PJ steering away from racism

[Kronos]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> But again, how is the art itself responsible for its own interpretations? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I never actually said that it was, just that it contained the core materials for it to be interpreted in that way.<P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> And if it's true that it's all about what individuals get out of it, then why shouldn't the viewpoints of those refuting a racist interpretation have just as much validity as those who promote a racist interpretation? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> I'm probably misreading, but it seems almost as if you're saying that because it's *possible* to interpret Tolkien in a racist way, we should somehow not be allowed to forget that or to deny that this is a possibly-legitimate interpretation. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>These latter two quotes don't really tie up. In the first you are saying that both viewpoints should be able to be put equally and then in the second you are saying that you should be able to deny other intepretations.<P>Let me make clear again, I do not actually believe that LOTR is a racist work. What I do have a problem with is people expressing incredulity that it is possible to view it in that way. And some people here do seem to be just that, incredulous.

[Kronos]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR> This is just as simple as looking on the map of Middle-Earth!!!!!!!!!!<BR>The southrons and easterlings come from the far south, so of course they are dark, they are exposed to the harsh southern sun.<BR>Now look at the Shire, Rohan, and Gondor. These countries are all in the north so of course our main heros are going to be white because they come from the north! I mean they would have to go to a suntanning saloon if they wanted to have a dark skin colour. Besides Tolkien wrote LOTR to kinda replace Britain's lost Myths and legends. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Actually it was really the Book of Lost Tales that he wrote as a lost mythology for England and after that the Silmarillion. The LOTR was written primarily as a commercial sequel to the Hobbit. This can be clearly seen from the first half of the work when the tone is almost childlike. After all how many myths start of with a party of special magnificence?<P>And even if it were written as a myth for England it really makes no odds does it? An author’s intentions have no impact on the experience of someone reading the book, only the written word can do that. In any case I doubt that these white supremacists have read Tolkien’s letters for background detail.<P>And I thought I had already dealt with this geographical issue. It makes no difference. Whether it is analogous to Europe versus Africa and Asia or not (and indeed for many racists that would actually be a benefit!) the fact remains that it fundamentally appears as a whites versus dark skinned story.<BR>In those terms I myself am incredulous that anyone else can find it incredulous that racists would bend the story to their world view.

[The Saucepan Man]

Since this thread is continuing to veer away from discussion of the films, despite my earlier warning, I am closing it. If you want to discuss the issue of racism in the context of Tolkien's works, please post on one of the threads which I linked to earlier.