Patterns in creativity usually flow from whatever is most true underneath. When a story echoes something that’s genuinely beautiful, you don’t need a tract to make the point; the pieces fall into place on their own. That’s why Tolkien’s work feels the way it does…it runs with the grain of reality.
I love the fact that Jared has drowned himself in Tolkien. I love those stories, too, but I can't for the life of me even swim in these waters. Keep it up, Jared. I love you, too.
This *feels* like a coincidence to me, but it's still very cool. Things line up sometimes. For me, it's the insights in the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth that bring us the closest thing Tolkien came to placing the Christ-story in the legendarium. But even there's it's a supposal only, a wistful idea of Finrod's, and it wasn't published in Tolkien's lifetime.
Yes, definitely this. When people compare Lewis and Tolkien, depending on their perspectives or criticism, they often point out how Lewis was more allegorical or deliberate with this parallels. Whereas Tolkien's approach is very different. His faith informed his world and its stories; he made Middle-earth compatible with his worldview, but it's not the same world and it doesn't play out the same as ours. And yet at every turn you can see his faith in it. I love it.
Tolkien wrote Middle Earth to be it's own world, much like Narnia by C.S. Lewis was it's own world.
But if you're going to have a fairy tale worth telling, there has to be evil. In order to inspire hope, it must be destroyed. In order to be destroyed, those doing it must have help that goes further than any who have attempted to destroy it before them. This is how we arrive at the need for a savior because we cannot go further without help.
Even if the help is not a Christ figure to the same degree that Aslan is, they are acting in a Christlike manner.
If I know anything about Tolkien, nothing is an accident.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. Wow.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Patterns in creativity usually flow from whatever is most true underneath. When a story echoes something that’s genuinely beautiful, you don’t need a tract to make the point; the pieces fall into place on their own. That’s why Tolkien’s work feels the way it does…it runs with the grain of reality.
“For him, a good story doesn’t preach so much as it participates with the Great Story. “
Love that!
Thanks, Levi!
I love the fact that Jared has drowned himself in Tolkien. I love those stories, too, but I can't for the life of me even swim in these waters. Keep it up, Jared. I love you, too.
I always love a traveler that goes an extra mile. Thanks. Good day.
This *feels* like a coincidence to me, but it's still very cool. Things line up sometimes. For me, it's the insights in the Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth that bring us the closest thing Tolkien came to placing the Christ-story in the legendarium. But even there's it's a supposal only, a wistful idea of Finrod's, and it wasn't published in Tolkien's lifetime.
I like to think his faith was so naturally baked into his storytelling that it naturally came out. He said as much in his letter to Murray.
Yes, definitely this. When people compare Lewis and Tolkien, depending on their perspectives or criticism, they often point out how Lewis was more allegorical or deliberate with this parallels. Whereas Tolkien's approach is very different. His faith informed his world and its stories; he made Middle-earth compatible with his worldview, but it's not the same world and it doesn't play out the same as ours. And yet at every turn you can see his faith in it. I love it.
Oh, this is beautiful! Thank you for digging deep.
Thank you for reading and commenting! I enjoy this stuff and am glad to share it.
Tolkien wrote Middle Earth to be it's own world, much like Narnia by C.S. Lewis was it's own world.
But if you're going to have a fairy tale worth telling, there has to be evil. In order to inspire hope, it must be destroyed. In order to be destroyed, those doing it must have help that goes further than any who have attempted to destroy it before them. This is how we arrive at the need for a savior because we cannot go further without help.
Even if the help is not a Christ figure to the same degree that Aslan is, they are acting in a Christlike manner.
The first rule of storytelling is that there is no story if there is no conflict!