Tolkien vs. Rowling

[brewpub44]

No: HPFGUIDX 32190

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "luminary_extraordinaire" <ktchong73 at y...> 
wrote:
> The Lord of the Rings is at its best in imagining Middle Earth--its 
> wonderous places and encounters.  J.R.R. Tolkien is a master in 
> inventing the magnificient epic world, its races and creatures, and 
> the histories and languages of its inhabitants.  However, 
> characterization is NOT a strong point of Tolkien. With very few 
> exceptions, Tolkien's characters rarely grow.  There is very little 
> narrative arc (i.e., character growth and development) in Tolkien's 
> books.  Of course, the positions and placements of the characters 
> change, but they remain essentially the SAME characters with the 
SAME 
> personalities throughout the whole book.  


Oh boy, now you've done it. You have inspired the wrath of legions of 
Tolkien fans that may be members of this list, myself included. Do 
not even try to compare the world of HP with Middle-Earth. Poor 
characterizations indeed! 

HP, although a very entertaining story (of which I am also a fan), 
can never be compared to LOTR. The only thing that HP offeres over 
LOTR is an easier read. I applaud Rowling for making easily-read 
stories, eliminating the haughtiness of 'literature' and making a 
world that is fun to read by children of many ages and comprehension 
levels. For that she is to be commended.

But HP will never surpass LOTR in terms of richness, history, 
tension, emotion, or, yes, characterizations.

A Barkeep in Diagon Alley.