[Jessica Jade]

1. B- wow, all those choices are great themes in LOTR but ultimately it's about good and evil

2. A- Power and its vices. The ring itself is all of the evil in the world. All of the anger. All of the hatred. All of the suffering, hunger, jealousy, prejudice, senseless killings...all of that, made incarnate and bound into one object which is so powerful that no entity has the ability to completely conquer it.

3. Yes. I agree with what people have said before about the Shire and industrialization and totalitarianism. The violation of the Shire, and ALSO the fading of the elves&Lorien represents the inevitable fading of beautiful things and the disappearance of unspoilt nature.

4. A- it's a modern work of literature

5. Hmmm....it's too hard for me to pick one choice for this question. I guess i could say all the choices except for choice B (allegory). The similarities between the events in our world today and Tolkien's tales of Middle Earth arise out of Tolkien's desire to reflect truths about the real world. The fallen nature of man, who fights with himself instead of fighting the true enemy and the evil results that come from using evil means, even with good intentions are important...example: how Boromir wanted to use the ring at Minas Tirith to defeat Sauron, but Gandalf&Elrond stopped him because they knew that even if someone were strong enough to control the Ring and overthrow Sauron, he would only end up becoming a new dark lord, because the Ring is inherently evil; it will turn even good, noble minds to evil, and cannot be used to do good.

The power of courage, humility and simplicity of heart, (exemplified by the hobbits) is also very poignant. Frodo's innocent strength made him the only one fit to bear the ring. A lowly halfling changed the fate of the world and was the only one do so, because anyone else, who on the surface might have seemed more fit for such a huge and hateful task, would have been corrupted by the ring's evil, seductive power. And in the end, Frodo wins...GOOD wins over evil. Evil was defeated not because of prowess, but because humility, compassion, innocence, and goodness of heart. Evil and morbitiy cannot prevail over good.

6. Well, out of the given choices, i would say E moved me the most. Actually choice D and E are very similar. Like i said before, the invevitable fading of the beautiful things in life and unspoilt nature. Also, the moment when Gollum touched Frodo's knee and almost repented was profound. Sensing compassion, generosity, and kindness showed by Frodo, which was so unexpected, even a creature so wretched as Gollum could not help but respond. This event again emphasizes that good is more powerful than evil as well as the capacity for compassion and kindness in the human heart.

7. C and E, most definitely!

8.16 years old. I only discovered the beauty of Tolkien less than half a year ago. the movie inspired me to read the books.Yes i know i'm behind...but maybe if i'd first read them at a different point in my life they wouln't have been as meaningful or touching to me.

9. YES! Tolkien definitely grows on you. I'm discovering new things about it all the time. I'm always finding out other ways to look at it, and find things that made me understand all the more why Tolkien is so meaningful and profound.

Thanks for the great thread! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]