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A review by avinsh10
Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien
5.0
For a' that, an' a' that,
Our toils obscure, an' a' that;
-Robert Burns
In Borges' "The Secret Miracle", the protagonist requests god to grant him an opportunity to complete his masterpiece right at the edge of oblivion (execution). In that story, time freezes and his mind goes on a hyperdrive to achieve its purpose.
Here, in Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle", the protagonist wishes for more space and less interruption to complete his magnum opus. Notice that he doesn't request God. He is a just man trying to be a good neighbour while also trying to achieve something sublime and transcendent. Life intervenes in a Kafkaesque way without turning into bitter despair. He still doesn't lose hope or his humanity. In final act, the protagonist ultimately ends up in the paradise of his design. Thus, in the process becoming it's God-Architect.
Both stories talk about the power of ideas and toils to attain perfection. They explore the notion of creation and the creator. Both walk the tightrope between Fantasy & Magical Realism.
Regards,
Vinay Ayilavarapu
Our toils obscure, an' a' that;
-Robert Burns
In Borges' "The Secret Miracle", the protagonist requests god to grant him an opportunity to complete his masterpiece right at the edge of oblivion (execution). In that story, time freezes and his mind goes on a hyperdrive to achieve its purpose.
Here, in Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle", the protagonist wishes for more space and less interruption to complete his magnum opus. Notice that he doesn't request God. He is a just man trying to be a good neighbour while also trying to achieve something sublime and transcendent. Life intervenes in a Kafkaesque way without turning into bitter despair. He still doesn't lose hope or his humanity. In final act, the protagonist ultimately ends up in the paradise of his design. Thus, in the process becoming it's God-Architect.
Both stories talk about the power of ideas and toils to attain perfection. They explore the notion of creation and the creator. Both walk the tightrope between Fantasy & Magical Realism.
Regards,
Vinay Ayilavarapu