Thoughts on Niggle's leaf

This short story is really rife with themes. There are sections about Morality, sections about being a creator in the modern world, and sections about peace and death. I think Tolkien must have projected a lot of his frustrations about creating into Niggle and his painting. It's really interesting how the different conversations about his worth play out. The voices say he is useful once he demonstrates that he can complete tasks and that given time he actually will create and finish something. However some of the townspeople say that his fascination with natural things makes his paintings useless. But the one who picks up the corner of his painting becomes fascinated with it even though its incomplete. Maybe this is how Tolkien thinks of people reading his books. People picking up the shreds of all his thoughts and labor and still appreciating them. Next to these thoughts about contribution to society through work the story also explores how people interact individually. The relationship between Niggle and Parish is very important for the progress of Niggle's world. While in the beginning none of them are perfect neighbors to each other, Niggle stands up for parish when hes talking to the voices and this allows Parish to join him. Together in Niggle's world they grow closer and become functional and cooperative with each other. Then Niggle has to move on. As if to show that you cant just stop in your journey at some point you will always have to move on. Tolkien has a very gentle addressing death as moving on. He does the same thing with Frodo at the end of return of the king. I definitely wasn't expecting a short story about a character named Niggle to deal with so many complicated themes. Tolkien's decision to make Niggle a "small man" just like he did with the hobbits shows that even those of whose lives seem inconsequential have responsibilities to society and have an ability to instigate change. Niggle starts as a painter who cant finish anything but by the end he is almost a god. He is a creator of worlds. Tolkien devoted his life to creating a fantasy world, so this story kind of demonstrates what his justification for his passion must be. And also the things he worries about as a creator.