Fawn M. Brodie, whose classic life of Smith earned her…
““Fawn M. Brodie, whose classic life of Smith earned her excommunication from the Mormon Church, saw the Book of Mormon as 'one of the earliest examples of frontier fiction, the first long Yankee narrative that owes nothing to English literary fashions'.105 There was quite a genre of 'lost race' novels at the time. A century on, J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga formed an English Catholic parallel, conscious or unconscious, to Smith's work.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Broader view of early Mormon narratives as frontier fiction, linking them to later literary works like Tolkien’s.
In simple terms: Early Mormon stories seen as frontier fiction, influencing later literature.
Key Takeaway
Recognize literary roots across genres.
Themes
literature
religion
genre evolution
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
critical
historical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- comparative literature
- teaching religious history
Key Concepts
frontier fiction
cultural analysis
intertextuality
Questions to Reflect On
- How does genre classification affect our understanding of religious texts?
- What other works share similar frontier motifs?
A Different Perspective
Literary parallels may oversimplify distinct cultural contexts.