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I have never had my judgments in life in accordance to any fictional story. True that such tales reflect life and history, but fiction is to be read as just that, especially fantasy. Pure escapism for a while and back to reality again.
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I definitely disagree, King Carlton. In essence, the world of Middle Earth is a complicated mythology, out of which the story of Lord of the Rings grows and on which it is deeply dependent. As mythology, it serves two purposes: first, to entertain; second, to teach the reader something about himself or herself or about humanity as a whole. While certain parallels could be (and have often been) drawn between the conflict in The Lord of the Rings and the national conflicts of the Second World War, Tolkien neither approved of nor explicitly used allegory per se. The story of The Fellowship of the Ring was conceived before Europe became embroiled in the war, and its basis in The Silmarillion was begun far earlier.
The similarities between the events of the real world and Tolkien's stories of Middle Earth arise out of Tolkien's desire to reflect truths about the real world (from a Christian perspective): the fallen nature of man, who fights with himself instead of fighting the true enemy; the inevitable fading of beautiful things and the disappearance of unspoilt nature; the evil results that come from using evil means, even with good intentions; and the saving power of courage, humility and simplicity of heart, as personified in the hobbits. By weaving these elements into a well-told story, Tolkien does more than entertain; he throws into relief important ideas that can become obscured or forgotten in the real world.
There is nothing wrong with just a light-hearted appreciation for Tolkien books, but that doesn't mean that there can't be more. Who we are is a culmination of our life experiences and what we've learned from them.Naturally, everyone is affected differently by a certain book. When you read, you think of it in context with what you've lived through, and you bring that experience into what you're reading...sometimes an event that takes place in a book hits very close to home, because you've "been there" and know how it feels. It's the emotional connection one feels which gives them a deeper appreciation for something. I find that i definitely relate to the Tolkien books, and i read the books with such moral conviction that I cannot help be be moved by how relevant it is to the way i think about life. So, King Carlton, there is absolutely nothing wrong about seeing fiction just for what it is, but that doesn't mean fiction/fantasy
should be seen
only that way.
Words are definitely very powerful tools....the biggest lie i have ever heard is that old sing-song rhyme:
"Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me." Blah! Can any statement be more blatantly false? Sticks and stones can break my bones, but
words can tear my soul to pieces.
[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: Jessica Jade ]