The atrocity of the Akallabêth

[Lalwendë]

I disagree; there are many obstacles to be overcome, even in a life sheltered from evil. One's potentiality, for both morality or spirituality, or for anything actually, has to be developed through effort, and a master eases the path, in almost any set of circumstances.

What obstacles? If life was perfect there would be no obstacles.

Aman was thoroughly sheltered from evil, yet the amount of Art and knowledge produced there by the noldor exceeds anything they produced in Middle Earth.

And wasn't that Art produced via the pride of Feanor? I would also dispute that the Art made in Valinor exceeds that produced in Middle-earth. It just cannot be said to do so with any degree of certainty. Art does not bend to such rules. The only way that it could be quantitatively better would be by dint of its 'perfection' - a comparison between the Art of Tirion and the Art of Lothlorien may have us saying that in terms of perfection Tirion is superior as it is grander, more elegant etc. whereas the latter is lesser as it is not so grand, not so 'developed'. But then that is like comparing Canary Wharf with a medieval castle - the former is a pinnacle of perfection, the latter so much smaller, more insignificant, old, undeveloped, etc.

Because no Vanya made it back to Middle Earth; because what Men know about Aman is pretty much what they know from the numenoreans, who in their turn know from the exiled Noldor, who, of course, wouldn't know what happened during their exile even to their kin in Aman, let alone to the Vanyar.

I'm asking why Tolkien did not write about it, not why his characters did not. Why did Tolkien choose to write about wars, Death, torture, pain, destruction? Why didn't he simply write stories about the beauty and peace of Aman? I venture to say because there's nothing interesting in that, nothing moving. And that in itself is moving - that beauty only becomes important when reflected against the backdrop of ugliness, peace only important when contrasted with war, Life when contrasted with Death.

Rather than Men being the ones to benefit from contact with Elves, I think it is the other way around.