In the aforementioned essay, Tolkien complains that "fairy-tales" are considered childish fancies and nothing more, toys to be discarded and left behind in the process of maturity. The primary theme of "Smith of Wootton Major" is the intersection of Imagination and Truth. For essential background reading, check out his essay " On Fairy-Stories " it plainly describes many of the elements incorporated into this fairy-tale, more eloquently and concisely than a short analysis passage ever could. Regardless, this short story, despite being so often overlooked in Tolkien's body of work, is masterful, and the ideas he expresses within are integral to his overarching philosophy of narrative. There is a disappointing lack of scholarship regarding " Smith of Wootton Major" in the context of Tolkien's philosophy, but perhaps that is for the best Tolkien himself detested allegory, and much of the fragile wonder and mystery found in this tale could easily be lost in the mechanistic process of hyper-analysis. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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