The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Refugees and Victims of War-- something that's not been mentioned.

Elanor · 12-19-2002, 01:16 PM

Good point, I liked the way the film showed the effects of the war on the wider population. Very important.<P>Aragorn2002, you present that as fact, but I think really it's just one reading of the novels. JRRT specifically stated that there was *no* allegory to LotR, and was quite opposed to any attempt to impose one. The strength of the books, I feel, is that you can read in whatever you like. The books *could* be seen as allegory for WW2, but can also be read in other ways. I tend to dislike obvious allegory, as it means that a novel (or whatever) can only be interpreted in one way, and the author is saying "this is what I really mean, aren't I clever?"

12-19-2002, 01:16 PM	#7
Elanor Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: my own corner of the Shire Posts: 316	Good point, I liked the way the film showed the effects of the war on the wider population. Very important.<P>Aragorn2002, you present that as fact, but I think really it's just one reading of the novels. JRRT specifically stated that there was no allegory to LotR, and was quite opposed to any attempt to impose one. The strength of the books, I feel, is that you can read in whatever you like. The books could be seen as allegory for WW2, but can also be read in other ways. I tend to dislike obvious allegory, as it means that a novel (or whatever) can only be interpreted in one way, and the author is saying "this is what I really mean, aren't I clever?" __________________ "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." Henny Youngman (1906 - )