself jumping up to Bree (or even on occasion their arrival at Rivendell ), but I do suggest you let yourself fall into his descriptions and just enjoy the journey. You will soo enough be sucked in.

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Wait ye the finish! The fight is not yours.
Beowulf

http://TacticsInMiniature.com

Thank you very much for your answers and I really want to start reading LOTR

Hey! I read TFOTR and TTT now! and,I'd like to give one opinion too
reading the book, I can see they are less serious than Frodo and Sam and….I don't see a so big difference between the books and the films….
even if they don't do all those jocks…I think they would be able to do them…
This is my opinion,but everybody has his one How ever,thanks of your answer! it's always good to find people with different opinions

Great progress so far. Congrats!

I think you will find that they really grow into their own by the end of RotK. Probably even more so than portrayed in the films. I really like Merry's evolution myself.

_________________
Wait ye the finish! The fight is not yours.
Beowulf

http://TacticsInMiniature.com

Thanks