DSJ – Reading Journal
Keeping track of my progress
Date Pages Reading Experience
10/4/24 1-50 The story so far is really a roller coaster of emotions, where at first it seemed peaceful,
however after Frodo figured what the ring was the story starts to tense up.
11/4/24 50-60 The story is entering its adventure scene, where the protagonist is starting his journey with his
friends. The story until now is really fun.
15/4/24 60-80 The characters are meeting more allies, giving me hope as the reader that they might stand a
change against the strong enemies.
18/4/24 80-180 The build up of the story got me hooked on it and so I had the feeling that I should read a lot of
the pages, at least until things seemed to settle down a bit at the inn.
19/4/24 180-281 I was proven wrong, because it turns out that our protagonist and his team ended up getting
attacked in the inn, however it is nice to know that they were able to escape, even if it ended
up injuring the protagonist.
21/4/24 281-395 Since the holidays are coming to an end, I decided to finish the book, and am glad that after a
rough and hard journey, Frodo (the main character) and his friend Sam are finally able to set
sail to the final stage of their quest.
Name: ____________________
Character profile of the protagonist
Direct characterization (basic information):
Frodo is the Ring-bearer and the protagonist of The Lord of the Rings. He is brave, selfless, thoughtful, wise,
observant, and polite. Unlike the common run of provincial, self-satisfied Hobbits, Frodo is curious about
the outside world and knowledgeable about the traditions of the Elves. Frodo’s goodness, wisdom, and
generally impeccable character might make him seem one-dimensional if he were not so frequently wracked
DSJ – Reading Journal
with doubt and faced with obstacles that he feels that he can’t shoulder. Frodo has no otherworldly powers or
even physical prowess. Frodo is initially so weak he can barely even get out of the Shire without help
Indirect characterization:
Maybe what distinguishes Frodo more than any other quality is the sense of remote sadness and reluctance
that surrounds him. Unlike Aragorn or Gandalf, there is no glory associated with Frodo. He has a great task,
but it is simply a burden to him. While in his home, Frodo dreamed of adventure, however on his quest, he
simply longs for home. His great adventure does not feel like an adventure to him, he sees this adventure
merely as a task, however an impossible one. Frodo does not long for the thrill of exploration or battle or
timeless deeds of heroism. As such, his willingness to go ahead with the quest shows how much he is willing
to sacrifice to get his peaceful life back.
Relationship of the different characters – presented in a graph
DSJ – Reading Journal
The plot
In earth a bunch of different races lived in it such as hobbits, elves, and so on.
The hobbits were living in peace until suddenly one of the hobbits brought home
a ring. Thinking the ring was nice he wore it and after some time gave it to
another hobbit. However after a visit from a great wizard, it was then told that
this ring had powers to destroy the world if given to the evil one, and that he
could sense the location of the ring if one wears it. And now the new owner of
the ring, the wizard, and their friends set out on a journey to destroy this ring.
The themes and topics
Quest, struggle of good and evil, death and immortality, fantasy, fate and free
will, the danger of power, and many more.
