Alex Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "A story must have a pattern, each event building
> on (or challenging) whatever has happened up to
> the time of that event. If we say that "The
> Hobbit" is the story of Bilbo's discovery of his
> courage, growing eagerness to experience
> adventures - this resulting in a wider and greater
> respect of his society for him - we cannot escape
> the need to see each event of the novel as
> correctly placed in an unalterable sequence to
> bring about that change."
>
> Oh, for goodness sake. What a load of pretentious
> waffle.
>
> We're talking about a children's fairy story, not
> an entrant for the Nobel Prize in Literature!!!!
>
> Alex

Actually, I see the man's pov. He's speaking from years of experience reading and teaching literature in a great university, where he was highly regarded by peers and students alike. I sat in on one of his classes, and he's a great one.

Now he engages in discussions with people from all over the world, and everywhere he posts his is well regarded and respected. I agree that sometimes his rhetoric gets a little overblown and pretentious, but that is no reason to disparage or dismiss it. Also, I have never seen him lose his cool or become disrespectful in a discussion.

In my last semester of college I read The Hobbit, the first book of The Lord of the Rings, and at least half of the second book. Then I found that I just couldn't read any more because every sentence was written in exactly the same style .... and I couldn't sustain interest. I always hoped that I would go back to it and finish it, but I never did. For me, Tolkien was not a very good writer and there were always more interesting or important books to read. That does not mean, however, that I get to dismiss or abuse others for liking Tolkien or being enthusiastic about TH or LOTR. It's just my pov, as the formalist has his, and you yours.

Sue






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2005 08:38PM by Sue.