I've always thought that all true story takes a life of it's own, if you will, so I cannot with a good will choose the first two. As for the third option analysis sounds so cold and disect-ful to me
And "cool" isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe LotR...
Though a part of me can't help but saying that the reason that a story affects us is quite beyond us, and is quite unsolvable.
It is Myth after all...I don't any of us can truly understand it.
So...this is a very elaborate way of saying "I pass"
