‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[Lyta_Underhill]

Aiwendil’s 2nd question post 261:

If "Truth" means, as I guessed before, something like "God", "heaven", "the divine plan", etc., and if a glimpse of this Truth is a critical part of your theory, where does that leave non-religious readers (like me)?

Forgive me for jumping in here from the wild blue yonder once again, but, as I promised, I am trying to catch up! Per Aiwendil’s question number 2 quoted above, I do not believe that there is one single Truth that is the be all and end all of all inquiry into “true” things. When I read Tolkien’s works, I see myriad truths, all pointing to his authorly attempts to communicate his own aesthetic. This, I would agree with Aiwendil and SpM’s assessments of good storytelling, along with a peculiarly individual atmospheric that owes its effects to Tolkien’s storytelling skill and thus, by extension, to his translation of all that drives him, his own “truths,” or the TCBSian ethic, as davem related earlier.


SpM post 262:

It implies that the reader has failed if they do not see in the text exactly what the author intended them to see. It suggests that they have read the book “wrongly” in some way, even though they may have enjoyed it immensely, been incredibly moved by it and perhaps even found it applicable to them in a way that the author did not intend

I think that many people get worried that they are “not getting it” when they read something that, nevertheless, moves them in a way that is different from those around them. This doesn’t IMO, mean that the person’s reading is necessarily inferior. The fact that the reader stepped onto the path and allowed Tolkien to lead them through Middle Earth on a perilous journey, speaks to enrichment beyond what they would have had had they not plunged in (i.e., a 'rousing good story'). At the risk of speaking in parables, I’ll relate something in my own life that I believe might have applicability to this question:

For two years (sadly I’ve fallen off), I practiced martial arts with a group, and there was a ritual at the beginning of every training session. We would sit upon our knees and utter “Shiken haramitsu daikomyo!” clap twice, then bow to the ground and clap once again. (The translation from the Japanese is roughly “May the light of ten thousand suns enter into me with my next breath.” ) It is a plea for enlightenment, and there is a meaning to the ritual of claps thereafter that, I was assured, was simple and plain for those to see who would. I studied the entire two years without EVER getting it, nor have I gotten it since. My husband got it right away, and, at my request, has never told it to me. If anyone here knows it, I also request you don’t tell me. I do not labor under the misconception that this simple truth is something that I MUST learn, but it is something that will be revealed to me if I end up needing it someday, or if a proper ray of light hits my slow brain. As Helen said earlier, "Look, or don't look."

The mistake, I think that some people make, is that once they hear there is a truth that is buried in a text or situation, they either MUST find it or dismiss it utterly. For me, it is sufficient to accept there are many truths that are beyond me or simply not applicable to me. Those that are applicable and are reflected properly into my eyes and brain by Tolkien’s works, enrich me beyond my capability of speech, but this is the sign of a good work. Every time I return to it, I see beauties and truths reflected through his words, and I know there are more to be seen if I look properly. Some others on this thread have expressed the desire NOT to know everything, so I think they know what I am trying, stumblingly so, to get across in my ramblings.

That all having been said, I am almost caught up now, but I figured it was better to speak than have to wait until late tonight or tomorrow, when I’ll get the time to read the rest of it; but rest assured, I will catch up! Until then,

Cheers!
Lyta