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Originally Posted by SPM
Which is the more valuable? Well, for my part, while the meaning ascribed by Tolkien to LotR (and others’ interpretations of the work) may be of value, the meaning which I ascribe to it myself will be of the greatest value.
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Ok, but if you find a 'meaning' in LotR which Tolkien did not put there, then you have introduced something new & personal - what you have 'found' was not actually
there - its like someone wandering around with an Ipod on talking about the 'wonderful music' in the air of the city. The music isn't 'in the air' its in their ears. The only 'meaning' in LotR is the meaning the author put there. If you 'find' anything else there
you've brought it - as Aragorn says about Lorien. Thus, you are not 'finding' a personal meaning
in LotR, but in
yourself. That 'meaning' was already present in you, & would be there for you even if you never read the book.
The 'meaning' you are 'ascribing' to the book is nothing to do with the book at all.
Quote:
You interpret the question as: “What do you mean by LotR, Professor Tolkien?”
I interpret the question as: “What does LotR mean to me?”
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But unless the meaning
you find corresponds with what Tolkien says
he meant then you are not talking about the same thing at all.
To set up (yet) another dichotomy, I think you are talking about 'value' rather than 'meaning'. You're asking 'What is the
value of LotR to me?', rather than 'What is the
meaning of LotR?'. As I say, the latter question has been answered by Tolkien himself. Tolkien had a very clear idea of the 'meaning' or 'message' he wanted to communicate. What he couldn't dictate was what value his work would have (if any) to his readers - what they would
get from it.