[Meela]

I assumed men were just men, like us. I agree that Tolkien may have been showing us the more disturbing parts of ourselves. Do you think perhaps the elves are there as a reminder of what we used to be like? I was thinking that perhaps Tolkien was echoing the ancient races of men, who had a stronger link with nature, perhaps. We, as modern men, are not so close to nature, and Lotr also tied in nature's destruction in the subject of Saruman and the old forests burning in the fires of industry, etc.