Chapter 5, Middle Earth as Fairy-Tale Summary and Analysis

Letter #131 to Milton Waldman is relatively long and full of matters of interest to a certain sort of person. He explains that he has created these stories due to the real need he felt the English have for "their own myths and fairy tales". The Enemy, led by the Necromancer Sauron is actually motivated by good intentions - the desire to benefit and to improve the world. He also has a strong drive for Power. The result is the set of activities and actions of an industrialized, disciplined work force known in the vernacular as "the Machine". Those who participate in this are mortals. The Elves, he explains are immortals. Their interest and fantastic abilities are Art. Their culture suffers from preoccupations caused by the fact that they won't die, and that they...