--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They arose in my mind as 'given' things…" description: "\"They arose in my mind as 'given' things, and as they came, separately, so too the links grew. An absorbing, though continually interrupted labour (espe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_absorbing_they-arose-in-my-mind-as-given-things-an_2743352.jpg" --- # They arose in my mind as 'given' things, and as they came… ![“They arose in my mind as 'given' things, and as they came, separately, so too the links grew. An absorbing, though continually interrupted labour (especially, even apart from the necessities of life, since the mind would wing to the other pole and spread itself on the linguistics): yet always I…” quote by J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_absorbing_they-arose-in-my-mind-as-given-things-an_2743352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_absorbing_they-arose-in-my-mind-as-given-things-an_2743352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/j-r-r-tolkien-2-1316_absorbing_they-arose-in-my-mind-as-given-things-an_2743352.jpg) > “They arose in my mind as 'given' things, and as they came, separately, so too the links grew. An absorbing, though continually interrupted labour (especially, even apart from the necessities of life, since the mind would wing to the other pole and spread itself on the linguistics): yet always I had the sense of recording what was already 'there', somewhere: not of 'inventing'.” [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes the creative process as uncovering pre‑existing ideas rather than inventing them anew. **In simple terms:** Writing feels like discovering hidden thoughts. Key Takeaway Embrace the flow of ideas. Themes creativity writing mindset Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - authoring a novel - academic research - creative brainstorming Key Concepts literary theory cognitive process inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate discovery from invention? - What practices help you capture emergent ideas? A Different Perspective May overlook the role of deliberate shaping and editing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absorbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absorbing/) [Arose Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arose-mind-3044538/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-things-979632/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew Absorbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-absorbing-3044539/) [Interrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interrupted/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Linguistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linguistics/) [Links](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/links/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Recording Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recording-inventing-3044540/) [Spread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spread/) [Wings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wings/) ## Related quotes > [I haven't been given many things, but I've been given ample, limitless patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-diaz-balart/i-haven-t-been-given-many-things-but-i-ve-been-given-ample-limitless/) [Lincoln Diaz-Balart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-diaz-balart/) > [God has given me so many things along the way - a lot of stuff that I had no control over. God's had his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dalton/god-has-given-me-so-many-things-along-the-way-a-lot-of-stuff-that-i/) [Andy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dalton/) > [What have you done? What have you given up?' So many things, Cecily. More than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/what-have-you-done-what-have-you-given-up-so-many-things-cecily-more/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [~Given the things in your life, which do you treasure most? Of Course! It's your life.~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince/given-the-things-in-your-life-which-do-you-treasure-most-of-course-it/) [Vince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince/) > [Love is found in the things we've given up, more than in the things that we have kept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/love-is-found-in-the-things-we-ve-given-up-more-than-in-the-things/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [In nature nothing can be given. All things are sold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-nature-nothing-can-be-given-all-things-are-sold/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I have just made out my will and given all the things I have and many that I haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-have-just-made-out-my-will-and-given-all-the-things-i-have-and-many/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [All our media are given over to things that are better left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/all-our-media-are-given-over-to-things-that-are-better-left-unsaid/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [Some people aren't happy because they've given up on the things that could make them happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-aren-t-happy-because-they-ve-given-up-on-the-things-that/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I wish people had given me things when I didn't have any money then I would take it, but now, I've got a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naughty-boy/i-wish-people-had-given-me-things-when-i-didn-t-have-any-money-then-i/) [Naughty Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naughty-boy/) > [“Concepts that have proven useful in ordering things easily achieve such authority over us that we forget their earthly origins and accept them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/concepts-that-have-proven-useful-in-ordering-things-easily-achieve/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [In studying language we can discover many basic properties of this cognitive structure, its organization, and also the genetic predispositions that provide the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-studying-language-we-can-discover-many-basic-properties-of-this/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From now on I will consider a language to be a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/from-now-on-i-will-consider-a-language-to-be-a-set-finite-or-infinite/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Broken polyglots are potent polyglots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/broken-polyglots-are-potent-polyglots/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“No algorithm exists for the metaphor, nor can a metaphor be produced by means of a computer’s precise instructions, no matter what the volume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/no-algorithm-exists-for-the-metaphor-nor-can-a-metaphor-be-produced/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More by J. R. R. Tolkien > [I never liked Hans Christian Andersen because I knew he was always getting at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-never-liked-hans-christian-andersen-because-i-knew-he-was-always/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/no-half-heartedness-and-no-worldly-fear-must-turn-us-aside-from/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else. Not all those who wander are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-don-t-know-where-you-re-going-you-ll-wind-up-somewhere-else/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The enemy? His sense of duty was no less than yours, I deem. You wonder what his name is, where he came from. