Minor Works -- 3 - Smith of Wootton Major - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 08-08-2021, 11:37 AM

"He's gone at last! And I'm glad for one I never liked him. He was artful. Too nimble, you might say."

So Nokes gets the last word.

I had thought that it was also that way in 'Leaf By Niggle,' but no, there is a later section after Tompkins, Perkins, and Atkins have their say: the Two Voices have the last word.

So why do you suppose Tolkien gives the last word to Nokes?

Inziladun · 08-08-2021, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

So why do you suppose Tolkien gives the last word to Nokes?

Perhaps to show that Nokes was so far gone in his own cocksureness and love of comfort that he was simply beyond learning anything from his experience with Smith, who in reality was indeed both his "elder and better".

There are some people who get to briefly touch the extraordinary in life, but, alas!, they are too busy with the mundane to notice.

08-08-2021, 11:37 AM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	The Last Word "He's gone at last! And I'm glad for one I never liked him. He was artful. Too nimble, you might say." So Nokes gets the last word. I had thought that it was also that way in 'Leaf By Niggle,' but no, there is a later section after Tompkins, Perkins, and Atkins have their say: the Two Voices have the last word. So why do you suppose Tolkien gives the last word to Nokes?