Are You Writing Serious Fantasy? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mister Underhill*** · 04-30-2002, 07:32 PM

I was puttering around today and it occurred to me that part of Tolkien's genius was his ability to devise clean, simple, compelling McGuffins. In the case of both The Hobbit and LotR, the cause for the action is a physical thing: a Dragon and a Ring, respectively. And in both, what must be done with this thing is clear and unambiguous: it must be destroyed, or the heroes will suffer grave consequences.

All the action springs naturally in both stories from the effective use of this fundamental device.

Not any great insight, I suppose, but something that struck me as a useful lesson for would-be writers of fantasy fiction and worth sharing.

[ April 30, 2002: Message edited by: Mister Underhill ]

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04-30-2002, 07:32 PM	#11
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,744	I was puttering around today and it occurred to me that part of Tolkien's genius was his ability to devise clean, simple, compelling McGuffins. In the case of both The Hobbit and LotR, the cause for the action is a physical thing: a Dragon and a Ring, respectively. And in both, what must be done with this thing is clear and unambiguous: it must be destroyed, or the heroes will suffer grave consequences. All the action springs naturally in both stories from the effective use of this fundamental device. Not any great insight, I suppose, but something that struck me as a useful lesson for would-be writers of fantasy fiction and worth sharing. [ April 30, 2002: Message edited by: Mister Underhill ]