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-enemy-his-sense-of-duty-was-no-less-than-yours-i-deem-you-wonder/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-was-a-hobbit-hole-and-that-means-comfort/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Adventures make one late for supper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/adventures-make-one-late-for-supper/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-lord-of-the-rings-is-of-course-a-fundamentally-religious-and/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-have-no-help-to-send-therefore-i-must-go-myself/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Many are the strange chances of the world, and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/many-are-the-strange-chances-of-the-world-and-help-oft-shall-come/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Mind your P's and Q's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/mind-your-p-s-and-q-s/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map; otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/if-you-re-going-to-have-a-complicated-story-you-must-work-to-a-map/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Outside the ring of dancing warriors with spears and axes stood wolves at a respectful distance, watching and waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/outside-the-ring-of-dancing-warriors-with-spears-and-axes-stood/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [You have to understand the good in things, to detect the real evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/you-have-to-understand-the-good-in-things-to-detect-the-real-evil/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [The mind that thought of light, heavy, grey, yellow, still, swift, also conceived of magic that would make heavy things light and able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-mind-that-thought-of-light-heavy-grey-yellow-still-swift-also/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) [Explore all 252 J. R. R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) ## More Absorbing quotes > [The artist has to be something like a whale swimming with his mouth wide open, absorbing everything until he has what he really needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/the-artist-has-to-be-something-like-a-whale-swimming-with-his-mouth/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [I probably need another couple of years of absorbing that and really looking at it to be able to do it because you actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/i-probably-need-another-couple-of-years-of-absorbing-that-and-really/) [Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/) > [I bless the gods for not letting my education in rhetoric, poetry, and other literary studies come easily to me, and thereby sparing me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-bless-the-gods-for-not-letting-my-education-in-rhetoric-poetry-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Edge also implies what Ben Graham…called a margin of safety. You have a margin of safety when you buy an asset at a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mauboussin/edge-also-implies-what-ben-graham-called-a-margin-of-safety-you-have/) [Michael Mauboussin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mauboussin/) > [I would spend hours absorbing every intonation, every inflection - how the singer would convey a sentiment and how it would sound coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/i-would-spend-hours-absorbing-every-intonation-every-inflection-how/) [Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/) > [The nut of this tree is hung high aloft, wrapped in a silk wrapper, which is enclosed in a case of sole leather, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-de-camoes/the-nut-of-this-tree-is-hung-high-aloft-wrapped-in-a-silk-wrapper/) [Luis de Camoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-de-camoes/) > [The habit of quietly absorbing the shocks will be quite a great help to stabilize pure awareness. The technique is: Just feel not disturbed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/the-habit-of-quietly-absorbing-the-shocks-will-be-quite-a-great-help/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [It's hard to pick. I mean, I think the one that is most emblematic of the collaboration that occurred is "We Know The Way."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/it-s-hard-to-pick-i-mean-i-think-the-one-that-is-most-emblematic-of/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [Babies breathe a lot more rapidly than adults do, and what's more, they're also growing quickly and so they're absorbing lots more into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-thompson/babies-breathe-a-lot-more-rapidly-than-adults-do-and-what-s-more-they/) [Francis Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-thompson/) > [Where does the ego get its energy? The ego feeds off your desire to be something else. You are poor and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/where-does-the-ego-get-its-energy-the-ego-feeds-off-your-desire-to-be/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I know "accessibility" is a term that's kind of thrown around wantonly today, especially with talking about visual media. But I think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/i-know-accessibility-is-a-term-that-s-kind-of-thrown-around-wantonly/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [I've always looked at directing as the next step for me in my creative career, and after spending the better part of the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anthony-dale/i-ve-always-looked-at-directing-as-the-next-step-for-me-in-my/) [Ian Anthony Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anthony-dale/) > [In anything fit to be called by the name of reading, the process itself should be absorbing and voluptuous; we should gloat over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/in-anything-fit-to-be-called-by-the-name-of-reading-the-process/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Inside you're like some kind of mirror, reflecting everything without absorbing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-j-deikman/inside-you-re-like-some-kind-of-mirror-reflecting-everything-without/) [Arthur J. Deikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-j-deikman/) > [There are two kinds of actors -- one sits in a dressing room waiting for his call and the other gets out into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-two-kinds-of-actors-one-sits-in-a-dressing-room-waiting-for/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) [Browse all 189 Absorbing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absorbing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They arose in my mind as 'given' things, and as they came, separately, so too the links grew. An absorbing, though continually interrupted labour (especially, even apart from the necessities of life, since the mind would wing to the other pole and spread itself on the linguistics): yet always I had the sense of recording what was already 'there', somewhere: not of 'inventing'.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. R. R. 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