The atrocity of the Akallabêth

[Beleg Cuthalion]

You, obviously. The consistent message of your posts here seems to be that nothing that Tolkien did, nothing that he said, really means what it should mean. That we can't trust the word of the creator of Middle-Earth in explaining hiw work and purposes, but instead have to accept the radically different spin that you're putting on it. It's very similar to Sauron's seduction of the Numenoreans, coincidentally enough, considering the topic of the thread.

[Beleg Cuthalion]

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

That's not what I'm saying at all, I did not mean to imply in any way that I know more about J.R.R. Tolkien than J.R.R. Tolkien: I do not and never will. 'I', in fact, cannot understand anything that does not exist in my own mind: I cannot understand something as simple as why I ate pizza and salad for dinner this evening, much less understand the reality of a deceased South African hobbit.

Regarding the pizza and salad, one would assume that it was because you inhabit a physical body with dietary needs, and must therefore fulfill them. Perhaps the reason you chose pizza and salad in particular was because you've enjoyed eating them in the past and are favourably disposed to eating them again. Maybe that's all that was in the refrigerator. Really, the possibilities for interpretation are endless, but if you look long and hard enough, you'll only find one true answer.

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

A question has plagued me since I first met J.R.R. Tolkien - that is, met him through Peter Jackson - whom I met through a video screen... etc. etc.

The question is this:

Can a piece of writing exist as a complete metaphor for my own life and as a metaphor for the person who wrote it?

The answer is yes.

Is it? Is that truly the answer, or is simpy what you've been led to believe is the answer? Perhaps the answer is that it just feels biologically good to attempt to interpret Tokien's works as a metaphor for your personal experiences.

Again though, don't you think that's interesting? How you, intentionally or not, are echoing Sauron and his appeals to the Numenorians turning them away from Eru and the Valar? The connection is an intriguing one, really. Perhaps you don't understand it, but nothing happens for no reason.

[Son of Númenor]

Originally Posted by Beleg Cuthalion

Don't you think that's interesting? How you, intentionally or not, are echoing Sauron and his appeals to the Numenorians turning them away from Eru and the Valar? The connection is an intriguing one, really. Perhaps you don't understand it, but nothing happens for no reason.

You're seeing what you want to see in my words.

By a few logical conceits I could say that you are accusing me of being Evil, of being the Serpent. Or am I just playing that role right now, on the Barrow-downs, vis-a-vis a Faerie tale?

[Beleg Cuthalion]

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

You're seeing what you want to see in my words.

Am I? Possibly, but then, it's just possible that you're also seeing what you want to see in what you've said.

Originally Posted by Son of Númenor

By a few logical conceits I could say that you are accusing me of being Evil, of being the Serpent. Or am I just playing that role right now, on the Barrow-downs, vis-a-vis a Faerie tale?

Either way, I would still find it intriguing.

[Son of Númenor]

Originally Posted by Beleg Cuthalion

Am I? Possibly, but then, it's just possible that you're also seeing what you want to see in what you've said.

Either way, I would still find it intriguing.

Sadly, I usually do see what I want to see in what I write. But that doesn't mean that what you see isn't valid!

Everything happens for a reason. Sauron knew this and seized his chance.