Letter 331a

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 331a
Recipient	Unnamed patient at Broadmoor Hospital
Date	? December 1971
Subject(s)	Responding to a fan letter

Letter 331a is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Summary

Tolkien responds to a fan letter from an unnamed patient at Broadmoor Hospital; he expressed his happiness that the patient had read The Lord of the Rings and particularly enjoyed the poems. Tolkien explained the nature of hobbits in his stories, describing them as representations of ordinary, kindly humans who are fond of food and fun. He highlighted their courage and ability to drive away nasty creatures.

Tolkien expressed his gratitude for receiving a second letter from the patient and encouraged them to write again if they had any questions or needed explanations.