The two types of LotR fans - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lolidir · 02-15-2005, 07:57 AM

the World is the Story and the Story is the World. one must first fall in love with the story to fully appreciate and love the world. I read the Hobbit and loved it as a story. then i read the Trilogy and loved it as both. Tolkien understands that you must first love the story by making it exhilerating and exciting and he understands that one can love the world by having such detailed discriptions of the world. its all great and I love it all as i am sure so many of you others do too.

Nimrodel_9 · 02-15-2005, 05:02 PM

Oh, which one am I? I would have to say both. I fell in love with the story at first and still love it. As I read the trilogy and the Silm I began to love the world. I can't decide which I love more.

Celebuial · 02-18-2005, 03:09 AM

I agree with most of you guys: you love the story first but then you love both the world and the story. There is no story without the world, but without the story the world wouldn't be 'in context'. You wouldn't really understand the way it works, how it's people live, what happened to make everything the way it is.

I think I'm both. How could you be one without the other. Ok, I can maybe see how you could love the story without loving the world( I now realise that some of my friends are story lovers), but could you truly love the world without loving the story?

Thinlómien · 02-18-2005, 07:56 AM

Well maybe some Middle-Earth roleplayers don't love the story, only the world...? I don't know; I've never met anybody who doesn't love the story, but loves the world.
Maybe we should only say that there are world-and-story-lovers and story-lovers. Does that sound better?

Lolidir · 02-18-2005, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Maybe we should only say that there are world-and-story-lovers and story-lovers. Does that sound better?

i would have to agree with what you said there. i dont see how any one could love the world without loving the story, because how would they come to understand and appreciate the world if they dont even like the story. i must say that as you read it over again you find new things and fall in love with it all over again.

Thinlómien · 02-18-2005, 08:05 AM

That's true...
And it's weird how you find whole new, small happenings and details everytime you read it.... I love that book.

Guinevere · 02-19-2005, 08:18 AM

I can't decide, really!

I think everybody gets to love the Tolkien's World through the Story first. But I can see what you mean, Thinlómien.
I know several people who love Middle-earth and are fond of Elves and Hobbits in a general way, without caring (or even remembering) too much about Tolkien's actual characters. (Those are mainly people who came to know Tolkien via the movies)
For me, there are many things I love in Tolkien's works. The world, the story and (very much) the characters who are kind of real and alive for me. (That's why I can't enjoy the changed movie-characters...).
One thing that affects me very much , and which is quite unique, is Tolkien's beautiful language - his different styles that make the different races and characters feel real and historical. (Or does that belong to "world"?)
And the more I read, the more I become entranced by Tolkien's worldview, by the timeless truths in his works and this special mixture of humour,melancholy and hope .

02-15-2005, 07:57 AM	#1
Lolidir Wight Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Roaming the plains of Middle Earth Posts: 103	the World is the Story and the Story is the World. one must first fall in love with the story to fully appreciate and love the world. I read the Hobbit and loved it as a story. then i read the Trilogy and loved it as both. Tolkien understands that you must first love the story by making it exhilerating and exciting and he understands that one can love the world by having such detailed discriptions of the world. its all great and I love it all as i am sure so many of you others do too. __________________ "Its a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to" Last edited by Lolidir; 02-15-2005 at 08:01 AM.

02-15-2005, 05:02 PM	#2
Nimrodel_9 Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 734	Oh, which one am I? I would have to say both. I fell in love with the story at first and still love it. As I read the trilogy and the Silm I began to love the world. I can't decide which I love more. __________________ .:A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart:.

02-18-2005, 03:09 AM	#3
Celebuial Wight Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff during term time/Leicester in the holl's Posts: 129	I agree with most of you guys: you love the story first but then you love both the world and the story. There is no story without the world, but without the story the world wouldn't be 'in context'. You wouldn't really understand the way it works, how it's people live, what happened to make everything the way it is. I think I'm both. How could you be one without the other. Ok, I can maybe see how you could love the story without loving the world( I now realise that some of my friends are story lovers), but could you truly love the world without loving the story? __________________ Ú cilith ‘war. Ú men ‘war. Boe min mebi. Boe min bango.

02-19-2005, 08:18 AM	#7
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	I can't decide, really! I think everybody gets to love the Tolkien's World through the Story first. But I can see what you mean, Thinlómien. I know several people who love Middle-earth and are fond of Elves and Hobbits in a general way, without caring (or even remembering) too much about Tolkien's actual characters. (Those are mainly people who came to know Tolkien via the movies) For me, there are many things I love in Tolkien's works. The world, the story and (very much) the characters who are kind of real and alive for me. (That's why I can't enjoy the changed movie-characters...). One thing that affects me very much , and which is quite unique, is Tolkien's beautiful language - his different styles that make the different races and characters feel real and historical. (Or does that belong to "world"?) And the more I read, the more I become entranced by Tolkien's worldview, by the timeless truths in his works and this special mixture of humour,melancholy and hope . __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat! Last edited by Guinevere; 02-19-2005 at 08:20 AM. Reason: corrected a typo

02-18-2005, 07:56 AM	#4
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Well maybe some Middle-Earth roleplayers don't love the story, only the world...? I don't know; I've never met anybody who doesn't love the story, but loves the world. Maybe we should only say that there are world-and-story-lovers and story-lovers. Does that sound better?

02-18-2005, 08:05 AM	#6
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	That's true... And it's weird how you find whole new, small happenings and details everytime you read it.... I love that book.