These are just some of the wonderfully created characters in the fairy tale The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings written by JRR Tolkien has been read and loved by many and will be enjoyed by many more for years to come. Tolkien was an extraordinary linguist and author. He will be remembered for his great imagination and intriguing stories. His interest in language was the spark that led to the creation of The Lord of the Rings (Hodges 33-35). Tolkien led an interesting life that greatly influenced his books. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in South Africa. Tolkien's mother, Mabel, moved him and his brother named Hilary to Birmingham, England, when Tolkien was four years old. His father died in Africa shortly after the move (“Tolkien, JRR” 831). Mabel gave her children books to read and taught them to draw and paint. He also taught the boys languages ​​such as Latin, French and German. This began Tolkien's love of language (Hodges 20). He attended Kind Edward's Grammar School in Birmingham where his passion for the language was evident (Parker and Kermode 741). Mabel died in 1904, while Tolkien was still at school; therefore, he and his brother became orphans under the care of a Catholic priest. Tolkien met Edith Bratt, a fellow orphan who would later become his wife ("Tolkien, JRR" 831). Tolkien continued school and was accepted into Oxford in 1910 (Hodges 83). He graduated in 1915 with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in English (Parker and Kermode 741; “Tolkien, JRR” 831). He obtained his Master of Arts in 1919 (“Tolkien, JRR” 831). In the time between earning his bachelor's and master's degrees, he served in World War I but was sent home due to a bad case of trench fever. He also wrote......middle of paper......an Diego: Thompson Gale, 2003. Print.Lewis, C.S. “The Gods Return to Earth.” Bryfonski and Senick 563-64.Mathewson, Joseph. "The Hobbit's Habit." Bryfonski and Senick 566-67.Parker, Peter and Frank Kermode, eds. A reader's guide to twentieth-century writers. New York: Oxford UP, 1996. Print.Richardson, Maurice. The new statesman and the nation. Bryfonski and Senick 565.Riley, Carolyn, ed. Contemporary literary criticism. vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1973. Print.Riley, Carolyn and Barbara Harte, eds. Contemporary literary criticism. vol. 2. Detroit: Gale Research, 1974. Print.Stimpson, Catherine RJRR Tolkien. Riley 338.Taylor, William L. “Frodo Lives” Bryfonski and Senick 570.“Tolkien, JRR” The New Encyclopedia Britannica: Micropedia.15th ed. 2007. Print.Urang, Gunnar. “JRR Tolkien: Fantasy and the Phenomenology of Hope.” Riley and Harte 435.