Great essay, Dawn. It invoked many thoughts in me and my thoughts are all over the place. So bullet form:
o I think all of the Silm can relate to different historical events throughout the world and that's the genius in it-it can be applied to pretty much what you want.
o No matter what people say about Tolkien's writings NOT being about WWII, it obviously had a huge influence on him and why wouldn't it, even if he didn't mean it to.
o the hoarding of light makes me think of the blackout curtains in wartime that people hid behind so that the enemy couldn't find them.
o the Silmarils might represent precious metals and jewels that were amassed and sequestered away by the Nazis or wealth that is owned by the 1% nowadays.
o the isolationist policies of certain countries during WWII and other wars (and even today: Trump's policies, Brexit) come into being when people feel threatened (also go back to the blackout curtains).
o there have always been two types of people - those who would go out and explore and make things happen - and those homebodies who like it where they are and getting them to move is like trying to shift an irresistable object (did I get that ass-backwards?).
o even the inequality issue is in Tolkien's writing where there are different 'classes' in his world, some being mightier than others.
o I remember having a discussion with a Muslim friend some years ago. She was/is deeply religious and asked me what I thought of religion. I said I thought it was a way for more civilized people to control the masses in long-ago times when there were no police forces nor any armies. So the leaders of the churches or temples would do it by getting people en masse to believe in and abide by the same laws (and for the most part it was a good thing I suppose).
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o I think all of the Silm can relate to different historical events throughout the world and that's the genius in it-it can be applied to pretty much what you want.
o No matter what people say about Tolkien's writings NOT being about WWII, it obviously had a huge influence on him and why wouldn't it, even if he didn't mean it to.
o the hoarding of light makes me think of the blackout curtains in wartime that people hid behind so that the enemy couldn't find them.
o the Silmarils might represent precious metals and jewels that were amassed and sequestered away by the Nazis or wealth that is owned by the 1% nowadays.
o the isolationist policies of certain countries during WWII and other wars (and even today: Trump's policies, Brexit) come into being when people feel threatened (also go back to the blackout curtains).
o there have always been two types of people - those who would go out and explore and make things happen - and those homebodies who like it where they are and getting them to move is like trying to shift an irresistable object (did I get that ass-backwards?).
o even the inequality issue is in Tolkien's writing where there are different 'classes' in his world, some being mightier than others.
o I remember having a discussion with a Muslim friend some years ago. She was/is deeply religious and asked me what I thought of religion. I said I thought it was a way for more civilized people to control the masses in long-ago times when there were no police forces nor any armies. So the leaders of the churches or temples would do it by getting people en masse to believe in and abide by the same laws (and for the most part it was a good thing I suppose).