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Evenstar1 · 05-25-2002, 10:12 AM

Okay, first of all, I must confess to not having read HoME, so my weigh-in here is going to be based off of what Child has just said.

But it has occurred to me, in my own reading of LOTR, that different characters, at different times, emulated Christlike characteristics. Gandalf's "resurrection," Frodo's carrying of the burden of the Ring, Aragorn -- The King -- having healing abilities, etc. Now, consider the scenes in Mordor, especially up the side of Mt. Doom, where Sam carries Frodo. (I was totally bawling reading this scene, btw! What a tear-jerker!) By the time they get to Mt. Doom, Sam is quite surprised to find that Frodo weighs practically nothing. This is completely resonant of the concept of Christ carrying us when our own burdens become too heavy (i.e. the "Footprints" story). If Sam wasn't added until later revisions, then this would definitely be evidence of deliberate additions of Christian tones.

I am reading the Pierce bio of Tolkien, "Man and Myth" right now. Perhaps I will be able to add more to this conversation later... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

05-25-2002, 10:12 AM	#5
Evenstar1 Wight Join Date: May 2002 Location: Colorado (just east of the Misty Mts.) Posts: 111	Okay, first of all, I must confess to not having read HoME, so my weigh-in here is going to be based off of what Child has just said. But it has occurred to me, in my own reading of LOTR, that different characters, at different times, emulated Christlike characteristics. Gandalf's "resurrection," Frodo's carrying of the burden of the Ring, Aragorn -- The King -- having healing abilities, etc. Now, consider the scenes in Mordor, especially up the side of Mt. Doom, where Sam carries Frodo. (I was totally bawling reading this scene, btw! What a tear-jerker!) By the time they get to Mt. Doom, Sam is quite surprised to find that Frodo weighs practically nothing. This is completely resonant of the concept of Christ carrying us when our own burdens become too heavy (i.e. the "Footprints" story). If Sam wasn't added until later revisions, then this would definitely be evidence of deliberate additions of Christian tones. I am reading the Pierce bio of Tolkien, "Man and Myth" right now. Perhaps I will be able to add more to this conversation later... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ - Eve