I finished my re-read of the Two Towers last night. Its been long - TopicsExpress

I finished my re-read of the Two Towers last night. Its been long enough since I last read the trilogy that Im approaching it without expectation, and discovering that joy I found the first time I read it. Theres a deep love and certainty in Tolkiens works, a centeredness even in the worst of circumstances. This could easily read as shallow character-building, or relying too heavily on fate, but he avoided that for the most part. When I first read the books, I was still religious, rather seriously so, and I worried that re-reading it now would ruin the memories. But the faith his characters depend on isnt in a god, but in each other, and in themselves. Reading it now, I understand why it had such a formative influence on me. Id always been taught that God was all I could trust in, and that I pretty much existed at his whim, and the whim of people around me. Most fiction throws its characters headlong into the adventure, without thought or question. Tolkien, repeatedly, gives his characters an out, a chance to say No, I will not do this, I will not resist this evil, I will not put myself to this danger. They may be the one thing that saves the world, but there is always the option to take the easier road. Theres doubt, poor choices, and human error, but balanced by a grace and strength thats missing from many fictional characters. And as much as Ill yell about the lack of female characters, his women are immensely strong, in many ways. Galadriel, Arwen, and Eowyn each have their own set of strengths and motivations, and a great deal of active, direct influence in the struggle against the enemy. (And thats without getting into the women of the history of Middle Earth. Tolkien has dozens of female heroes.) Im glad I decided to re-read the books now, for so many reasons.