OT Allegory of PhD

One of my colleagues sent me this from his son who is doing a PhD i
Physics in Paris. I know a number of you are studying so it migh
interest...

*The Lord of the Rings: an allegory of the PhD?
by Dave Pritchar

The story starts with Frodo: a young hobbit, quite bright, a bi
dissatisfied with what he's learnt so far and with his mates back hom
who just seem to want to get jobs and settle down and drink beer. He'
also very much in awe of his tutor and mentor, the very senio
professor Gandalf, so when Gandalf suggests he take on a short projec
for him (carrying the Ring to Rivendell), he agrees

Frodo very quickly encounters the shadowy forces of fear and despai
which will haunt the rest of his journey and leave permanent scars o
his psyche, but he also makes some useful friends. In particular, h
spends an evening down the pub with Aragorn, who has been wandering th
world for many years as Gandalf's postdoc and becomes his adviser whe
Gandalf isn't around

After Frodo has completed his first project, Gandalf (along with hea
of department Elrond) proposes that the work should be extended. H
assembles a large research group, including visiting students Gimli an
Legolas, the foreign postdoc Boromir, and several of Frodo's own friend
from his undergraduate days. Frodo agrees to tackle this larger project
though he has mixed feelings about it. (\"'I will take the Ring', h
said, 'although I do not know the way.'\"

Very rapidly, things go wrong. First, Gandalf disappears and has n
more interaction with Frodo until everything is over. (Frodo assume
his supervisor is dead: in fact, he's simply found a more interestin
topic and is working on that instead.) At his first internationa
conference in Lorien, Frodo is cross-questioned terrifyingly b
Galadriel, and betrayed by Boromir, who is anxious to get the credi
for the work himself. Frodo cuts himself off from the rest of his team
from now on, he will only discuss his work with Sam, an old friend wh
doesn't really understand what it's all about, but in any case i
prepared to give Frodo credit for being rather cleverer than he is
Then he sets out towards Mordor

The last and darkest period of Frodo's journey clearly represents th
writing-up stage, as he struggles towards Mount Doom (submission)
finding his burden growing heavier and heavier yet more and more a par
of himself; more and more terrified of failure; plagued by the figure o
Gollum, the student who carried the Ring before him but never wrote u
and still hangs around as a burnt-out, jealous shadow; talking less an
less even to Sam. When he submits the Ring to the fire, it is i
desperate confusion rather than with confidence, and for a while th
world seems empty

Eventually it is over: the Ring is gone, everyone congratulates him
and for a few days he can convince himself that his troubles are over
But there is one more obstacle to overcome: months later, back in th
Shire, he must confront the external examiner Saruman, an old enemy o
Gandalf, who seeks to humiliate and destroy his rival's protege. Wit
the help of his friends and colleagues, Frodo passes through thi
ordeal, but discovers at the end that victory has no value left fo
him. While his friends return to settling down and finding jobs an
starting families, Frodo remains in limbo; finally, along with Gandalf
Elrond and many others, he joins the brain drain across the Wester
ocean to the new land beyond

--
SteveA

On 2005-08-19, SteveA (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

One of my colleagues sent me this from his son who is doing a PhD in
Physics in Paris. I know a number of you are studying so it might
interest....


*The Lord of the Rings: an allegory of the PhD?*
by Dave Pritchard

The story starts with Frodo: a young hobbit, quite bright, a bit
dissatisfied with what he's learnt so far and with his mates back home
who just seem to want to get jobs and settle down and drink beer.

And just what is wrong with that?

The last and darkest period of Frodo's journey clearly represents the
writing-up stage, as he struggles towards Mount Doom (submission),

I'm personally more into domination. Um... Who said that?

finding his burden growing heavier and heavier yet more and more a part

I wacky parsed that as "beard growing heavier and heavier".

--
TimC
Just don't create a file called -rf. :-)
-- Larry Wall in

That story is way too close to reality!