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It seems to be relatively well established, now, that the Eagles do qualify as DEM
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Now just hold your horses, littlemanpoet ... I'm not so sure. Taking the wider definition:
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anyone who unexpectiedly intervenes to change the course of events ... A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty.
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Now the Eagles may be unexpected when they first appear to rescue Bilbo, Gandalf and the Dwarves from Goblins, Wargs and burning trees (assuming one reads
The Hobbit first), but their later appearances are not unexpected. Having been established as part of ME, and notably as being close to Gandalf, it is no surprise when they later turn up in times of (usually Gandalf's) need. They do not come "out of the blue" (other than in the literal sense, of course [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ). So, they are not really unexpected, save in the sense that most situations where the problem facing a character is resolved, the solution will (in a good novel at least) be unexpected. Surely DEM is not that common a device.
But I do have one worthy candidate for DEM. None other than jolly old Tom Bombadil. Who would expect that, when the Hobbits are just about to be devoured by a particularly malign Willow Tree, a funny old man with a blue coat and yellow boots to come strolling along with a "hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo!" and rescue them? Now that's unexpected. And not only is Tom unexpected, he is (as many threads on this forum will testify) inexplicable. He does not really fit into ME since he is like no other character. He is one of a kind. OK, so he does make a second, more predictable, appearance to rescue the Hobbits from the Barrow Wight, but that is his final appearance ...
... Surely a candidate for being lowered by the winch if ever there was one. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]