📖👀 Chapter 9 (📔Book III): Flotsam and Jetsam

[Rivendell_librarian]

After an extended period of movement of action since the start of book III we have a hospitality chapter. Pippin and Merry being hobbits are adept at finding provisions (and pipe weed) even in straitened circumstances and so can offer hospitality to Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. I like the way Legolas calls Gandalf, Theoden and his troop of Rohirrim the "great ones" yet (King) Aragorn enjoys fellowship with them. When Aragorn stretches his legs and lies back smoking, Pippin declares that "Strider the Ranger has come back!".

Legolas naturally knows about the effects of drinking Ent water. Pippin and Merry receive back their knives and Pippin his precious Lorien brooch; Pippin gives Gimli a spare pipe so that he can enjoy the Longbottom Leaf with them. Aragorn picks up on the mystery of how Southfarthing leaf has reached Isengard and the resemblance of the squint-eyed Southerner at Bree to the half-orcs of Isengard hint at worrying developments in The Shire and Bree. Merry and Pippin then give an account of what has happened as they have seen it including an account of the attack by Ents and Huorns on Isengard. They notice that the men were "grim but not particularly evil looking". We already know they were treated more leniently and their dead with greater respect than the orcs after the battle of Helm's Deep. We also know that they have a grievance over what they think is stolen land, and issue known all too well in the real world. It seems that the explosion against the Deeping Wall was audible even in Isengard.

The Ents and Huorns are too powerful for the stone defences of Isengard which they quickly overcome with a little help from the River Isen. I like the way Treebeard casually breaks down some masonry like as if he was doodling. They see Gandalf on his first visit but he is too busy to exchange pleasantries even though at this time Pippin and Merry thought he was dead. A quick parley with Treebeard and off Gandalf rides again to turn the battle of Helm's Deep. Grima Wormtongue also turns up but Treebeard perceives his true nature and forces him to wade to his master marooned in his tower.

Merry's dream at Tom Bombadil's about being nearly drowned in a flood is now explained. When returning Pippin's brooch Aragorn says a key line "one who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters" and commends Pippin for acting rightly. He who loves his life will lose it and he who loves the Ring will lose his life in trying to keep it.

 

[Eljorahir]

"one who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters"

I suppose "flotsam" is the easy one...it's the pipeweed.
The jetsam, however, may be a little trickier. I'm thinking it's Pippin's brooch. Merry casting aside his brooch during a crisis is much like a captain ordering the cargo of a ship in distress to be jettisoned making the brooch the jetsam.

I'm not sure I've ever read of this being discussed before. Can anyone confirm if I have this right?

Edit: Now I think I see it. This might be the cleverest of all the chapter titles; there are three different levels of flotsam and jetsam.

1. The superficial...all the floating goodies recovered.
2. The meaningful items...the pipeweed and the brooch.
3. The larger metaphorical meaning...Merry and Pippin themselves are the flotsam and jetsam. They were washed overboard at the Breaking of the Fellowship and carried on an angry sea of Uruks. Then, for a time they were adrift upon the gentler Sea of Fangorn. And finally, washed up on the beach at the gates of Isengard where the "lost baggage" is finally recovered by its owners.

 

[Halasían]

Aragorn picks up on the mystery of how Southfarthing leaf has reached Isengard and the resemblance of the squint-eyed Southerner at Bree to the half-orcs of Isengard hint at worrying developments in The Shire and Bree.

... who alas, turned up on Tolkein Forums and became a moderator ...

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

3. The larger metaphorical meaning...Merry and Pippin themselves are the flotsam and jetsam. They were washed overboard at the Breaking of the Fellowship and carried on an angry sea of Uruks. Then, for a time they were adrift upon the gentler Sea of Fangorn. And finally, washed up on the beach at the gates of Isengard where the "lost baggage" is finally recovered by its owners.

Yes I think this works: Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas make the happy discovery of finding Merry and Pippin alive and well and eating well having feared they were lost forever - like finding an umbrella or a precious photograph in a lost property office.