Why’s Tolkien so grumpy in this? I thought he was quiet funny in real life.
The lion is clearly an algorithm for Persia
Submitted 4 months ago by OttoVonNoob@lemmy.ca to [deleted]
https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/9e7f935e-d98e-48a3-9a8d-82110934929c.png
Comments
TheBat@lemmy.world 4 months ago
FozzyOsbourne@lemm.ee 4 months ago
He was, but…
I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history – true or feigned– with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse applicability with allegory, but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.
MindTraveller@lemmy.ca 4 months ago
Note that LOTR was 100% informed by his experiences in WWI and he sought to impart readers with many of the same feelings. He’s just saying it’s not a 1:1 comparison. For example, World War One had no ents. He just put those in because they’re neat. LOTR isn’t a direct retelling of the great war, but it is supposed to make you think about what war does to people, and perhaps that will make you think about the great war.
Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 4 months ago
*has literal trees smashing industry*
Katana314@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I’ve been doing a bit of writing, and I feel this…
I want to write comparable experiences, but it can also come across as a heavy-handed author message if people feel too strongly that a certain place or character or event is a strong allegory for a real-life thing.
It’s more likely those fictional events were informed by those real events the author experienced, and it remains in fiction for people to reflect on.
RadicalEagle@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I’ve been reading The Screwtape Letters and having aot of fun with it. Lewis and Wormwood both know how to pull the levers to get an emotional reaction out of a person lol
thesporkeffect@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I read Out of the Silent Planet at a fairly young age and it seemed incredible at the time. I also read the other 2 books of the trilogy and while Perelandra seemed fine, I had trouble getting through the last one.
NielsBohron@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Maybe it’s because I’ve become a pretty outspoken anti-theist, but after growing up and being exposed to better theological and philosophical arguments, I’ve come to the conclusion that Lewis is an overrated hack.
And yes, the Silent Planet books were absolute torture to get through.
niktemadur@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Well damn, I feel like I’m responding to my own soul from the past!
My experience was identical, back in the early 80s.