|
Wow! Great posts.
My own personal journey has been(in regards to LOTR):
As a teenager, I was like 'this is just so cool - wizards and elves and damsels - oh my!' A fantasy story with enough testosterone to interest a teenaged boy, yet nothing icky-sticky to bog it down - that love stuff was off-screen mostly.
Later on, I saw that the story had much depth, and so dwelved into the appendices and the Silmarillion to eke out every bit that I could regarding the story, the characters, etc. These books were much different than anything else that I had read.
Still later, I saw it as an example of great literature (something to emulate). Plus, there was a spirituality to it that made a lot of sense, and in maybe a goofy way it had something to say to me. At times I could a see a piece of me in each character, and it gave me a good bit to think about.
Now, I can't wait to share it with my children. I used to rattle off a 15 minute version of the Hobbit to my son, and we've watched pieces of the movies together (then using wooden swords, acted out the same). One day he and his little sisters will find the books waiting for them in my library. I know that none of them may be as geeked out about them as I am, but there's always hope.
|