‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[Bêthberry]

Fordim Hedgethistle,

Let me side with Treebeard here and not give you a hasty reply. I would like, however, to point to Tokien's preference of applicability over allegory in the Foreward to LOTR.

I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.

More later.

Fascinating and extremely valuable discussion, I think.

*curtsies*

Bêthberry