TCG Letter #60 / Carpenter Letter #45

In a letter to his son Michael, Tolkien expresses his struggles with writing due to constant rain and increased responsibilities. He sympathizes with government officials and recounts his own wartime experiences, expressing a desire for something more active. He reflects on the impact of war and the bitterness it brings, both in youth and middle-age. The author shares his feelings of being confined and yearning for an active role, mentioning his inability to be part of the Home Guard. Despite the challenges, he finds solace in the eternal connection between father and son and encourages hope and faith. The letter also touches on societal issues, including commercialism, sloth, and the underestimated strength of the German forces.

The 2023 revised edition of Letters restores two sentences, where Tolkien mentions that the government treats the upper and lower classes with "kid gloves", and that the middle class gets "put through it".