J.R.R. Tolkien  - Quotes

 A man inherited a field in which was an accumulation of old stone, part of an older hall. Of the old stone some had already been used in building the house in which he actually lived, not far from the old house of his fathers. Of the rest he took some and built a tower. But his friends coming perceived at once (without troubling to climb the steps) that these stones had formerly belonged to a more ancient building. So they pushed the tower over, with no little labour, and in order to look for hidden carvings and inscriptions, or to discover whence the man's distant forefathers had obtained their building material. Some suspecting a deposit of coal under the soil began to dig for it, and forgot even the stones. They all said: 'This tower is most interesting.' But they also said (after pushing it over): 'What a muddle it is in!' And even the man's own descendants, who might have been expected to consider what he had been about, were heard to murmur: 'He is such an odd fellow! Imagine using these old stones just to build a nonsensical tower! Why did not he restore the old house? he had no sense of proportion.' But from the top of that tower the man had been able to look out upon the sea. 

Tags: allegory   beowulf   criticism   critics   fantasy   literature     


J.R.R. Tolkien  - Quotes

 Oft hope is born when all is forlorn. 

Tags: hope   legolas     
C.S. Lewis  - Quotes

 Nowhere in Chaucer do we find what can be called a radically allegorical poem. 

Tags: allegory   chaucer     


Margaret Atwood  - Quotes

 I could end this with a moral,

as if this were a fable about animals,

though no fables are really about animals.
 

Tags: allegory   animals   fable   humans   parable     
J.R.R. Tolkien  - Quotes

 I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations... 

Tags: allegory     
J.R.R. Tolkien  - Quotes

 But I will say this, the rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor, nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anythig else passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I am also a steward. Did you not know?  

Tags: funny   gimli   humor   legolas   movie   tolkien     
Jonathan Bender  - Quotes

 I, like balloon animal hacks everywhere, can only make one animal so far. It is a LEGO version of the Island of Dr. Moreau, wherein I have brick-engineered a pig-camel, a dog-camel, and a camel with wheels. These monstrosities are quickly torn apart, and I wonder if I have some unresolved camel issues. 

Tags: camels   lego     


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