‘Canonicity’: the Book or the Reader?

[The Saucepan Man]

And Gandalf - Gandalf (1) (from the Hobbit) is by no means the same character as Gandalf(2) (from LotR)

Oh but they are the same to me. I am able to reconcile them in my mind. Am I "re-inventing" Gandalf? Yes, I suppose I am to a degree. But isn't that what the reader is supposed to do: interpret the character from the words provided in the text?

And for anyone who hasn't got this yet - this is a bit like the 'Trotter' story - a 'fanfic' using ideas from Tolkien's writings in order to explore the idea of 'canonicity' from a slightly different angle'

Well then, since they are your ideas based upon what Tolkien wrote, they surely have no academic value.