Exploring Tolkien

63. Kids Ruin Everything – On Fairy Stories, Part 3

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This week we discussed “Children” from the “On Fairy Stories” by Tolkien.  He pushes back against the coupling of fairy-stories and children, making the point that, “If fairy-story as a kind is worth reading at all it is worthy to be written for and read by adults.”

We talk about:

  • Suspension of Disbelief vs Literary Belief
  • How fairy-stories are not to be relegated to nurseries
  • How children ruin everything (even fairy-stories) if we leave it alone with them
  • The “covert sniggering” that happens when adults write stories FOR children
  • Is the Hobbit too “silly” for Middle-earth

    • Then in our members-only episode (https://theonering.com/members) we:

    • Did Tolkien approve or enjoy tragedies?
    • Discuss our interview with Nick Groom last week, and why we weren’t more confrontational.
    • We did, in fact, react with quiet disbelief at some of Professor Groom’s answers to our Confessions from the Comfy Chair!

      • 🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)!

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      🔗 Episode Links

      Tales from the Perilous Realm (has “On Fairy Stories” essay)
      Make Tolkien Great Again – Tengwar Hat

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      🔍 If You Like Tolkien

      The Silmarillion
      The Fall of Númenor
      The Fall of Gondolin
      The Children of Hurin
      The Atlas of Middle-earth
      The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

      🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!

      🖼 Special Thanks to Anna Grumbine for the artwork!

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