24--tolkiens-reconciliation-with-the-father-and-field-of-dreams

Exported: 8/23/2025 4:21

This is an interesting question that delves into the rich themes and symbolism of Tolkien's Legendarium. While Tolkien doesn't use the exact phrase "reconciliation with the father," the concept is a powerful and recurring motif in his work, often explored through different characters and their relationships. To understand what this means in Tolkienese terms, we need to break it down into several key ideas:

1. The Father Figure: In Tolkien's work, the "father" isn't always a biological parent. It can be a literal father, but more often, it represents a larger authority, a source of creation, or a moral compass.
   • Eru Ilúvatar: The ultimate "father" figure is Eru Ilúvatar, the single, supreme God of Tolkien's mythology. He is the creator of the world, Arda, and all beings. "Reconciliation with the father" in its most profound sense would mean aligning one's will with the divine plan of Eru. This is a difficult concept, as Eru is often remote and his plans are inscrutable to mortals and even the Valar.
   • The Valar: The Valar, the angelic powers who govern the world, can also act as father figures. Their authority comes from Eru, and they guide and shape the world. Reconciliation with a Vala like Manwë (King of the Valar) or Ulmo (Lord of Waters) would mean accepting their guidance and purpose.
   • Biological Fathers: In a more literal sense, characters often struggle with the legacy or expectations of their biological fathers. A prime example is Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. His sons, Boromir and Faramir, are constantly measured against his expectations. Faramir's gentle nature is a source of disappointment for Denethor, and his reconciliation with his father's memory and legacy is a major part of his character arc. He must find his own path while honoring his lineage, but without succumbing to the despair that consumed his father.
2. The Meaning of "Reconciliation": Reconciliation isn't a simple apology. In Tolkien's world, it's a process of:
   • Acceptance of Fate and Providence: A key theme in Tolkien is the acceptance of one's role in a larger, often unseen, plan. This is a form of reconciliation with Eru's will. The Hobbits, for example, are not great warriors, but they accept their destiny to carry the Ring. Their seemingly small actions are ultimately crucial to the defeat of evil.
   • Healing from Pride and Rebellion: Many of Tolkien's stories, particularly the Silmarillion, are about rebellion against a higher authority. Melkor (Morgoth) is the ultimate example of a "son" who rebels against the "father" (Eru). There is no reconciliation for him. However, other characters, like the Noldorin Elves, are able to reconcile themselves with the Valar after their rebellion. The path to reconciliation is long and involves atonement, humbling, and a change of heart.
   • Inheritance and Legacy: A core part of reconciliation is coming to terms with the legacy of one's father. This could be a good legacy to uphold, a bad legacy to overcome, or a mixed one to navigate. Aragorn's entire journey is a form of reconciliation with his ancestry. He must accept his destiny as the heir of Isildur and the true king of Gondor, a legacy that is both glorious and flawed.
3. Examples in the Text:
   • Aragorn: His journey is a grand reconciliation. He must reconcile his identity as the heir of Isildur with the humility of being a Ranger. He must prove his worthiness to be king, not by birthright alone, but by his deeds and character. This is a reconciliation with the legacy of his ancestors, both good and bad.
   • Faramir: He is a great example of a character who reconciles his own gentle nature with the martial expectations of his father, Denethor. He does not become a carbon copy of his brother, Boromir, to please his father. Instead, he follows his own path, ultimately proving his wisdom and strength in a way his father could not see. His reconciliation is with his father's memory after his death, and with the legacy of Gondor itself.
   • Túrin Turambar: His story is a tragic counterpoint. He struggles against his fate and the curse placed upon his family. His inability to truly reconcile with the guidance of his father, Húrin, and the larger forces at play, leads to his doom. He is a cautionary tale about what happens when one is unable to accept their lot.

In summary, "reconciliation with the father" in Tolkienese terms is a complex and multi-layered idea. It's not just a personal resolution with a biological parent, but a profound and often spiritual journey. It means:

• Accepting one's place within the divine plan of Eru.
• Healing from the pride and rebellion that led to separation.
• Coming to terms with the legacy of one's ancestors, whether it is a legacy of glory to be upheld or a legacy of failure to be atoned for.

It's a journey from isolation and despair to integration and hope, often requiring a deep act of humility and a recognition of a greater good beyond oneself.

You are right to point to Anne C. Petty's work on this topic. She is a highly regarded scholar of Tolkien's works, and she eloquently applies mythological and folkloric frameworks to his stories. The concept of "reconciliation with the father" is not a direct quote from her, but it is a central theme that emerges from her analysis, particularly in her book One Ring to Bind Them All: Tolkien's Mythology.

Petty's approach is heavily influenced by the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, particularly his concept of the "monomyth" or the "hero's journey." In this framework, a central stage is the hero's struggle with and ultimate reconciliation with a father figure.

