Jane Marie Riccardi, NJ Winner Level II

Letter to J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings

Dear Mr. Tolkien,

I want to express my gratitude to you for the magnificent literary contribution you have given the world, and the impact it made on my life.  When I first read The Lord of the Rings, I felt myself being swept into another world ­­– from the front steps of Beg End, to Mordor, and There and Back Again, I have been deeply engrossed with your characters and writing.

Reading The Lord of the Rings has opened my mind to perceive the world from different points of view.  The essential motive of each character you have fashioned captures, with astounding accuracy, the reality of this world and its people.  From a hobbit’s perspective, life is supposed to be cheery, blissful, and full of food;  but there are also dangers, and I have learned that you are never too small to make a difference.  Arwen exchanged her life of elvish immortality for the man she loved.  This genuine act of blind faith proves that an act of true love can never be wrong.  Frodo sacrificed himself completely to save his friends and all of Middle-earth.  His valiant act demonstrates the self-giving attitude we should all possess.  Gandalf and Saruman were given great powers to use for good or evil – likewise, we have that same power of choice.  Or we may be Elves or Ents who prefer to keep to ourselves until the time comes when we too will be obliged to enter the world and make a difference.  Finally, there are the majority of people today:  those like the ‘commoners’ of Gondor and Rohan, the seemingly small, simple people of courage, but without whom there would be no story.  You have crafted characters that possess a profound depth of their own, from Samwise Gamgee to Ghan-buri-Ghan.  Each has taught me something important:  to love, to hope, to cherish, to honor, to remember, and to give your whole self in whatever you do.  Fellowship is essential.  Very few of us can brave this world alone.  Reading your books has helped me to recognize evil for what it truly is:  a twisted orc springing up from the mud.  I see goodness in bonds of friendship mixed with self-giving love and sacrifice, and in an encouraging word when hope is scarce.

Mr. Tolkien, your writing has inspired me immensely.  Thanks to you, I see what the power of words can really do.  Through writing it is possible to do the impossible.  With just twenty-six building blocks, whole worlds can be created (literally!). I love writing, and thanks to the influence of your work, I have become a better writer.  Ever since reading your books, I have fallen in love with fantasy and have finished several short novels.  Your languages of Quenya, Sindarin, Westron, Entish, and all the others are truly beautiful.  Learning some parts of them has inspired me to create several languages of my own.  It has also sparked within me an acute passion for Old English.  You have demonstrated how to let writing reflect real life.  I can now express my true inner feelings through my characters in a far superior way than I had been able to do before.

A certain elf expressed his reluctance to give advice, to lead or guide someone in any way because doing so is a perilous endowment;  in the end, all may prove wrong.  But you have taken that leap of faith, and you have led me into the next chapter of my life.  I thank you with all of my heart for that wonderful gift.

Sincerely,
Jane Riccardi
(also signed in Elvish)