Tolkien and the Book

[Aiwendil]

Hilde Bracegirdle wrote:

Do we have any real sort of indication that elves don't indulge in 'making things up' other than Tolkien not including examples?

A good point. In fact, if the Elves did create fiction, it's a little hard to imagine in what context we would hear about it. But I also think there's something to Fordim's point:

if one lives in a world in which the story of Luthien and Beren actually happened, why would one need to make believe?

Hilde Bracegirdle also wrote:

But as for the purpose of written language, it might not be such a leap to assume that it might have been developed for another purpose than merely recording events or ideas. For example, having just watched the movie Hero, I am particulary thinking of the connection that movie places between calligraphy and swordsmanship.

This is an interesting idea, but ultimately I must say I don't buy it. Writing is always associated with lore by Tolkien. And was not Rumil, who first invented Tengwar, a sage and historian?