I notice that on a recent Q&A ("What books would you destroy to avoid them falling into other hands?": https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/question/view/2379) 2 users of this site gave "thumbs down" to Wilhelmina Lyre and to Jimmy Hollis i Dickson.
To Wilhelmina for posting:
'[...] parents who don't read the books that their children are reading - with a very critical eye - are running the same risk.
'I'm not really in favour of BANNING The Lord Of The Rings. But I'd take the trouble to debate with my child the values of a book that depicts people/creatures who come from the East and South, are dark-skinned (and who associate with Elephants - or however Tolkien chose to "disguise" this word, it's been decades since I read this filth) as purely EVIL, as invaders who are intent on destroying the values - and lives - of "The Shire" (read the British Isles). Not to mention "Holy Wars" as a solution to a country's problems or the sharp divide between what is "suitable behaviour" for males and what is "suitable behaviour" for females.
'The Lord Of The Rings (considering its wide appeal) must be the very favourite book of UKIP, male supremacists... and many of those even further down the road of xenophobia and racism.'
To Jimmy for his:
'I see that somebody has given my friend Wilhelmina a "thumbs down" for her latest comment. Since said "thumbs-downer" didn't actually post a reply (unless they're doing so while I'm composing this), we may only guess whether this "thumbs down"is re: the idea that parents should talk with their children about the books that they're reading (does this come under the heading of "poking your nose in" / "invasion of territory"?) or rather a TLOTR fan taking umbrage at anybody's criticising hat "masterpiece" of storytelling.
'Whatever the reason, could you please give me a "thumbs down", too? Because I agree with every single word that she wrote.'
I have decided to throw down the gauntlet. Having read what Wilhelmina wrote, IS anybody willing to 'actually post a reply' and defend (on literary or cultural merit) Tolkien's ' "masterpiece" of storytelling'? IS anybody seriously willing to defend it against the charges of 'xenophobia and racism', as well as male-chauvinism and militarism.
In these days when politicians are distorting facts and statistics to create an atmosphere of fear re: [DARK-SKINNED] immigrants and "bogus" asylum seekers, I fancy a bit of lively, LITERARY debate between fanatics on either side.
Tolkien admirers: stop being ashamed to reveal who you are!
I read LOTR when quite young & again as an adult, having enjoyed it hugely as a great adventure story in a fantasy land. I also collected Robinson Jam 'gollywog' brooches as a child and still managed to grow up as a balanced adult who likes to view the world and all of its creatures as deserving of love and equal treatment.
Is LOTR a children's book? I wouldn't have thought so. I've never read it, but it's my husband's favourite, and he re-reads it regularly. He is neither a white supremacist nor a racist nor a member or supporter of UKIP.
It's fantasy, of course; and like all novels, it's of its time. Humans write about the human world, no matter what genre they choose, in response to what they have seen or felt or learned. The reader puts their own gloss upon any work they read; that's why A may like a book but B will hate it. Doesn't mean A is wrong-headed and reactionary, or that B is a narrow-minded bigot: it just means that we are all different and have different perceptions.
If you start banning old books for being currently politically incorrect (in your eyes if not in other people's), where do you stop?
You then move rapidly into the banning of new ones too. Should you only ever read what is acceptable to your parents? How would you learn to have your own opinions?
Teach your children well, by all means; but beware of teaching them intolerance of another sort.
I’ll defend Lord of the Rings a little bit if you like, but I don’t want a great big fight. All I can say is that I really enjoy the story. It is always worth discussing the book with children, but carefully, letting them form their own opinions.
The main reason must be something to do with the story pattern identified by Joseph Campbell known as the Hero’s Journey which is a common story pattern in many old and new stories, myths, even the Bible. My own childhood culture of stories, TV and film must have reinforced this as something enjoyable and satisfying.
You can attack Tolkien as much as you dare; I didn’t know him and cannot judge his attitudes. But I would say that he was of his time, his life experiences and his study, much of which is apparent in his stories. I am not a Tolkien expert but he lived through the horrors of two World Wars and lost friends. He was a professor and expert on ancient languages and cultures. The fact that many of his characters are male is also a sign of his times; his ‘normal’. Women didn’t go to war, and yet some were caught up in it as victims and heroines (like in the book). It was a man’s world. His hero is a little meek guy who ends up saving the world through dogged determination, team work, love, friendship and luck. It is not about race as such. Lord of the Rings is essentially a story of power, politics and war, but not the glory of it.
I sense you tutting Jimmy, because you are really attacking readers who like Tolkien’s books and want some reaction. I do not sympathise with racism or the other things you mention and will not apologise for liking Lord of the Rings. The Peter Jackson’s films were also excellent.