All,
I know many people have been discussing this however a particular point caught my attention: we were shifting our focus between what's natural in our world and what's natural in Tolkein's world.
Having a few days to think about it, I became more interested in lists for both of these, and this eventually led to a sort of free write of my own volition. I thought about how Tolkein builds such an intense, but almost subtle immersion via blurring this line. Whenever I think of the late nights with reading lights attached my books on the road and being so completely invested in Middle Earth it relates to how natural the world feels. Tolkein's strong suit was building a world recognizable, almost akin to ours. He has butterflies, he has humans, he has mini humans (i.e. Hobbits), he has squirrels, he has eagles, and much more. All of these little comforts I think is what allows us to suspend our disbelief so much further - it's what brings people wanting to enter Middle Earth. If it can have butterflies like us, if we can share so many identifiable features from our world, why can't we share that magic?
I think this is why our focus kept shifting because Tolkein was intentionally making it difficult to tell what is natural.
That's my post,
Elendil
I really like what you had to say in this. There really is that longing for adventure and magic that I think we all have, and I agree that by having so many things we consider natural in our world in Middle Earth, Tolkien really captures that idea. I think thats why these books are loved by so many people: it keeps that spark of magic alive in the reader.
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