[The Saucepan Man]

First of all, I should point out that (although it may come as a surprise to some here), Tolkien's tales do not appeal to everyone. Many take one look at the books and decide that they are not for them, while others try then and find that they are not to their taste. That does not make them bad people.

So some of these women might simply have felt that the story was not one which would appeal to them. We all make those kinds of decisions about books (and many other things), rightly or wrongly.

But that really does not begin to answer the questions which Fordie poses here, for the following reasons in particular:

1. They have chosen to participate, as I understand it, in a course on children's literature.

2. There seems to have been a particularly vehemently reaction against the book.

3. That reaction appears to have been shared amongst a majority of the women in the class.

I find this reaction strange, given the first point noted above. My first reaction was similar to a number of those here, summarised nicely by Esty:

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I think it may be a question of age rather than gender.

Having read The Hobbit at a young age, it holds a special place in my heart. However, I can understand that those who first read it when older might dismiss it as childish, having not experienced that magic that it conjures in the young mind. But hang on a minute here. These students have chosen to take a course on children's literature. Surely, therefore, they should approach classical examples of the genre (which The Hobbit is) with an open mind?

Have any of them actually read the book yet, or are they simply drawing conclusions about it based upon what they have heard?

If they have not read the book, then they really have little standing to criticise it. The lack of female characters (or, indeed, any other circumstance based upon a superficial understanding of the tale) cannot provide the basis of a valid argument for anyone who has not actually read it.

If, on the other hand, they have read the book, then this may form a valid argument, depending upon how they express it. From what you say, Fordim, they are simply dismissing the book as "bad" because it has no (or no principal) female characters. Well that's not good enough. As literature students, they should be able to articulate precisely why, in their opinion, this makes the book bad - as an example of children's literature (which is, after all, what they are studying it as). If they can come up with valid and coherent arguments to support that contention (even though you may disagree with them) then fine. Otherwise, it seems to me that they are not really displaying the kind of abilities that I would expect from literature students.

Edit: Apologies to Lalwendë, whose quote it was that I posted rather than Esty's.