Sophia wrote:
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I am quite familiar with what the Professor had to say about allegory, yet I must contend that if looking for underlying emphases in the work is allegorical, then, I'm guilty as charged. But fortunately, I don't think that's what either you or Tolkien meant by allegory, my apologies for expressing myself badly last time.
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You did not express yourself badly; I was merely trying to deconstruct and analyze what you said. I understood that you probably did not mean allegory. My main point was that applicability/themes cannot be distinguished from entertainment. The essence of my point was:
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If you are speaking of the kind of 'applicability' Tolkien talked about, surely this cannot be distinguished from the entertainment value of the story. That is, does not the applicability of the story manifest itself in making the story a good story and an enjoyable one? I would personally take it a step further and say that the purpose of any work of literature, and the attribute by which it ought to get literary acclaim, is its beauty - i.e., its ability to entertain.
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