Who or what is Tom Bombadil? Is he a fairy, leprechaun, sprite, or some other of the—Little People—many of us have heard stories of when we were children? Could Tom Bombadil possibly be an embodiment of various gods from different myths? Can the simple remark by Goldberry, “He is.”(Tolkien, Lord 135) tell the reader that Tom is not an entity to be analyzed, but rather just a character to enjoy for simply who …showed first 75 words of 2773 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2773 total…of pure (real) natural science: the spirit that desires knowledge of other things, their history and nature, because they are 'other' and wholly entirely unconcerned with 'doing' annulling with the knowledge: Zoology and Botany, not Cattle-breeding or Agriculture(192). Tom could easily just be a symbol of what Tolkien viewed as the perfect character. A character that loves life—nature—and what it offers, rather than the possessions and the problems that come with unneeded desires.