TCG Letter #87 / Carpenter Letter #53

Writing to son Christopher, Tolkien reflects on the challenges and monotony of daily life during a turbulent period, expressing a sense of isolation due to a lack of social interactions with friends. The tone carries a mix of wry humor and a deeper concern about the changing world order and the dominance of Americo-cosmopolitanism. The author laments the potential homogenization of diverse cultures and languages under the influence of Americanization. There is a fear that the victory of this cultural force may not necessarily be in the best interest of the world, raising doubts about the long-term impact.

In the revised 2023 edition of Letters, the bottom section of the letter is restored, where Tolkien recounts a humorous story about a cadet “wished” upon him by the local committee, a Polish cadet who knows nothing of philology but was a jolly fellow and they parted as friends.

Noted in Chronology (see reference), Tolkien also mentions that he may need to visit Cardiff on 15-16 December, which in the event is postponed until January.^{In The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology it is noted that Tolkien “confers with E.O.G. Turville-Petre about a viva to be held in Cardiff” on 17 January, 1944, but his visit to Cardiff is not noted.[1]}