Tolkien created the Elves to be strong, beautiful, immortal creatures. Their home is known as a sanctuary, and with their supernatural powers, they are viewed as heavenly creatures. They are the physical being of what is “good” and “pure”. Contrasting to them are the orcs.  “ They were originally Elves who were enslaved and ensnared by Melkor, and their disfigured bodies reflect their poisoned soul.”(Christian Theology as Depicted in The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter Books). They were made into these awful creatures who represent the “evil” and the “corrupted”. “The shadows that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not new real  things of its own. I don’t think it gave life to the orcs, it only ruined them and twisted them”.(Christian Theology as Depicted in The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter Books).

 

 

Setting plays a very important role in the tone and understanding of the story. The Shire is a quiet, lush village. It is a very peaceful place inhabited by the hobbit, they are the meek that inherit the earth, the merciful who receive mercy. Which is what the Bible states as a good thing. Mordor however is the opposite. No sign of growth, only darkness and fire. This is created to seem like what people visualize “hell” to look like.  

 

 

The two wizards, Gandalf and Saruman start off as equal people who have the same beliefs. However as time continues it is evident that they are not on the same mind set. Similar to Jesus and Judas, originally they both had the same morals but then when the forces of evil start lurking around they are faced with choices. “Saruman, like Judas, he [was] impatient with the slow way that goodness works. He cannot abide the torturous path up Mount Doom: he wants rapid results”(Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: A Christian Classic Revisited) and urges them to join the dark side. Gandalf however, knew that the time needed would be worth it and stuck to his morals and stayed on the good side.