Carta 58

Tolkien explained that he wrote an airgraph but that it took days to send. After a few details about wartime hardships he reported picking up the adventures of Frodo and Sam again, after having polished the chapter on the Orthanc-stone.

Tolkien told a story about finding himself in a carriage with an R.A.F. officer and a very nice young American Officer. When the Yank burbled about “Feudalism” and its results on English class distinctions and social behaviour Tolkien opened a broadside. An Englishman’s relations with working men was as connect to "Feudalism" as skyscrapers had to wigwams. Tolkien told the American that his "Oxford accent" was not "forced" but a middle-class invention. After telling the American that his "accent" sounded like English wiped with a dirty sponge and that the American habit of slouching indicated a slovenly and ill-disciplined people they got along quite friendly.

A stroll around Tolkien's home town revealed only one piece of war wreckage but much more damage due to great flat featureless modern buildings. If Christopher could imagine building better than most Oxford colleges replace by girls' council schools he would understand. He had met with old school chums and surprisingly found that he was stilled remembered.

In the expanded edition
In the last part of the letter Tolkien continues to describe his day of visiting his hometown, he goes into detail about the various happenings in different hours of the day, and talks about some miscellaneous family matters.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 27/05/2026.