Category Archives: Literature

Part 4, Reading and Drawing The Lord of the Rings: On Fear, Knowledge and Power

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Earthoak

At last, a new blogpost, to (nearly) coincide with Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday! This is the second and last post on The Shadow of the Past…I’ve narrowed it down to a few themes, but there is so much more that could … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Literature, Tolkien | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Ode to Procrastination

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Earthoak

Welcome. It’s that time of year when research deadlines and marking pile up into a dark, ominous cumulonimbus above my head; so my usual blog topics will need to wait. But as I left home for work on Tuesday morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Writing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

CS Lewis’ Response to Critics of The Lord of the Rings: The Dethronement of Power

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Earthoak

C. S. Lewis’ defence of Tolkien’s work gives insight into the types of criticism it elicited. Chief among those criticisms were its supposed lack of realism, and lack of character development or moral complexity. Lewis robustly argues against both allegations, … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Tolkien | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Atmospheric Railway Journeys and Stories

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Earthoak

The rain is lashing down. Drops dot and dash against the windows, while some run sideways as the train speeds on. On and on, hurtling forward. Through the speckled window I can see dark, heavy clouds. Greyness fills the sky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Journeys, Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Reading and Drawing the Lord of the Rings Part 2: Enter Frodo Baggins and the Ring

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Earthoak

The morning after the night before – Drawing with ink and wide nib Welcome to my 50th post on this blog! The Influence of the Ring It is in this chapter that we get our first glimpse of the power … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Tolkien | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Reading and drawing The Lord of the Rings Part 1: Bilbo’s Long Expected Party

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Earthoak

Gandalf arrives in Hobbiton – Drawing with ink and wide nib WHENEVER autumn arrives, when the leaves turn red and orange, and there’s a new chill in the air, I feel it’s a time for new challenges. I’m sure there’s a strong … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Tolkien | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

‘I Won’t Be Reading It Though’. Go Set a Watchman and Literary Dilemmas

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Earthoak

I admit I’ve found the whole reaction to ‘Go Set a Watchman’ fascinating. People, and the things that move, inspire and upset them, are fascinating. This literary phenomenon has provided profound insights into the writing process and tells us about readers’ relationships … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments