Quantum physics Multiple Universes...no LOTR

[InklingElf]

OK I was a bit panicky on my first post...I shall improve.

If Tolkien's fantasy had never existed it would indeed affect the literary world in a major way. During his time more of realistic fiction and authors like Virginia Woolf were more popular--and fantasy writing was nearly out of the question (OK maybe I'm overreacting)! In fact the style of writing during his time more revolved on character development -- in The Lord of the Rings it is more "plotty" per say. The characters he developed were more of "stereotypes" (or "archetypes" if you don't agree with that identification). Tolkien was focused on Medieval literature--it was unique.

If he hadn't published his volumunous prose perhaps we would still be stuck writing in more realistic points of views.

At the present RPGs won't be so popular and the fantasy genre would not have flourished as much--there would be less shelves dedicated to that genre in the bookstore.

On a more personal level...I would be a narrow-minded, practical, reader who's only purpose in the world is to find the perfect flat-billed Platypus egg in Tasmania.

[Elennar Starfire]

and we have an opponent for Harry Potter.

*coughcoughHPsaripoffcoughcough*

There would be many people with much smaller vocabularies.

[Saraphim]

No Tolkien?

Horrifying as it is to wrap my mind around, I will remark on it.

If nothing else, Saraphim, do it for the post count.

Alright. I will.

If Tolkien had died, or otherwise not written LotR, I don't think life would be the same. For one thing, he totally revolutionized fantasy, and even people who have never read the books or seen the movies have most likely been influenced in some way. Tolkien has wormed himself into society, and life is better for it!

On a personal level, I wouldn't have been born! My mom's boyfriend gave her The Hobbit to read, and she didn't because she thought it was childish, broke up with him, and went out with someone else, who happened to be my future father.

(Thirteen years later I discovered the offending masterpiece in the garage. I've since made my mom read it. Irony is the spice of life!)

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Morai

Oh yes, people would still think of elves as really short people that make shoes and help Santa make toys.

Indeed! People would still be stuck with the elf as Shakespeare described it...and the notion of the originally tall, pretty elves would go into the dust and be buried by the heaping piles of stories that talk about elves as minute beings.

Another thing, the list of geek indicators would sufficiently dwindle.

Saraphim, has your mother read The Hobbit yet? What does she have to say about it now?

[Encaitare]

I'd probably be slightly more normal.

Actually, I'd probably be a pothead or something, because LotR is my drug. I mean, anti-drug. I mean... oh, whatever.

But since Prof. Tolkien did a decent amount of work on Middle-earth before and during the war, perhaps Christopher Tolkien would have taken the project over from there? (Granted, ME would not be at all the same, of course.) It's a stretch, but a possibility.

[Meela]

God, what do you people have against Harry Potter?! You never let it go!

I'd probably be obsessed with Harry Potter only. I never obsessed over any fantasy or books other than Lotr and HP. And my walls would lack posters. And I'd spend next to no time on the net.

And yes, the elves would still be the little creatures with spiky hair and not those tall, gangly things that walk like they're catwalk material. I happen to be pro-micro on the elves issue.

Gosh, the internet minus 6 million Lotr sites and actor appreciation sites... I wonder what would be there instead. We would all be discussing ShadowPlains, or The Light of the Dragon Crystal, or some other fantasy epic. I'd be Tyran Nosebleeder (?), the Dark Elf from the Obsidian Coast. I'll stop there, I'm really getting into this...

[Hookbill the Goomba]

I might have had a social life, perish the thought!!

I would still hate Harry Potter as its EVIL! Its portrays Evil as good! Since when have sorcerers been good? Does not the Bible say that "a sorcerer must die!"? Besides, The 'Wizards' in Lotr were Mara, nothing to do with sorcery.* In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it, but it was my hatred of Harry Potter that led me to Tolkien.


*(See other posts in other topics for fuller and more comprehensible argument, I realise this is a little presumptuous, but bear with me. I think this was one of my first Downs posts so its bound to be rubbish )