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The X Phial · 05-08-2003, 11:52 AM

An admirable approach to the subject, but I'm not sure how really useful it is. Does any of this help further the understanding of a group of characters? All of the characters in Tolkien have at least -ONE- good thing about them, even if it is just singleness of purpose (a quality admired in allies but not foes). Thus, saying "all those good people" translates into "all those people" and the term good becomes moot. On the other hand, it may be useful to look at good in the sense of carrying forward a "moral" rightness in the moral terms of Middle Earth (a very difficult thing to even begin to discuss) as opposed to good as in competent. If you wanted to, it would be possible to create a little chart scaling competence and morality and try to place individuals within it. I'm not really sure that such a thing would be to anyone's advantage and, personally, think that such a thing would be taking analysis over the line into silliness. But, it could be done.

[ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: The X Phial ]

05-08-2003, 11:52 AM	#6
The X Phial Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Out there with the truth. Come find me. Posts: 317	An admirable approach to the subject, but I'm not sure how really useful it is. Does any of this help further the understanding of a group of characters? All of the characters in Tolkien have at least -ONE- good thing about them, even if it is just singleness of purpose (a quality admired in allies but not foes). Thus, saying "all those good people" translates into "all those people" and the term good becomes moot. On the other hand, it may be useful to look at good in the sense of carrying forward a "moral" rightness in the moral terms of Middle Earth (a very difficult thing to even begin to discuss) as opposed to good as in competent. If you wanted to, it would be possible to create a little chart scaling competence and morality and try to place individuals within it. I'm not really sure that such a thing would be to anyone's advantage and, personally, think that such a thing would be taking analysis over the line into silliness. But, it could be done. [ May 08, 2003: Message edited by: The X Phial ] __________________ But then there was a star danced, and under that was I born.