LOTR: TTT Relation to Iraq Conflict

[illadelph]

I have to write about how the Iraq situation we’re in right now relates to the Lord of the Rings: Two Towers

Can you guys help me out?

I need some detail about how they relate... how the troops going there, and Saddam relating to evil in the movie. I just need some of that in detail.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated, Thanks!

[Elf Girl]

I don't think TTT is similar to today's conflict in Iraq at all.

[squinteyedsoutherner]

Tell your teacher it doesn't.

[Coney]

Who on Earth do you have to write that for?? O_o

[Lizra]

Yes, You all took the words right out of my mouth. Maybe it's a "trick" question. Write about how it does not relate.

[illadelph]

Oh it's not supposed to compare with LOTR... we just have to find some relations. Like Saddam relates to the ring, because of the evil. Or how the troops being sent in relate to something

You get the idea... Sorry I have to bother you guys with such a dumb question.

It's part of an assignment I have to do, I also have to find a painting, a poem and a song that I can relate to the LOTR

[Lizra]

Heehee! Glad I'm not in school! Sorry hon, She/he pobably wants your ideas, not ours!

[illadelph]

Originally posted by Lizra
Heehee! Glad I'm not in school! Sorry hon, She/he pobably wants your ideas, not ours!

true... but that doesn't mean I few nice people can't lend a helping hand

[Firekitten2006]

It was written during a war right? and now there is a movie out when there could be war...thats the only thing i can think of

[azalea]

Well, there is something I noticed that PJ hones in on that was a theme touched on in the books. PJ brought it out more explicitly, but it is the idea of "if you do nothing to nip evil in the bud, it will come to your door, catching you unprepared to deal w/ it and do much damage before you can react." I think the movie was all filmed before Sept. 11, but it's kind of eerie because it seems to be applicable to current events, and PJ seems to be giving a political message through his films supporting taking action against potentially hostile/ aggressive countries. This was almost certainly unintentional, but since you asked, I'll just tell you what I saw:
There are two lines of this in the movie: the Theoden/ Rohan line and the Fangorn/ Ents line. Theoden (this is shown more in the book than in the movie, where he is shown as being possessed by Saruman) "hears what he wants to hear" and allows himself to turn a blind eye to the evil encroaching on his borders by listening to Grima's drivvel. Grima speaks of the king's age, his need for comfort and counsels against troubling himself with matters that will needlessly (he says) drive him into ill health. Theoden, perhaps so worried and feeling helpless, allows himself to be taken by these words, to the point that nothing is being done at all. It can be seen as his subconcious giving up, but instead of being honest w/ himself and saying "I'm scared to face these probs," he uses Grima's words as a rationalization for his inaction. Theoden could be seen as being like many people in the US who do not want to act against Iraq, saying that since Saddam's regime is not apparently being aggressive right now, we should leave them alone. What the heart of the matter may truly be is fear of war and people dying, a valid fear, but not one that helps in matters of ridding the world of evil. (This is all just coming out as a jumble of thoughts, and so it may not be as clear as I'm trying to make it). Theoden is then made (by Gandalf) to come face to face w/ the reality of the situation, and finally acts in the nick of time (albeit much later in the movie, which can be seen as a furthering of the theme by PJ -- again most likely unintentional as it relates to Iraq-- showing Theoden trying to take "action" by retreating, hiding his people, trying to "wait it out," etc., when all that does is to delay the inevitable -- Saruman does not come for Rohan's fields or its treasures -- its microwaves or its big screen TVs -- he comes for its people, ie democracy. Hey, you can see it, can't you?)
Likewise, the Ents episode is an instance where a group is choosing not to help because the war is not affecting them. (Again, this is changed from the book, since there the ents do decide to fight right away. Well, relatively speaking ). This might be seen as "the rest of the world," who at this time is generally against any action against Iraq. The world (like the ents) see that the evil is not acting against THEM, so they see no reason to risk anything. But when Treebeard sees that they ARE being affected, the ents do fight, and that makes all the difference. Merry's little "you're a part of this world, too" speech very much could be taken as an admonishing to the countries who feel this way -- why should we fight when the aggression is not against us? When the reality is that evil will not stop at conquering simply "an enemy," but will seek to conquer all.
My disclaimer is that I KNOW Tolkien was not using any of this to symbolize anything, but you have to admit that the way PJ brought a lot of this out in the movie by way of dialogue, characterization, and events, my post certainly could make sense. Right?
And, hey, kid, no copyin'. If you use any of this, make sure you put it in your own words. (spoken like a true teacher ).

