Minor Works -- 3 - Smith of Wootton Major

[Inziladun]

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.