Interactive Tool Visualizes Tolkien's Works

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Interactive Tool Visualizes Tolkien's Works

Posted by samzenpus on Monday February 18, 2013 @04:38AM from the get-your-herd-on dept.

dsjodin writes "Last year, LotrProject brought us extraordinary statistics on the population of Middle-Earth. Now, they have released an interactive tool for analysis of the Silmarillion, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. With keyword frequency search, character mentions, sentiment analysis and network diagrams of character interactions it is a beautiful set of data visualizations and fascinating for fans and non-fans alike. The site can for example be used to find out that bacon is mentioned seven times in the Hobbit while only two times throughout the entire the Lord of the Rings."

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bacon? by ganjadude · 2013-02-18 04:42 · Score: 3, Funny

The site can for example be used to find out that bacon is mentioned seven times in the Hobbit while only two times throughout the entire the Lord of the Rings."
because I for one have always wondered just how many times they talk about bacon in a book/movie with dragons / eyes that live on top of mountains and rings that turn you invisible. Thank you SOOO much, now I can finally rest at night.

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1. Re:bacon? by siride · 2013-02-18 04:44 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  They're just pandering to the reddit crowd.
I love the idea by Kirkman14 · 2013-02-18 04:56 · Score: 5, Insightful

because I for one have always wondered just how many times they talk about bacon in a book/movie with dragons / eyes that live on top of mountains and rings that turn you invisible.
Seems like it would be useful in exploring how the styles of his books changes. The Hobbit, LOTR, and the Silmarillion each have different tones and vocabularies.
1. Re:I love the idea by sed+quid+in+infernos · 2013-02-18 05:27 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I know this is just a joke, but it did remind me of Tolkien's snarky letter to the Nazis in response to their demand he prove his Aryan extraction. In part:
  
  Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.
2. Re:I love the idea by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2013-02-18 05:45 · Score: 2
  
  And that is why you try to avoid talking to academic experts in any fields that your favorite poorly thought out pet theory steals jargon from...
3. Re:I love the idea by beschra · 2013-02-18 08:24 · Score: 2
  
  the Silmarillion didn't come out until long after LOTR was out...
  ... and Tolkien was dead.
  
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  It is unwise to ascribe motive
Re:Mixed feelings by SJHillman · 2013-02-18 05:04 · Score: 4, Insightful

One man's waste of time and resources is another's inspiration and breakthrough.
Peter Jackson? by johnnyb · 2013-02-18 05:30 · Score: 4, Funny

By "creating a LotR visualization tool", does that mean they have cloned Peter Jackson?

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Engineering and the Ultimate
Re:Mixed feelings by theVarangian · 2013-02-18 05:36 · Score: 3, Funny

One man's waste of time and resources is another's inspiration and breakthrough.
It's funny how some people just classify everything as weird or useless if they see no sense or use in it. I have the habit of eating fries with strong mustard rather than ketchup. A friend of mine was appalled when he saw me do this and gave me a long lecture on how unappetising it was, after ranting on for a while he finally got tired of it and dug into his gouda-cheese, mayonnaise and jam sandwich.
"...and non-fans alike"? by briancox2 · 2013-02-18 07:04 · Score: 2

I don't think LOTR fans understand non-fans in the slightest degree...

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1. Re:"...and non-fans alike"? by UnknownSoldier · 2013-02-18 07:27 · Score: 2
  
  Well, you could always point them to the geek hierarchy :-0
  http://brunching.com/images/geekchartbig.gif
Re:Mixed feelings by beep54 · 2013-02-18 07:37 · Score: 3, Insightful

Consider however that Joyce scholars have been doing this type of thing for quite some time now. Except that in large part it was more or less by hand.