The class will be discussion style and interactive. It will be driven by learner needs and interests.   

No previous knowledge is required only a desire to learn about J.R.R. Tolkien and The Two Towers.  Familiarity with The Fellowship of The Ring is helpful but not necessary. 

The class will meet twice per week, for 55 minutes each session for 5 weeks for a total of 10 sessions. 

Learners will interact with the instructor and each other throughout the majority of each session.   This will not be a talking head session.  

While the sessions will be flexible they will be focused on:  

Session 1 - J.R.R. Tolkien Author and Illustrator - Inspiration for The Lord of the Rings, Introduction to The Two Towers. Literary Devices Used by Tolkien.   Themes - Loss, overcoming a battle within. 

Session 2 -  J.R.R. Tolkien's Impact on Fantasy Literature - The Two Towers -  The Riders of Rohan.  Meeting new cultures.  Hope and Despair.   Themes - Bonds of Friendship, broken promises, evil, and people divided. 

Session 3 -  Tolkien's Later Life  -   The Two Towers - The Uruk - Hai.   New languages.  Saruman.  A new culture.  Themes - Cruelty, Resolve, Luck. 

Session 4 - Tolkien's Influences, Tolkien's Love of Trees -  The Two Towers -  Treebeard.  The people's of Middle Earth. Meeting a very different type of being.  Curiosity, trust, friendship.  Themes - No escape from the times.  Everyone (every being must decide). Generosity, Kindness, Nature. 

Session 5 - Tolkien's Experiences -  The Two Towers  - The White Rider.  Rohan.  Theoden. Spells.  Themes - Corruption, the battle for good, Trust. 

Session 6 -  Breadth & Depth of Tolkien's work  - The Two Towers - Helms Deep, Isengard.  Great battle.    Themes - Miscalculation.  Loss.  Destruction of the natural world.  

Session 7 -  Tolkien as an Illustrator -  The Two Towers - Reunion, Saruman.  Isengard. Palantir.  - Themes - Importance of the familiar and simple pleasures.  Finding joy in strange places. 

Session 8 - Tolkien The Author of The Century-   The Two Towers  - Gollum (Smeagol). The Dead Marshes. Faramir - new character.  Mordor  An unexpected guide.  No choice but to trust an untrustworthy creature.  Themes - Trust, Hardship, Commitment, Faith, Integrity, Honor

Session 9 -  Tolkien & Middle Earth - The Two Towers - Cirith Ungol, Mordor, Shelob, Sam is forced to make choices. 

Session 10 -  Summary - The Two Towers  - Themes - Heroism, Deception, Evil in many forms, Knowledge, Fate, Power of Myth, Secondary World, Power, Nature vs. Technology.