[illadelph]

WOW great post azalea... that brought up alot of ideas I haven't thought of yet

Thanks ALOT for contributing!

[azalea]

Hey, no prob! It was actually something I'd noticed when I saw the movie but no one had brought up anything about it!

[Lief Erikson]

I personally think that Peter Jackson wasn't trying to make any political statement about current events in his movie, but was just trying to do Tolkien's books the best he could.

However, I do still think that was a brilliant post, azalea .

There are many common truths that are found in Tolkien's work that can be taken to relate to today's events. Much of what Tolkien wrote was as good as it was because of his own personal experience with similar things and situations. Much of his work, myth and other comes from things that are around today. Hence, aspects of the Silmarillion, in discussion, can be transformed into major religious or ethics debates. He brought up real issues in his books, and Peter Jackson is bringing up real issues in his movies. I think you put that position into perspective in a very good way.

[Dunadan]

Saruman and Sauron collectively represent the evils of global capitalism, who want to subjugate the rest of the world to their dominion and exploitation. Sauron is George Bush, Mount Doom his oil wells; Saruman is the military-industrial complex, who want to burn all the trees in the world and convert them into hi-tech consumer durables.

Frodo represents Saddam Hussein, who has been sold weapons of mass destruction by the Enemy, but now he's sent his Nazgul (250,000 troops) to kill him for possessing them and he has to get rid of them quick.

The Ents represent the Green movement, the Huorns anti-globalisation protestors.

Aragorn represents Prince Charles, wandering about in the wilderness saying "it really is appalling" and talking to trees while he's waiting to ascend to the throne.

etc etc

[markedel]

Wow. Directly relating LOTR to political events is difficult, and arguably rather useless.

[Turgon]

OK this goes deep, stick with me

Isengard is Iraq
Mordor is North Korea
Rohan is Israel
Gondor is the US
Fangorn is the EU

Ok I placed Mordor as North Korea because the world has always know it to be a problem and never did anything about it, and just last week North Korea told the world to ‘shove it’ and has stated ‘embargoes mean war, and war has no mercy.’ I think Sauron would have said something like that.

I believe Iraq more accurately describes Isengard, in the simple sense it is the lesser of the two evils. Also I can see the EU (ents) helping us with Iraq but not willing to travel half way around the world for Korea.

The Ring is Nuclear Weapons
The Nazgul are Terrorists
The Witch King is Osama-bin-Laden (sp*)

The Ring equals Nuclear Weapons because weapons meant to destroy keep the peace (the rings were powerful and helped to beatify the Elven lands). Now North Korea seeks a ring (ok its not ‘the ring’) and plans to destroy us all; why else would they want to build one?

Ok this is getting to political for me. I stop. Have fun with it.

[Elfhelm]

North Korea is Boromir/Faramir trying to take the One Ring instead of helping to destroy it. The people who are trying to destroy nukes are those who believe in disarmament. So since the U.S. isn't a big disarmament participant, they are not part of the Fellowship.

Actually, Godzilla has more to do with Lord of the Rings than the U.S./Iraq political situation, because at least in Godzilla the ultimate weapon plans were burned and the scientist drowned himself.

In the Iraq/U.S. problem, you can't "put the djinni back into the bottle", so unlike the quest of the Fellowship, the answer isn't as simple as destroying the ultimate weapon. That weapon is with us and the answer now is to learn never to use it.

The way different people react to the One Ring is similar to the way people react to nukes, though. But each nation will have to have its own Cold War. The idea that the Cold War ended with the breakdown if the Soviet Empire is wishful thinking.

Our modern One Ring won't just go away, and it can't be destroyed.

Likewise, we have created an industrial world that eats forests. Plants and animals are harvested in assembly lines. There aren't any Ents to stop us from cutting down every tree in the world, but the fact is, we can't breath without trees. Once people start dying of asphixiation they will find a better way. One suggestion is hemp for paper towels and toilet paper, but prejudice and superstition stand in the way. Such obstacles tend to go by the wayside when reality becomes something which can't be ignored.