Saving Middle-Earth
THIS WEEK’S WINNER
MANILA, Philippines - Joel D. Techico, 31, works at St. Michael Rural Bank of Tarlac. “Facebook, Sudoku, Naruto, X-men comics and the classics keep me afloat in the pond of ennui.”
A sure indication a book is close to your heart is that you have an extra copy of it. A friend may borrow it and it may take years before he returns it. If he does return it, the book is already woefully spoiled. Also, a second copy will come in handy when you find your first one falling apart after many rereadings. But, above all else, an additional copy of your favorite book simply gives you additional happiness.
This is especially true with The Lord of the Rings. The book is very long but there is something very magnetic about it. Simply put, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is a beautiful book because it is a tale about good overcoming evil; it is a quest affectionately told with wit, charm and palpable danger. It is a masterpiece narrated in superb language, almost Miltonic in stature. But, most of all, it is an outpouring of an author’s heart for his deep love for nature.
I, too, am a nature lover. Reading Tolkien is like meeting a kindred soul. Though I live in the city, I always get smitten whenever I see pictures showing the beauty of creation. At daybreak, I lie still and listen to sparrows singing their greetings to the waking world. I remember that when I was small, the sky was always almost clear and you only had to look up to enjoy the majestic sight of innumerable stars dotting the firmament from horizon to horizon.
One turning point in the story is the uprising of the forest. After enduring senseless denudation, the trees finally resolve to avenge themselves. It is important to note here that their retribution is carried out with reluctance and sorrow. Even now, we experience nature’s indignation in response to man’s abuse and disrespect of her. But even in the midst of her fury you can feel her sadness for the resultant loss of lives and property.
Digging deeper into the tale, I feel that Tolkien surreptitiously provided us the answer to mankind’s problems which is, I believe, humility. Gandalf, Aragorn and Frodo are all humble persons. They represent the religious, political and common citizenry of Middle-Earth. Gandalf becomes the head of the White Council; Aragorn is crowned King of the West; and Frodo succeeds in destroying the One Ring. Yet through all these great feats, not a single strand of pride or arrogance goes to their heads.
As we age, pride creeps in. I am no exception. The egoism of other people can be biting, subtle and nauseating. They consider every misunderstanding an affront to their bloated ego. Whenever I feel slighted, I realize that it is not my self but my pride that is offended. Musing on imagined wounds suffocates joy and brings only bitterness. Swallowing your pride is not enough; it must be exorcised out of your system. The process is painful but attainable.
Of all the characters in the book Gandalf is the most mesmerizing. He enters Middle-Earth in gray cerements and leaves it in white robes. For me, the color gray signifies that important crossroad in life where one has to choose the direction of his destiny. One cannot remain gray for a long time; sooner or later, a decision has to be made. Still, one must be alert. The case of Saruman bids us to be wary. It is distressing that many of us idealistically swear not to let the shadow in but we end up succumbing to it.
On the lighter side, it was fun collecting the three books of The Lord of the Rings. I prefer the earlier Ballantine editions as its font won’t give you eyestrain. For first-time readers, they will feel the excitement of following the fellowship from the Shire to Rivendell; from the Mines of Moria to Rohan; and finally from Minas Tirith to Mt. Doom. They will realize that they haven’t read anything like this before. While for the not-so-first-time readers, there will be nostalgia. As they flip through the pages, they will feel that they will never encounter books of this caliber again.
Also, the world of Middle-Earth is so believable that the reader can say with lucidity that the events Tolkien narrated could have happened several ages ago in our very world. The topography of Middle-Earth may have changed but the trees, the rocks, the rivers, the valleys, the mountains, and the constellations are all the same as ours. This is only one of the unique attributes of The Lord of the Rings. Middle-Earth, unlike many fantasy worlds out there, never alienates.
Finally, the conclusion of the tale is both sad and hopeful. Sad in the sense that many fair and wonderful things are now passing away. Our forests are fast becoming treeless hills; our seas are being lawlessly ravaged. Is this the manner of stewardship that we present to God’s earth? But there’s still hope. And one of those hopes is that after we die, the books Tolkien wrote will still be here to remind future generations of the sacredness of caring for the earth.
