J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis
J.R.R.
1
The Pioneer
Combined
5
The Explorer
C.S.
4
The Builder
Legacy
Together as members of the Inklings writing group at Oxford, Tolkien and Lewis encouraged each other to write the works that became The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia — two of the most beloved fantasy series of all time.
The numerological dynamic
Tolkien gave Lewis the intellectual credibility and friendship that helped him through profound personal crises; Lewis gave Tolkien the specific encouragement to finish The Lord of the Rings, which Tolkien had nearly abandoned. Without Lewis, Middle-earth might never have been published.
The Inklings showed what creative friendship can do: sharing early work with people who understand your vision and take it seriously enough to push you to complete it.