Critique Paper presented in each item. Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

The True Lord of the Rings
Matthew Welch

1. In his obsession with perfection, Tolkien created an entirely new world, complete with customs,
languages, races, songs, and countries. He also created a plethora of individuals through which his story is carried out
and with which his readers identify. While he created this world and everything in it, he could not stray from the
characters and lands he created. Because of this, he had little control over the events once he set them in motion.
Tolkien, like the Lord of the Rings in the novel, had little control over the actions that took place. He could only set
obstacles and helping hands before the characters and allow them to play out the story as they would, as if they were, in
fact, real people in a real world that began in one man's mind and now exists in the minds and hearts of thousands of
readers throughout the world.
2. There is little doubt that J.R.R. Tolkien has become, in his short reign within literary fiction, nothing
short of legendary. His stories, while only recently presented to the world, have ensnared and enthralled thousands of
readers around the world. While many "cultured" critics still scoff at this work, the effect Tolkien has had on this world is
nearly as profound as the control he had over Middle Earth in his novels. Tolkien, while certainly a master of all elements
of fiction, displayed unquestionable proficiency in the areas of character and setting.
3. This immersion, while an exceptional accomplishment, is only one part of what brings readers into
Tolkien's world. The characterization makes except feel as if they actually know the creatures in the story, while the
setting makes readers feel as if they are walking alongside these characters on their journey through Middle Earth. When
these two are combined, readers feel as if they become an integral part of the story.
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