"Gated communities"...... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mister Underhill*** · 04-02-2003, 01:25 AM

My Downs-time has been increasingly limited of late, but what the hey – I’ll just throw in a few first impressions here, even if I don’t have the time to make a real meal out of them.

I think there’s an implication in some of these observations about Tolkien’s so-called “gated communities” that the professor is somehow advocating “segregation”. I don’t think that’s a safe assumption. On the contrary, I think this may just be another one of those areas where Tolkien astutely observes human nature and uses it to make his invented world that much more real (and applicable).

I live in Los Angeles, one of, if not the, most culturally and racially diverse cities on the planet – yet even here, racial and cultural groups have a tendency to segregate themselves. Birds of a feather flock together, as the old saw says. I’ll leave debate of the why’s, how’s, and wherefore’s to others; my point is that this is a condition of human nature, one which is reflected in Middle-earth. Tolkien doesn’t offer any easy answers or false happy endings. You don’t have a big celebration at the end where Ents, Gondorians, Hobbits, Rohirrim, Woses, Elves, and Dwarves all join hands and dance the Springle-ring while fireworks shoot off overhead and an (integrated) orchestra plays a victory march. Frodo doesn’t just shrug off the effects of his task. The Shire isn’t just how the Hobbits left it when they return. The result of the victory over Sauron isn’t One World, One People. I need hardly allude to “the long defeat” here.

The history of the people of Middle-earth is a history of their follies and foibles, their ignorance and imperfection, their stubbornness and stupidity. One theme of LotR is how these insular communities must open their doors to the multi-cultural Fellowship, to the benefit of all, and we see that in individual cases, this broadening of the horizons inevitably leads to increased maturity, growth, and wisdom.

04-02-2003, 01:25 AM	#8
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,744	My Downs-time has been increasingly limited of late, but what the hey – I’ll just throw in a few first impressions here, even if I don’t have the time to make a real meal out of them. I think there’s an implication in some of these observations about Tolkien’s so-called “gated communities” that the professor is somehow advocating “segregation”. I don’t think that’s a safe assumption. On the contrary, I think this may just be another one of those areas where Tolkien astutely observes human nature and uses it to make his invented world that much more real (and applicable). I live in Los Angeles, one of, if not the, most culturally and racially diverse cities on the planet – yet even here, racial and cultural groups have a tendency to segregate themselves. Birds of a feather flock together, as the old saw says. I’ll leave debate of the why’s, how’s, and wherefore’s to others; my point is that this is a condition of human nature, one which is reflected in Middle-earth. Tolkien doesn’t offer any easy answers or false happy endings. You don’t have a big celebration at the end where Ents, Gondorians, Hobbits, Rohirrim, Woses, Elves, and Dwarves all join hands and dance the Springle-ring while fireworks shoot off overhead and an (integrated) orchestra plays a victory march. Frodo doesn’t just shrug off the effects of his task. The Shire isn’t just how the Hobbits left it when they return. The result of the victory over Sauron isn’t One World, One People. I need hardly allude to “the long defeat” here. The history of the people of Middle-earth is a history of their follies and foibles, their ignorance and imperfection, their stubbornness and stupidity. One theme of LotR is how these insular communities must open their doors to the multi-cultural Fellowship, to the benefit of all, and we see that in individual cases, this broadening of the horizons inevitably leads to increased maturity, growth, and wisdom.