Literary Legacy: Lewis and Tolkien's Postwar Bond

Veterans Day arrives on November 11, marking the 1918 armistice that ended the Great War. The date commemorates the peace treaty signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month. For many readers, the holiday also recalls the literary contributions of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, two authors who served as soldiers in that conflict.

Both men sustained physical injuries and deep emotional wounds during their service. An article in American Legion Magazine noted that Tolkien’s children described him as having a lifelong sadness. Modern diagnosis identifies this condition as post-traumatic stress disorder, a recognition that came long after the war. At the time, veterans generally endured their psychological pain without formal acknowledgment.

The authors transformed their traumatic experiences into fiction that remains widely read and adapted for film. Lewis produced the "Tales of Narnia" series, while Tolkien wrote "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Although these works differ in their target audiences, friendship serves as a central theme in both. The authors used myth to convey truths about the human condition and depicted the sacrificial bonds formed between comrades in arms.

Their shared Christian faith also shaped their writing and personal lives. Tolkien, who created fictional beings such as orcs, elves, and wizards, helped Lewis develop a new philosophical understanding of his faith. The two men found strength in their friendship while processing the horrors of war.

The upcoming holiday invites the public to consider the physical and emotional scars veterans carry. It encourages reflection on the friendships lost in combat, the endurance required to survive, and the creative works veterans produced after returning home.