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Lalwendë · 09-14-2004, 02:35 PM

I resisted for long enough...

Everyone makes their own 'truths', this is the nature of us as individuals. Why else would there be so much debate over the meaning of things like Tolkien, the Bible, politics, etc. When I say we 'make' our own truths, these are obviously tempered by what we learn along the way, our upbringing, our life experience, what someone else on the 'Downs thinks. Eveyone brings their own truths to Tolkien as readers. For example, I have a big interest in archaeology, history, words, and as such, I pick up on these things in Tolkien. Others may have strong faiths which they bring to the books and so they pick up on these aspects. I even know someone who views the books in a marxist way. All these differing ways of reading don't mean that I can't necessarily appreciate the other person's point of view - I want to know what other people think.

I do think that the writer creates his (or her) 'world', and sets out their vision of 'truth', and that it is there for our taking, but that we also bring ourselves to the work. When a person reads, for example, a political text, they are looking for a meaning, but those parts which resonate with their own experience are the parts which they will take most away from. And, a reader will also pick up on other parts of a text and assimilate this as a new aspect of their 'truth'.

Words are a frightening thing, the writer puts them down intending one thing, but the reader can take away a whole other meaning. As an example, I have written speeches in my line of work, and these take a long time to perfect, as every word must be carefully placed, yet those who hear them do pick up on things all the time which had lain unnoticed. And this is the spoken word, which is tempered by nuance and gesture; the written word has a lot more potential to cause debate. After all, who hasn't written an e-mail that has been taken the wrong way?

We have facts about Middle Earth (or think we do, some are also debatable), but as for meanings of things in the text, we all take away differing ideas - and I'm all for it, or else there would be no 'Downs and no enjoyable debate, which in itself can help us to form new 'truths'.

09-14-2004, 02:35 PM	#470
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I resisted for long enough... Everyone makes their own 'truths', this is the nature of us as individuals. Why else would there be so much debate over the meaning of things like Tolkien, the Bible, politics, etc. When I say we 'make' our own truths, these are obviously tempered by what we learn along the way, our upbringing, our life experience, what someone else on the 'Downs thinks. Eveyone brings their own truths to Tolkien as readers. For example, I have a big interest in archaeology, history, words, and as such, I pick up on these things in Tolkien. Others may have strong faiths which they bring to the books and so they pick up on these aspects. I even know someone who views the books in a marxist way. All these differing ways of reading don't mean that I can't necessarily appreciate the other person's point of view - I want to know what other people think. I do think that the writer creates his (or her) 'world', and sets out their vision of 'truth', and that it is there for our taking, but that we also bring ourselves to the work. When a person reads, for example, a political text, they are looking for a meaning, but those parts which resonate with their own experience are the parts which they will take most away from. And, a reader will also pick up on other parts of a text and assimilate this as a new aspect of their 'truth'. Words are a frightening thing, the writer puts them down intending one thing, but the reader can take away a whole other meaning. As an example, I have written speeches in my line of work, and these take a long time to perfect, as every word must be carefully placed, yet those who hear them do pick up on things all the time which had lain unnoticed. And this is the spoken word, which is tempered by nuance and gesture; the written word has a lot more potential to cause debate. After all, who hasn't written an e-mail that has been taken the wrong way? We have facts about Middle Earth (or think we do, some are also debatable), but as for meanings of things in the text, we all take away differing ideas - and I'm all for it, or else there would be no 'Downs and no enjoyable debate, which in itself can help us to form new 'truths'.