[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

Here's a thread started by Finwe-89: Why do you like LOTR. I don't know if it helps but you might want to scroll it through, anyway.

I think she's afraid that I may just say "I like it because it's exciting" or "I like it because it has elves in it"...

You know, if you have to impress her (is she your english/literature teacher?) you could say that what truly fascinates you in LOTR are the subtle references to Nordic mythology and folklore. Or all the languages and their grammar structure that Tolkien created.

In literature and art in general, it's important that the books you read, the songs you hear and the paintings you see evoke feelings. A piece of art hasn't done its job if it doesn't provoke any thoughts in its viewer. Maybe one way to approach this essay of yours is to think about the atmosphere of the story (or the genre LOTR represents) and your personal experiences as a reader.

I definitely agree with Mithalwen about the escapism thing. When I read the books I feel that Middle-Earth is my world. It's a private place where I can go if life in this world starts getting on my nerve. Another thing that fascinates me is the romanticized culture where true heroes still exist. In LOTR you don't have to be the most handsome and skilled warrior to be a hero, though. You can really feel for the characters and that's what makes the book so real to me.