‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[mark12_30]

I am more and more puzzled by the aversion to the word "truth". In his essay "On Faery Stories" Tolkien is not the least bit shy about using this word, any more than we should be shy about using the word "joy" (as davem has recommended.) Refer to the epilog of "On Faery Stories."

Or refer to Mythopoeia , the Word In Question is also used.

It has already been quoted in Letters.

C7A states:

So, let's be careful. "Truth" can be a dangerous, dangerous thing, a fact that JRRT recognized, since it can easily be turned into an instrument for coercion and the substitution of our own will for that of God's.

Then it's not Truth anymore, it's domination and subjugation. Substitution of our own will for God's is hardly what I'd call "Truth".

It seems to me that lack of humility and gentleness is a far, far greater danger than the use of the word "Truth"; let's not toss out the proverbial baby with the bathwater.

In the end, we are flawed creatures who can understand only a few fleeting notes of the Music of creation.

But that doesn't mean we should call it dissonance, does it? It is what it is: music-- even if we only hear a tiny peice of it. Calling it dissonance or noise or auditory stimulation makes us no wiser than calling it music.

[drigel]

Canon is nessesary only for interesting discusssions taking place on this site, or the New Silm project