10 lessons from Tolkien on Tolkien Reading Day

10 lessons from Tolkien on Tolkien Reading Day
Written by the Elf and the Hobbit 3/24/2020
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All the quotes in this post are from the Lord of the Rings series.

Lessons from Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien is recognized as one of the most influential British authors. He had only a couple of books – The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings – published during his lifetime, but many more were edited and published after his death by his son. These works together give us a great insight into Tolkien’s wisdom. Tolkien really valued language and the words used to describe things. Here are ten lessons from them.

1. Appearances Can Be Deceiving

“All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

This description of Aragorn reminds us that good and evil rarely have signs around their neck proclaiming themselves as such. We need to be careful in making judgments and keep an open mind.

2. Our Choices Have Great Significance

“Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.”
“Frodo, neither the Voice or the Eye: free to choose…”

We make choices, and our choices are important. Agree or disagree, Tolkien believed in human free will. Sometimes we make the right choice and sometimes we don’t but they have consequences. Making the brave choice is not going to be easy.

3. We Learn and Grow Through Our Experiences

“I have passed through fire and deep water, since we parted. I have forgotten much that I thought I knew, and learned again much that I had forgotten.”

There are so many quests in this series. Each one has good and bad moments. Gandalf has survived a lot by this point and acknowledges that while he’s confident that he’s on the right side, he still has a lot to learn.

4. We Are In a Spiritual Battle for Our Minds and Hearts

“I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring and not by its maker.”

Although we make free choices, there are other forces at work.  Tolkien left clear religious references in his works, but it is clear he believed that there was a God who is weaving the choices we make into a grand plan – and will sometimes directly intervene. The Lord of the Rings makes clear that we are involved in a cosmic spiritual battle.

6. The Path May Not Always Be Clear- But You Have To Keep Moving

“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”

There were so many points in their adventure where the fellowship did not know which of the next paths to take. Sometimes they chose poorly, but they never would have made it anywhere if they stopped and waited for that to be clear. They kept going. Take the next step.

7. If You Are Not In Control Of Your Stuff and Time- It Will Control You.

“He weighed the Ring in his hand, hesitating, and forcing himself to remember all that Gandalf had told him; and then with an effort of will he made a movement, as if to cast it away- but found that he had put it back in his pocket.”

There are things in life that we think we are possessing, but in truth they are possessing us. The one ring. It is the perfect example of the many things in life that fall into this category.

8. Deep Friendships are Essential

“You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you yourself keep it. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway: there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the ring. We are horribly afraid–but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.”

The power of friendship is seen over and over in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. There are likely friends – Frodo and Sam. There are very unlikely friends – Legolas and Gimli. These friends sacrifice and demonstrate genuine love for each other, and provide us a model for the power that friendship has. The journey could not have been made by one of them alone.

9. Never Underestimate Your Potential

“Yet such is oft the deeds that the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere”.
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” (from the movie- not the book series)

 The most influential are sometimes the least powerful. A small hobbit is at the center of both books. Tolkien wanted stories where the world was saved by the small. As we look at our current situation, it is not the great – not Hollywood, our cultural influencers, or athletes – who are on the front lines. It is doctors, nurses, police officers, etc. We can all use a dose of Tolkien to remind us of this.

 10. Hope Gets Us Through the Most Difficult Journeys

“But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”
“Who knows? Have patience. Go where you must go, and hope!”
“Health and hope grew strong in them”

We are called to hope. Many times in The Lord of the Rings the heroes of the novel are faced with what look like impossible odds – yet they continue to hope. In this time of turmoil, we too can look forward to a time in the future when we will grow in health and hope.

We hope you enjoyed this post on lessons from Tolkien! And happy Tolkien Reading Day!!!

You might also enjoy…

-This review with discussion questions for the movie Tolkien!
-A list of inspiring biographies you don’t want to miss!
-The Lord of the Rings books, the Tolkien movie and these other translations!

My thoughts on lessons from Tolkien are original but we owe a lot to:

Finding God in the Lord of the Rings by Bruner and Ware; The Battle for Middle-Earth by Rutledge; A Hobbit Journey by Dickerson; and Tolkien’s Ordinary Virtues by Smith.

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