When I first encountered The Lord of the Rings, I was about 7 or 8 and laying on my sofa while my brother and I were homesick. My mom started with reading to us The Hobbit and then eventually moved to The Lord of the Rings. We never finished the trilogy, but I remember the pure joy that I had when listening to the journey of the Fellowship. Because of how old I was, I did not understand or remember much of anything but those days where my brother and I were homesick were what sparked my love for the world Tolkein had created.
Since that time over a decade ago, my understanding of the trilogy has changed greatly. For starters, I actually fully understand what is going on. As well, I have learned through my time at Dickinson how to read the novel through different lenses. The story has become less of a fantastical world and more of a commentary on the real world in my mind. I am able to see connections to current events. I believe that allows me to enjoy the novel more as I now have a more well-rounded understanding of the world of Middle-Earth.
One scene in particular in The Return of the King that has really stuck out to me is the scene where the riders of Rohan encounter the Wild People. The Wild People are men just like the Rohirrim, but they live in the woods rather than in large cities. After helping King Theoden, he asks the Wild People what he can give to them in return for their kindness. They respond by saying “But if you live after the Darkness, then leave Wild Men alone in the woods and do not hunt them [the Wild Men] like beasts any more” (Tolkien 104). I am able to understand now that the Wild People are a metaphor for indigenous people and the Rohirrim were colonizers. I now understand that not only did Tolkein create a new world, but he created one that was just as complicated as ours, something I never would have been able to understand at 8 years old.
Works Cited:
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. New York City, New York, Del Rey, 2018.
I love how this novel connects with nostalgia for you! I think it’s definitely one of those works you re-visit with a more critical eye when you’re older, and I wonder if that was Tolkien’s intent? Was it meant to be a children’s or adult series (I’m ignorant so I truly don’t know)? Furthermore, I think it’s great that your analysis will complicate the novels by showing the permeability of the line between fantasy and reality. Does Tolkien ever say anything about his direct influences?