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Post by Jenny on Apr 9, 2005 22:40:37 GMT -5
You're perfectly entitled to your opinion! At least you have read the books, and not just randomly decided that you hate them, like a lot of people I know.
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 11, 2005 0:00:37 GMT -5
Yeah, very few people actually honestly have a reason to hate them.
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Post by The Lady Eowyn on Apr 11, 2005 15:35:36 GMT -5
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Post by Jenny on Apr 11, 2005 18:11:06 GMT -5
I'm not making an attack on you, OrliChick, but could I have a link to a place where she says that she's a "HUGE Tolkien fan"? Because I seem to remember reading a few interviews where she has said that she read the books in college, and enjoyed them, but nowhere that she is a "HUGE" fan. Lets say she is a "HUGE Tolkien fan." Perhaps the parallels (whether intentional or not) are more of a tribute to one of her favorite authors? One of the really great things, in my opinion, about the Harry Potter books is that JKR incorperates so many myths, legends, and history into her books, but often times puts her own twist on them. For example, several of the unusual creatures in the books are actually mythological creatures from various cultures, and many of the names of people have historical or Latin significance. Does this mean that JKR copied off of history or Latin? Just because parallels can be drawn between two things doesnt mean that one necessarily "copied" off another. You can draw parallels between almost any two stories. For example, people draw parallels between HP and StarWars (http://www.mugglenet.com/funlists/lukevsharry.shtml), but that doesn't mean JKR copied off of George Lucas, she simply used several of the same common storytelling elements. No matter if she is a fan or not, if she did read the book at some point (and I am almost positive that she did) and she would have been either conciously or subconciously influenced by it, because face it, every movie you watch, every book you read, every person you meet, somehow influences the way you view the world, no matter how minutely. did that make any sense? I am tired
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 11, 2005 21:56:04 GMT -5
I kind of have to agree with Jenny. I know a lot of stories that have those types of similarities but it's not exactly copying.
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Post by Elanor on Apr 12, 2005 7:56:26 GMT -5
I agree with Jenny too I think that most of the things in these types of lists are coincidence and people looking too hard to find tiny similarites. And some of these similarities are ridiculas. I meen the fact that both stories have an inn? Was Tolkien the first writer to ever feauture an Inn in his books? And does that meen that no other writer can for fear of copying? I also think it would be possible to make an equaly long list about why LotR is similar to King Arthur.
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 13, 2005 2:54:12 GMT -5
I gotta agree Elanor. They aren trying to hard.
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Post by Herenya on Apr 13, 2005 4:09:50 GMT -5
I think it comes down to what I said before
And WHY would she WANT to copy the lord of the rings? And when you come up with a great idea for a story you don't go "no, wont write that because it's too much like this", because you know that what you'll write will be different, and that it won't be influenced by just one thing.
Parallels are one thing. Nobody minds parallels... was C.S. Lewis accused of copying the bible? Because aslan's resurrection certainly isn't original. Okay, so perhaps it's not the best example. Even so, I think that anybody who has read LOTR would be hard pressed not to be influenced by it in one way or another.
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Post by Jenny on Apr 13, 2005 17:41:45 GMT -5
I think it comes down to what I said before And WHY would she WANT to copy the lord of the rings? And when you come up with a great idea for a story you don't go "no, wont write that because it's too much like this", because you know that what you'll write will be different, and that it won't be influenced by just one thing. Parallels are one thing. Nobody minds parallels... was C.S. Lewis accused of copying the bible? Because aslan's resurrection certainly isn't original. Okay, so perhaps it's not the best example. Even so, I think that anybody who has read LOTR would be hard pressed not to be influenced by it in one way or another. no, that is a really good example! Oh no Tolkien "copied" Beowulf, oh no the writers of You've Got Mail and several other chick flicks "copied" Jane Austen. Parallels are fun! They are what connect literature. Its fun when you're reading through a book and you find a parallel or reference to one of your favorite books!
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Post by vikingmaiden on Apr 13, 2005 21:03:26 GMT -5
yes, you're right. people should just enjoy the books for what they are instead of accusing authors of "copying". i'm a writer myself, and i draw inspiration from a lot of different writers, but that doesn't mean i copy them, i just use some themes that really work in literature, that's all.
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 13, 2005 22:09:55 GMT -5
Parrallels are fun, and they ARE what connect the literature. It's not copying in my opinion. and those are all good examples.
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Post by Jenny on Apr 13, 2005 23:00:07 GMT -5
*grabs hands of everyone and forms a circle and sings* the Ciiiiircle of Parallels its what connects us all...or not. haha sorry I'm really hyper for some reason. I will shut up before I hurt myself
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 13, 2005 23:08:27 GMT -5
lol *sings* the Ciiiiircle of Parallels its what connects us all
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Post by Elendille on Apr 14, 2005 11:07:16 GMT -5
This is a badly scripted reply to many points and persons above Jenny wow! I think you've put it eloquently. I had never thought nor heard of that before, but I guess it wouldn't be the fact an inn was in there, but its poignancy to the story. I was always under the impression they were copying it and it was widely known so. okay am not saying that right...but Lion King = Hamlet (err that would be my short explanation lol or an attempt at it) JKR did not copy Tolkien. Her story is different remarkably so, but I think what grates on many nerves are the uncanny similarities. Yes she's got Latin and a whole heap of other mythology in there - lupine, Dumbledore, Sirius, Beatrix, Fluffy, Draco etc, etc, etc but it's the startling paralells. it isn't the conception of dwarves, elves, kings, wizards or other beings that is argued over. It is the inclusion of very specific items in Tolkien's world which would seem to many JKR has done to ensure HP's success. Ahh yes hot water...well it is the onset of winter here...in a few months time Lady Orohisiel hahahaha. The writing yes, but then I find that is its magic. The laissez-faire use of it that is casual to both young and only young at heart, though I do love a certain mischief making character in particular That was exactly my point. Am surprised people are still reading Tolkien and LotR still tops the reading charts, because the language is stunted and aged, not at all flowing like Joanne's much more current and hip books, which outsold Tolkien many risings of Ithil ago.
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Post by Arien Elensar on Apr 16, 2005 22:11:36 GMT -5
Well you shouldn't be surprised. Both writing styles are completely opposite. Not everyone is modern. People all have there own opinions on it. LoTR is old fahioned and HP is a more modern style. I have read all five books and they are really good. But I also love LOTR for it's beauty and old fashioned memories. The may be the current books but not everyone likes what's now. Some people love the old writings because that's just their taste.
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