This quietly powerful statement comes from “The Fellowship of the Ring,” spoken by Gandalf as he reassures the elf Erestor during a moment of fear and uncertainty. J.R.R. Tolkien, a veteran of World War I and a devout Catholic, wove the upheavals of the 20th century and his personal experiences with loss, endurance, and faith into stories that grapple with the tension between darkness and courage. This line reflects his belief that even in the bleakest moments, we can’t claim to know how things will end. For Tolkien, despair is not just sadness, but a kind of arrogance — the false certainty that we can predict the future and know all hope is gone. His words here gently push back against that instinct, reminding us that as long as the future remains unwritten, there’s still plenty of room for resilience and hope.
