The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - I get knocked down but I get up again

Celuien · 05-11-2006, 07:41 PM

I actually dislike it when too many main characters are killed off. Of course, that may be a result of my never having fully recovered from the traumatic experience of reading The Mill on the Floss.

But in all seriousness, how much realism do we want? Yes, the probability of Pippin not being killed in battle would be low if the tale were fully realistic, but so would the chances of Frodo and Sam reaching Mount Doom. As would Eowyn's and Merry's triumph over the Witch King. As would the actual defeat of Sauron by the Free Peoples. This is a mythic tale, after all, and improbabilities are permitted in plenty.

Besides, so much of the story is about the unlikely and unexpected triumph of unlikely heroes that it's not too much of a stretch for me to accept that none of the Hobbits died. I prefer that they didn't, but that's just the personal inclination of my sentimental ol' self.

05-11-2006, 07:41 PM	#7
Celuien Riveting Ribbiter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Assigned to Mordor Posts: 1,767	I actually dislike it when too many main characters are killed off. Of course, that may be a result of my never having fully recovered from the traumatic experience of reading The Mill on the Floss. But in all seriousness, how much realism do we want? Yes, the probability of Pippin not being killed in battle would be low if the tale were fully realistic, but so would the chances of Frodo and Sam reaching Mount Doom. As would Eowyn's and Merry's triumph over the Witch King. As would the actual defeat of Sauron by the Free Peoples. This is a mythic tale, after all, and improbabilities are permitted in plenty. Besides, so much of the story is about the unlikely and unexpected triumph of unlikely heroes that it's not too much of a stretch for me to accept that none of the Hobbits died. I prefer that they didn't, but that's just the personal inclination of my sentimental ol' self. __________________ People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect. But actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff.