A gated community is generally a sprawling collection of lots with better than average shoebox homes, surrounded by a fence, or at least a thick hedge, with a
gate, often manned by private security guards, and is considered by many an ideal way to spend one’s retirement years, safe behind the hedge with like minded people. The term “gated community” is often used to describe similar constructs… such as monasteries or restricted access on-line libraries, for example… and, of course, Oxford [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].
I never really saw much of a connection between Tom and Gold and a gated community/closed system, but now that you mention it…hmmm. Wouldn’t the Shire be a gated community, as well? I’m not surprised, though, that Tolkien would be subconsciously or consciously drawn to the gated community after taking into account his Catholicism and family life. After all, the perfect gated community is the loving the family, and Tolkien appears to have one of the more loving ones.
In some ways, I’m a gated community chap, myself, with an enthusiastic interest in such things as the Society of Saint John in Shohola, PA and the Chicago Catholic Youth movement… I call it the Catholic Ghetto Movement (I’m thinking about copyrighting that, so if you are going to steal that moniker, make it quick [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]) There’s good and bad gated communities, Beth. Those that exist to separate one from the world are bad, those that wish to separate from the world in order to benefit the world by their witness, are good. I can’t really think of any gated communities outside of my Catholicism, though, that I would consider good. At any rate, good can, and does exist, within many communities that can be described as gated, but that does not mean that good can not be found elsewhere… and I don’t think Tolkien would make such argument.
Sophia, I was once given a psych major as a dorm mate… once.
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Really, guys, lit class isn't Mordor. Don't discourage the young from majoring in Engslih. Please?
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Far be it from me. However, I would encourage those who use literature to delve philosophy to seriously consider a philosophy major… I know, I’m shameless.