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(did you mean Carpenter's Letter #87?)

TCG Letter #87 / Carpenter Letter #53


From
J.R.R. Tolkien
To
Christopher Tolkien
Date
9 December 1943
Type
Unknown
Transcript
Partial
Writing to son Christopher, Tolkien reflects on the challenges and monotony of daily life during a turbulent period, expressing a sense of isolation due to a lack of social interactions with friends. The tone carries a mix of wry humor and a deeper concern about the changing world order and the dominance of Americo-cosmopolitanism. The author laments the potential homogenization of diverse cultures and languages under the influence of Americanization. There is a fear that the victory of this cultural force may not necessarily be in the best interest of the world, raising doubts about the long-term impact.

In the revised 2023 edition of Letters, the bottom section of the letter is restored, where Tolkien recounts a humorous story about a cadet “wished” upon him by the local committee, a Polish cadet who knows nothing of philology but was a jolly fellow and they parted as friends.

Noted in Chronology (see reference), Tolkien also mentions that he may need to visit Cardiff on 15-16 December, which in the event is postponed until January.In The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology it is noted that Tolkien “confers with E.O.G. Turville-Petre about a viva to be held in Cardiff” on 17 January, 1944, but his visit to Cardiff is not noted.[1]

1 In The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology it is noted that Tolkien “confers with E.O.G. Turville-Petre about a viva to be held in Cardiff” on 17 January, 1944, but his visit to Cardiff is not noted.
Tags
References
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981), pp. 65-66, p. 438 (Carpenter notes)
The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide - Chronology (2017), p. 281, p. 282 (see entry for 17 January 1944)
Cartas de J.R.R. Tolkien, pp. 103-5, p. 623 (notas de Carpenter)


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