Here's how Petty's analysis would unpack this theme in Tolkien's works:

1. The "Father" as Authority and the Source of Law:

• Petty's analysis would view the father figure not just as a biological parent but as the source of tradition, law, and the established order. This is a powerful archetype in mythology.
• In Middle-earth, this can be seen in multiple layers:
  • Eru Ilúvatar: As the ultimate creator, Eru is the source of all law and destiny. A character's "reconciliation" with Eru is a reconciliation with the cosmic order of the world. This is not about a personal conversation, but about aligning one's choices with the ultimate good, as embodied in Eru's plan.
  • The Valar: The Valar, especially Manwë, act as the intermediaries of Eru's will on Arda. The rebellion of the Noldor, led by Fëanor, is a classic example of a rejection of this "father" authority. Their long, painful journey back to Valinor is a process of atonement and eventual reconciliation with the Valar and, by extension, with Eru.
  • The King/Lord: Petty would argue that the rightful king or lord, such as Aragorn, serves as a father figure for his people. He embodies the past, present, and future of his people. Aragorn's journey is a reconciliation with the legacy of his forefathers, particularly the failures of Isildur. By proving himself worthy and healing the broken line of kings, he brings reconciliation and order back to Gondor.

2. The "Son" as the Rebel and the Seeker:

• Petty's analysis would focus on the character arc of the hero, who must often challenge or overcome the father figure's influence to find their own identity.
• She would likely draw a contrast between those who succeed and those who fail:
  • Successful Reconciliation: Characters like Aragorn succeed by taking up the mantel of their fathers, but on their own terms. He accepts the burden of kingship, but he is not a mere copy of Isildur; he is a new kind of king, one who values the wisdom of the Elves and the strength of the Hobbits. His reconciliation is a creative act of synthesis, not a passive acceptance.
  • Failed Reconciliation: Túrin Turambar is the tragic example of a hero who cannot reconcile with the father figure. He constantly struggles against the destiny set for him and the counsel of those who represent his father, Húrin. His pride and inability to accept his fate lead to his ultimate destruction. His story is a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of refusing to reconcile with the established order and one's own place within it.

3. Reconciliation as a Process, Not an Event:

• Petty's work, rooted in the Campbellian model, emphasizes that reconciliation is not a single moment but a multi-stage process. This process involves:
  • Departure: The hero leaves the comfort of home, often rebelling against the father's rules or expectations.
  • Initiation: The hero undergoes trials and transformations that test their character and separate them from their past identity.
  • Return: The hero returns to the world, but with a new understanding of themselves and their relationship to the father figure. This return is the act of reconciliation, where the hero integrates their new knowledge and wisdom with the established order.

In conclusion, Anne C. Petty's unique contribution is in framing these relationships within the larger, cross-cultural context of mythology. For her, "reconciliation with the father" is not a simple psychological drama. Instead, it is a fundamental mythological archetype that Tolkien uses to explore themes of rebellion, fate, destiny, and the ultimate restoration of order in a broken world. It's about the hero's journey from a state of separation and conflict to one of integration and harmony with the foundational principles of their world.

Absolutely, the parallel between Ray Kinsella's story and the concept of "reconciliation with the father" is incredibly strong. While Tolkien's work uses a mythological and epic scale, Field of Dreams brings the same core themes down to a deeply personal and emotional level.

The film's plot is essentially a modern, American hero's journey, which aligns with the mythological frameworks that scholars like Anne C. Petty use to analyze Tolkien.

The "Father" and the "Son"

In Field of Dreams, the "father" is Ray's deceased father, John Kinsella. Their relationship was fraught with unspoken tension, culminating in Ray's painful rejection of his father when he was a teenager. He told his father he could "never respect a man whose hero was a criminal" (referring to "Shoeless" Joe Jackson). This moment of youthful rebellion and judgment created a rift that was never healed before John's death.

Ray, the "son," is haunted by this unhealed wound. His journey to build the baseball field is a direct response to this spiritual and emotional separation. The voice he hears, "If you build it, he will come," is the call to adventure, a divine command (in a secular sense) that forces him to confront his past.

Reconciliation through Atonement and Forgiveness

The reconciliation in Field of Dreams is a multi-layered process, just as in Tolkien's works.

• Atonement for a Past Wrong: Ray's act of building the field is a form of atonement. It's a way of honoring a part of his father's life he had rejected: his love for baseball. He must sacrifice his financial security and defy logic to do so. This echoes the long, hard journeys and sacrifices made by Tolkien's characters (like the Noldor's return to Valinor) to atone for their past pride and rebellion.
• The Unveiling of the True Purpose: The film masterfully misdirects Ray, and the audience, into thinking the field is for Shoeless Joe or Terence Mann. The true purpose, the "he" who will come, is revealed to be his father. The emotional core of the film is the final scene where the young, healthy John Kinsella emerges from the corn, a vision of the father Ray remembers before he became "worn down by life."
• The Healing Moment: The ultimate reconciliation is a simple, yet profoundly powerful, exchange. Ray and his father have a "catch." This act, which Ray had rejected as a boy, becomes the vehicle for their reunion. It's not a grand, dramatic confrontation, but a quiet, heartfelt moment of connection and forgiveness. Ray finally gets to say the words he never got to say: "Hey, Dad, you wanna have a catch?" This moment heals the old wound and allows Ray to move forward, reconciled with his past and his father's memory.

The parallel is clear: Ray Kinsella's journey is a modern, secularized version of the same mythological quest for reconciliation with the father that we see on a grand scale in Tolkien's Legendarium. It’s about a character who, through a series of trials, atones for a past rejection of authority (the father), and in doing so, finds healing, purpose, and a sense of belonging in the greater cosmic order (or in this case, the spiritual order of family and love).

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