Who Says Fantasy Isn't Ideal?

That's what Merle Fifield says in the opening paragraph, denigrating young people's thirst for a taste of otherworldliness.

Herewith is an article from the October 1966 English Journal, dug up in my 1970s college years from the OCU library.

Next we have the hobbits confronted with the military-industrial complex of Sauron.

When Fiefield says that the hobbits return home to find the Shire converted to a communist society, I also must disagree.  The terribly debased Shire is run by Sharkey (Saruman) in a similar manner as the bully-boy USSR, with all the goodies clasped by the bosses.  OK, I will concede that the USSR called their system "communism" or "communist socialism," so from the vantage of the mid-60s Fifield might have a point.

Fifield ends up deciding that Lord of the Rings is just a bit of harmless fantasy for the kiddies.  Some of must needs differ.  Tolkien's work is modern literature imbued with the age-old elements of myth:  heroes, failed leaders, small and important folk allied against a great evil ... What do YOU think of Fifield's comments?

It seems to me that as of 1966, Fifield had not yet learned that reality is a crutch for people who can't handle fantasy!