[Theron Bugtussle]

My comments on the article excerpt:

"In brief: Asperger's Syndrome is a type of high functioning autism. Two main features of AS are that people with AS often have a special interest in which they are completely passionate to the exclusion of all else."

Who doesn't? Personally, I am passionate about destroying psycho-babblers.

"Also, they may appear to be different or 'apart' from other people. In this respect , Bilbo & Frodo certainly fit the bill. ..."

Who is not different? I certainly fit the bill. I am pretty sure you are different. Not to mention that bum in the gutter--talk about "apart from other people."

"Both Bilbo & Frodo show many characteristics that are synonymous with AS. They are seen as eccentric by their own peer group."

So are they insiders or outsiders? In other words, if they are seen as eccentric, are they actually part of "their own peer group?" Or are they peerless?

So take a group of typical 12-15 year old school age children. The "popular" ones look at the "smart" ones as geeks, suckups, or eccentric. Everyone labels the "stupid" ones--unless the stupid one is "popular." The unpopular kids think that the popular kids' reliance on the social status symbols (such as Abercrombie & Fitch clothing) is eccentric. The "jocks" despise the ones in music or drama. The goths (I call them vampires) are labeled as eccentric by...me.

I guess that pretty much covers everyone in that peer group--they are all seen as eccentric.

"In Frodo's case, he prefers to spend time with the younger Hobbits."

Does he have a tendency toward teaching what he knows? Mentoring? Is he aware that the young are more open to different modes of thought, less set in their ways? So perhaps he may find or develop kindred spirits with his "eccentricity?" Perhaps if he can 'convert' enough of the young ones to his ways, they can become "the majority" or "the powerful" and label the "others" as AS eccentrics!

On the other hand, maybe he just doesn't care for the conversation at the Green Dragon between Ted Sandyman the the Gaffer Gamgee.

"(Both) like solitary activities, like walking, in contrast to the very sociable Hobbit life."

Maybe he is more than average on the physical movement/athleticism scale. Maybe he is more introverted than the typical hobbit. He is definitely a "freak."

"Frodo seems to be more serious than his Hobbit companions"

Would that be because of his:
(a) maturity?
(b) intelligence?
(c) different education?
(d) philosophical inclinations?
(e) exposure to stories and truths of the outside world, including contact with elves and dwarves?
(f) some or all the above?

"& his language is slightly more formal than theirs."

See questions immediately above. Just how slightly is the threshold for the AS diagnosis, we wonders...yess, we wonders?

"...Frodo is vulnerable to certain types of influences which don't really affect the other Hobbits."

When I was young, I was
(a) incredibly afraid of spiders, and
(b) super-incredibly afraid of heights.
However, I believe myself to be
(c) completely immune to hypnotization.

Hmm, "vulnerability to influences"? And they call psych a "soft science"?

Only Arnold Schwartzenegger is such a rock that he is invulnerable to influences. And he was just elected Governor of California. No pandering there, eh?

I suppose Sam Gamgee is AS, too, then, because he dearly loves to hear about elves, and wants to see elves and be with elves, and hear elves sing and dance and talk. And he can barely decide to leave his dead master at Cirith Ungol, because of his great love and devotion to Frodo. Vulnerable schmuck.

"Early on in the book, he dreams of Gandalf's capture at Isengard & also of his journey from the Grey Havens, before he actually knows about these things. There are several conditions in which one is more prone to psychic or spiritual experiences: Asperger's is one of these...."

Well, then. There it is. It must be Asperger's.

As for me personally, "several conditions in which one is more prone to psychic or spiritual experiences" includes:
(a) when I am falling asleep
(b) when I am sleeping
(c) when I am waking up
(d) when I ate pizza, or perhaps "a bit of bad beef"
(e) when I have too much to alcohol to drink
(f) when I watch movies about "psychic or spiritual experiences"
(g) when I read too much psycho-babble, or
(h) when I (d), (e), and (f/g), and start to (a).

Come to think of it, I am incredibly spiritual.

"Frodo does not seem to form attatchments in the same way as others...."

He is more of a Velcro kinda guy. Other hobbits are well known for their reliance on Scotch tape. Do "rubber-cementers" and "Super-gluers" also have Asperger's?

"While I am not seeking to diagnose Tolkien..."

Aww, go ahead, you know you want to!

"...some aspects of his work would be familiar to those with AS."

A lot of aspects of his work are familiar to me, ergo I have AS.

"The first of these is a fascination with other worlds."

So is this applicable to me, the reader of Tolkien's works, which I find fascinating? And pretty much everyone on this forum? And everyone who reads either Science Fiction or Fantasy? And pretty much everyone who thinks TV reflects real life? Everyone who watches movies for entertainment or escape? Who thinks that politics is fascinating?

"In LotR & The Sil, Tolkien's Middle Earth is intricately & extensively detailed, with its own complete histories & sets of Languages. There is also the attention to small detail & the tendency to get bogged down in this."

Can you imagine how little notice a work like this would have received without being "intricately & extensively detailed?"

Synopsis: Some little people set off on a journey-thing and encounter some people in some strange places, and some other guy, one of the big people, goes with them and they get chased for a while and one of them gets hurt. It was pretty scary. Then they go see some other people that are different. And the discuss a lot of things, then they decide some of these same people and some other people--including some who were really different!--should go on another journey-thing...and other stuff happened....

This reminds me of my oldest son when he was in 7th grade learning Algebra. Well, the problem was, he wasn't learning it. I said, you have anywhere from 80% to 100% on your homework grade. But your tests are 50-60%. Why is that?

Because the teacher doesn't test for the same things as she teaches.

What does she teach?

Algebra.

What does she test for?

Details.