Hi Corey,
A few sessions ago (possibly 10 or more) I recall that the words "as if" were used and the point was made that the comparison was not just a comparison, the thing the text compared it to really happened. I am reading on ahead (excuse me) and am finding the use of these two words " as if" quite interesting and I am suggesting that this be a future data point to see if Tolkien uses it consistently or alternates between just comparing to something to aid our understanding or it is a way to suggest that a certain thing is really happening.
A few sessions ago (possibly 10 or more) I recall that the words "as if" were used and the point was made that the comparison was not just a comparison, the thing the text compared it to really happened. I am reading on ahead (excuse me) and am finding the use of these two words " as if" quite interesting and I am suggesting that this be a future data point to see if Tolkien uses it consistently or alternates between just comparing to something to aid our understanding or it is a way to suggest that a certain thing is really happening.