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There's nothing in the story for me which implies that Niggle's eternal soul is in danger. There's no mention of hell, or damnation - the worst that could happen is that Niggle will remain in the workhouse until he is ready to leave. This seems, as I think about it, less & less like the Catholic Puragatory
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I'm unaware that the idea of 'catholic purgatory' entails any risk of hell; if you were destined for hell, you'd go straight there. Purgatory is for believers who did not die in a 'state of grace'-- with sins completely cancelled. (How a believer could be in any state other than grace is another whole topic for me, and for other notable theologians-- catholic and protestant. However for the purposes of this discussion, unless I am quite mistaken, Tolkien would have been comfortable with that definition.)
Since folk seem to be tossing the word 'salvation' around, I should note here that one interpretation of 'salvation' is, to be made complete, or to be made whole; to be healed. This can apply to the spirit, the soul and/ or the body. (Think of Frodo, for instance.)
(In Tolkienish, one might call this harmonizing with The Music.)
There are those who talk of the 'salvation of the spirit' (conversion,
transfer of ownership to God, seal of the Holy Spirit) versus 'the salvation of the soul' (
character/virtue refinement and development of the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit.) While some feel that this is dividing hairs, I do not. Perhaps these terms might prove helpful in this discussion.