‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[The Saucepan Man]

Whaddya mean his "dreams" anyway -- don't you know that the legendarium is historical/canonical and thus verifiably and objectifiably True? Unless of course it isn't. . . Or maybe, then again, it could be, but not in and of itself, but in the performance of the reader's interpretative act. . .but then what is this reader person anyway, and who is she/he to constitute something as true. . .if she/he is constituting it as true. . .I mean, how can we even do that when we don't know what belongs in the legendarium. . .sure the books published in Tolkien's lifetime belong. . .oh, and the Sil. . .but not fan-fiction. . .well, maybe fan-fiction. . .and that Sil, now that I think of it, has all kinds of problems, perhaps there's another more authoritative text out there being built. . .but surely it can't be more authoritative than the HoME. . .if you believe in that sort of thing. . .which I don't. . .I don't think. . .I guess. . .

This message is brought to you by the Reduced Canonicity Thread Company c/o Hedgethistle, Prof. F, CyD*
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*Doctor of Canonicity