LOTR: Children's Literature for adults or Literary Genius?

[Arwen Elf]

Do you think that Tolkien meant to write only about hobbits, elves and humans, or that the lessons the LOTR teaches run deeper? :elfqueen: :elfqueen:

[Arwen Elf]

I believe that The Lord of the Rings is more than fantasy, that Tolkien had set in his mind not just how he wanted Middle Earth to work out, but also our Earth. The theme of friendship is very important to him, I think, and also very human. That's the great thing about it!

[Fatty]

Hmmm well I don't think he set out to create a parable or anything. Really he wanted a context for the languages he was creating. I think the themese which run through the book are as you say a reflection of the things which affected him most deeply in his life.

The importnace of friendship, the horrors of war, the mistake of using power to counter power and maybe the most important (imho) that evil can never conquer good. The later being a relfection of his religious beliefs I think.

[Mirkgirl]

As LotR is not a sole creation, it has it's own 'history' written through the entire Tolkien's life, it cannot be called children's literature in any sense, save for that it's not a book for professors, but for everyone, for every age - the understanding changes, but the pleasure stays the same.

[Ringwraith]

I don't know what he intended for sure. But it is evident that his works have developed to something much bigger than he intended.

[Catz]

at first i believe it was simply a matter of a setting for the Elvish languages, and that must be regarded at the major impetus of the work, but later Tolkien evolved a more ambitious goal...that of a Mythology for England, to replace the lost oral traditions of the Anglo Saxons.
Within this there were many references to his religious beliefs, as he himself believed that the creation of a "secondary world" when done as truthfully and realistically as possible, was not only influenced by the real world but could in turn, influence it as well.
Because of this, his world HAD to be accurate and consistant within itself...unfortunately with his habit of constant rewrites this was all but impossible. The book does however show an amazing degree of internal constancy.....
No LOTR is NOT a childs book....its an everyones book i think....you get different things from it at different stages of life.
:catz:

[Sindarin]

Tolkien is a genuis, and LOTR is a literary masterpiece. :notworthy:

[Arwen Elf]

You guys blow me away, and humble me. (it's a good thing!) I never thought that Tolkien's work was meant for children. As you have already said, it's far too intricate for that. It's only that some critic or another, writing a short biography about THE author seemed to suggest that his literature was only meant for the mind of a child. Hmmm. . . .

[Daughter of Finarfin]

I find that a lot of things that are marketed towards children are sometimes very deep and have a lot more meaning than other books I have read that are geared for adults. Not that every child's book has some deep meaning, but I don't think some of them should be brushed off as just mindless entertainment for children.

[Arwen Elf]

True, I mean, have you ever even really LISTENED to some of the stories which were supposed to be for children? Ring around the Rosie was actually about the deaths of the Black Plague, Hansel and Gretle pushing the witch into an oven?!

[Finrod Felagund]

I think neither the books nor movies are children's fare.

on another note, reading them over and over is like watching a good movie over and over , you pick up on things that you didn't see the last time. I don't think that there that many books that can be stimulating to such a wide range of intellects and be entertaing to most who read it, hence the fanatical following of JRR.

[Black Rider]

there are a lot of books that, at first, could be labeled as a children's book, but are a lot deeper. for instance (outside LOTR), look at The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery. i had to read it this year for french class. The first thing she told us was that many people thought it was a children's book, but it was actually a deep philosophical, allegorical piece of literature. i think that LOTR is similar to this, it's very allegorical. children can read it and enjoy it for the hobbits and the elves, and the fantasy/escapism of it all. Adults can read it for this, and also can go deeper into it's themes, motifs, and allusions. this is what makes it a classic, one could read it for what it is, or read it and interpret it for what the author is trying to say about life.

[Mirkgirl]

Children tales are like actions - they are the best in the worst situation, around them people die, suffer, but the hero and their beloved survive and live happily ever after...

And IMO Alica and The Little Prince should not be read at all, leave alone being children's books. The same for Don Quihote (sp)