[Scott]

Adamathamariel,
Well, the way that I have always seen any literature is that the writer was trying to get across some sort of message(s) to their audience. Although The Lord of the Rings is not allegorical, the same message permeates through the work. The way I understand it is that Tolkien did not want Middle Earth and the War of the Ring to be allegorical because allegories set up limits. When something is bluntly intended to fit a certain framework, many times we as nearsighted people only allow ourselves to see it in that fashion. Tolkien wanted to make statements that transcended time. In this way he succeeded. The over and under tones presented can not only shed light upon WWII, but also other events (such as the current War on Terrorism) as well. I think that is why the work is so timeless.