“But it is the way of my people to use light words at such times and say less than they mean. We fear to say too much. It robs us of the right words when jest is out of place.” (Meriadoc Brandybuck – Tolkien, 1965.)*
For whatever reason, I’ve been re-reading the Lord of the Rings series again, probably for the 100th time. Every0ne who reads this series identifies with at least one of the characters. The big question always is, are you a dwarf, elf, hobbit, man, or orc? Each of these is an archetype. At many points in my life I have identified with being the warrior, king, servant, craftsman, healer, etc. I’ve wrestled with my feminine aspect. I’ve even been the ethereal elf. Many times I have been Frodo when no one else would stand up and take on the task of carrying the ring to Mt. Doom. Nobody else EVER stands up and takes the ring… I gripe about this often, as I’m sick of being singed and do not relish the company Gollum.
We are a little bit of everything. At least I am. At this point in my life, I cannot claim to be any one aspect… except perhaps, a hobbit. I was raised a hobbit in New Hampshire, on a farm in my formative years. My roots lie in the land, hearty home cooking, family, good conversation and humor. I have never been big on change. I tend to reminisce more than I should. I hold onto most things until they fall apart. I do things the old fashioned way most of the time. The whole idea I own an iPhone is really out of character. However, I have embraced technology out necessity and convenience these days.
Still my base nature is that of hobbit… albeit Tookish for sure, for I do enjoy a good adventure, even if I have to back into it.
The quote above sparked this dissertation. It rings true for me as a cartoonist. I prefer to make light of serious events, find the humor to ease the pain. Behind most comedy is some form of tragedy. I believe jokes and humor evolved to combat the evils of the world. So, I suppose this makes me a warrior fighting evil with laughter. If that is this hobbit’s task, then I do it willingly.
I relish the idea of kicking back with large cup of coffee, dreaming up comics and watching the grass grow… between adventures in ghost hunting of course.
Eat Cookies, Hunt Ghosts, Read Comics, Embrace Your Inner Hobbit!
Tj
*Tolkien, J.R.R. (1965). Return of the King. Ballantine Books, NY. p. 178.
