Writers always shriek and yell at the thought that their work may be taken as allegory, because they detest the connotations. Though if you sit down to write a book, you will always insert your own views on certain issues into it, whether consciously or subconsciously.
I think most writers deny that allegory has any place within their work due to the fact that they don't want the said work to be misinterpreted, and the story and artistry to be overshadowed by the continuous prying and delving into the text for 'hidden meaning.'
I should know. One of the best poems I've ever written deals with being an immigrant in a conservative, WASPy society. However, due to some "questionable" imagery, everyone who reads it thinks it's about sex. All of the anger, and anguish of the poem gets overshadowed by people's obsession with "undertones" and "symbolisms." Ugh! [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img]
Imagine how annoyed Tolkien was by the very possibility of having his life's work dissected in such a senseless fashion, and this being on a huge, world-wide scale. Of course he would deny that there is any allegory in it.
That way, people are prompted to look for meaning in LotR, which is more than allegory, and serves a nobler purpose.
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~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~
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