Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R Tolkien as an Allegory

J. R. R. Tolkien was a Christian (and converted several people, notably C. S. Lewis the author of the Narnia books) and from an allegorical Christian standpoint “Leaf by Niggle” can be seen as a very simple Life, Purgatory, Heaven cycle.

The journey that is mentioned throughout the text (“a long journey”, “that wretched journey”, “a troublesome journey”, ...) is death. The first stage, Life is from the beginning of the story to when the Driver comes to tell him it's time to go and “Niggle went, quite quietly” and dies.

Purgatory starts after he dies when he faints at the train station and is taken to the Work House (Purgatory). “He had to work hard…at digging, carpentry, and painting bare boards on one plain colour”. Part of his “penance” is being condemned to paint boards using only one plain color when he is an artist. They then finally let him rest while they talk about him (which represents Judgment). When they realise that he has been listening they ask what he has to say and he redeems himself by asking about Parish. They decide to let him go on to the “next stage” (it isn't clear whether this represents more purgatory or a kind of personal heaven).

After the “next stage” he gets to go to Heaven (beyond the Mountains) : “He was going to learn … who have climbed them.” Hell is also mentioned when at the end Counciller Tompkins is talking to Atkins and he says that Niggle should have been sent there : “into the great Rubbish Heap”.

In conclusion, “Leaf By Niggle” is an allegory for the Christian life cycle. This is clear because Tolkien himself was a Christian (and he was a significant factor in the conversion of C. S. Lewis from atheism to Christianity) and the story has all the stages of a life cycle.

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