Ah, but Araréiel, should fanaticism be allowed only to those with money? I'd consider myself a fanatic (I know my friends consider me one), but I haven't got the resources needed to go overboard on merchandise. I content myself with my battered copy of FotR (bought with my first ever pay check), my slightly less battered [because its a lot newer] copy of TTT (a birthday present from my best friend at the time) and my just barely less battered than FotR copy of RotK (a gift from my brother). They are all FILLED with notes, highlighted passages, and a few random pages have come loose from the many times I've fallen asleep reading and slept on top of my books. My extra reading (the Silm., and the other works) comes with the help of my friendly neighborhood public library and the assistance of online book requests. I have some random posters, EEDVDs, the theatical version of TTT, and some of the toys, but I really can't afford hundred dollar books and costumes. Any extra money I have (and there isn't much) goes to treating friends to lunch, or buying books and CDs. Does that make me less of a fan than you?
I think so far, Meela has hit it best:
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If they absorb even a little piece of Tolkien, and take it truly to heart, that would make them a fan.
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I don't think you have to be obsessive of either books or movies to be a fan... True fandom is when you like something because YOU like it. Not because of trends, not because someone says its cool. LotR fans love LotR. Not just the image that comes with it.
Fea