Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghitulescu
To me Hobbits and LOTR are childish, no better than comics stripes and feuilletons of the same era, or before. Since the modern times cinematography is also directed towards mental un(der)developed people, such books are perfect for filming.
50 years before him, an entire English horror/fantasy literature flourished. Borroughs has been mentioned, probably Wells as well, I presume Poe, too, then it was Shelley and her Frankenstein, there was Dracula of Stoker and so on. While not necessarily the best, they opened the path to others. Victorian era was do dark, that these horror/fantasy works fit perfectly. Jack the Ripper was haunting London and what stories could go along in the bedrooms, than such ones?
Everyone heard about hobbits, because Holywood made such a strong campaign last year, which, typically for such a literary work, was centred to the fact that was filmed in 4k rather than on its literary merits.
Unlike negative (scaring, punishing) attitude of British literary works, French contemporary literature was positive, think of Jules Verne and his inventions, that become reality after years. Whereas hobbits and vampyres and whatever creatures never have been proven to exist, let alone to help the humanity or to give any advice. Verne's works not only had visionary ideas, but also gave positive and useful advices.
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There's enough room in this world for Tolkien and Verne. Tolkien set out to write mythology for England, Verne was writing science fiction at that time.
I love them both but they are completely different. Your attitude toward one seems unable to make room for different kinds of books, so it downgrades one to elevate the other.
People don't write books simply to advance humanity, help humanity or give useful advises. There's a million and one reason why books are written, and you reducing those reasons that to a few of pragmatic ones is very narrow minded view of literature.
Fantasy books often are more about storytelling then practical advice. They often explore our psychological makeup, our past, our fears, our mythologies, our motivations, our morality and so many different things I can't really count them all.
You seem to forget that human side of writing, that is self-exploratory and not only practically minded.
I wonder even if you have read Lord of the Rings and Hobbit, when you make such accusations. Like Harry said, Hobbit is a children's book Tolkien wrote for his children. Kinda like Harry Potter started as bedtime stories for J. K. Rowling's children. Why you don't see that is beyond me. There are children in this world you know, and they need stories like they need food. We all do. But apparently some more then others.
Storytelling is older then civilizations, human progress, technology and it's been here for millenniums and I don't think it will every be replaced by the kind of "practical books" you seem to espouse.