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Old 04-14-2002, 07:44 PM   #159
Man of Westernesse
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Shield

Yes, Tolkein despised allegories and it definitely was NOT his intention in writing LOTR, but as it has been said earlier, his devotion to Christ was so strong that one might say that it couldn't help but "peak through" into his works, whether or not he realized it. However, one thing I'd like to point out it that any kind of allegorical "peak throughs" are not made, as some in previous comments have thought, in reference to entire Bible or to the life of Christ himself, but to the "adventure" of the Christian walk itself with its many struggles of self-control, temptation and the like. It is seen more as a representation of what we Christians go through in our striving to be like Christ and serve his ultimate good. Like Frodo, we are given a task far beyond our own stature and abilities that can only truly be achieved through putting trust in God. Gandalf taught Frodo that things don't happen by chance or luck, but are governed by something unknown and greater outside of the world he knew to be real. This is what I believe the "allegory" to be.