Thank you so much guys!
I know the Valar = gods is a gross simplification, but for the purpose of this paper the reader just needed a quick idea what the Valar are.
Do either of you happen to have "Modern heroism; essays on D. H. Lawrence, William Empson, & J. R. R. Tolkien" by Roger Sale? Stupid me wrote down some quotes but forgot to write down the pages...
(Edit: nevermind, I found other sources to cover up my earlier mistakes. Thanks again!)