An Analysis of The Lord of the Rings
This article has been a long time in the making. It seems as though the more experiences I have in life, the more reasons I have to apply The Lord of the Rings to it.
The way that this series was written, the world that Tolkien built, and the themes of the story all have affected me deeply. I’ve been raised in a home that adores the world that Tolkien built; my basement is literally lined with posters from the movies and empty wine bottles with the names of a few characters on the labels.
When I was younger, The Hobbit taught me how important a foundation is when going somewhere new. Bilbo had an amazing home — a hobbit hole. It was because he loved his home so much that he was inspired to help the dwarves take back their own home — for without it, they had become nothing but wanderers.
Writing about how The Lord of the Rings has impacted me has been one of the funnest articles I’ve written. There’s so much that could be unpacked — and still more for me to read in the series itself. Until then, I hope you enjoy reading this article and that — just maybe — it might inspire you to read the most amazing fictional series that has ever existed.
The Writing
Despite it being written almost eighty years ago, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy has continued to be read by people of all ages. I began reading The Two Towers a few months ago — and I’m honestly disappointed in myself for not reading it earlier. It is apparent that J. R. R. Tolkien put so much care and thought into every single word. The beauty (and simplicity) in every sentence amazes me as I turn every page —
“Dusk deepened. Mist lay behind them among the trees below, and brooded on the pale margins of the Anduin, but the sky was clear. Stars came out. The waxing moon was riding in the West, and the shadows of the rocks were black.”
The variety of long sentences versus short ones, the flowy use of vocabulary, and the use of non-cliche vocabulary make that passage simply beautiful. This is, I think, exactly what William Zinsser meant when he wrote that every word should have a job within the story. Although Zinsser was referring to nonfiction, Tolkien used that concept very well in his fictional story.
Tolkien’s sentences can sometimes be long and detailed, but he never wastes a single word. Each one adds beauty and clarification; not a single phrase is cliche. The vocabulary isn’t forced but rather adds eloquence and flow to each sentence, such as this one: “… brooded on the pale margins of the Anduin… the waxing moon was riding in the West, and the shadows of the rocks were black.” This sentence seems so effortlessly written, yet no other word could effectively replace Tolkien's choice without destroying its beauty and meaning.
Themes
The writing isn’t the only thing that makes The Lord of the Rings such a fantastic series. The themes and morals that Tolkien emphasized in his books apply to anyone’s life — themes like stepping out on whatever path that has been laid out for you and making the best out of it, or the themes of darkness versus light… and how it is the most ordinary people who can make the biggest difference in choosing to live in that light instead of the darkness.
1. Beauty in the Ordinary
Tolkien used hobbits as the main characters of the story. The duty of destroying Sauron’s Ring fell to Frodo, who had no experience fighting and was accustomed to eating several meals a day, like Second Breakfast and Tea Time. Frodo loved his home in the Shire. Sam, another hobbit, also had to take on the same task. He was just a gardener with a desire to see elves. These two characters realized their duty to save Middle Earth and set out to do it. And they were completely ordinary hobbits.
This series showed me the beauty of the ordinary. As Gandalf said, “it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keep the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.” We don’t need to be the most prominent person in our community to make a difference. Rather, choosing to love others in kindness and good works — and just pointing those around us to Christ — is what “keeps the darkness at bay.”
Just last year, one of my sister’s friends unexpectedly lost her brother. I had never really talked to her — I only really knew her as my sister’s friend. So when I heard the news, I had no idea how she would react spiritually, emotionally… any of it. But last month, she spoke to the entire school about how her brother’s death had brought her so much closer to Christ. My entire school saw for ourselves what it was to count all things joy, even suffering, for “the testing of your faith produces patience.” And so an ordinary girl from the Junior class became one of the most impactful people I have ever met. She continues to be such an amazing example for me and my entire school as she continues to live out her faith through all of her trials.
2. Setting out on our given path
We may not know exactly what God has laid out for us. Sam says this to Frodo: “I don’t rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir…” Just as Sam knew he needed to step on that path to the elves, yet didn’t know exactly what that would entail, so we must step onto the path that Christian took in Pilgrim’s Progress, solely and humbly relying on the grace of God as we do so, knowing that we are in His loving hands.
That entire concept is so comforting to me as I think about what I want to do with my life — about whether I should go to college, where I should go, what I should major in… all the choices that every high schooler must make. But God uses the most ordinary people for His most spectacular plans. He already has a plan for me, and it is good.
Word-building
The world that J. R. R. Tolkien created is unlike any other — there may be the classic goblins and dwarves, elves and dragons — creatures that are in most fairytales — but he gave each of these creatures a story. There are the Woodland elves and their feud with the dwarves of the Misty Mountains… the orcs and their having originated from trees… the dwarves and their inclination to hoard their treasure and grow in arrogance. Each race has its own language… its own territories with a surplus amount of detail described in The Silmarillion.
I loved Tolkien’s description of Lothlorien, where Galadriel and some of the elves (the Galadhrim) lived. When the Fellowship reaches Lothlorien, Legolas describes the area as “The fairest dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of that land. For in the autumn, their leaves fall not, but turn to gold.” If I could go to any fictional spot, I would choose Lothlorien. Tolkien led me to a realm where I forgot I live in a world without elves and orcs and hobbits. This was a place of peace and beauty, untouched by the evil of Mordor.
There is still a lot left to unpack from The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien was nothing short of a mastermind; he spent years creating a completely original, fictional world. Yet, despite the series being completely fictional, he managed to incorporate unique and applicable morals for all of us — which is what I think makes The Lord of the Rings the best series ever written.
