To make life a little more difficult, what of Tuor, who had no elven blood at all, yet he just packed up and went west;
Quote:
"But in after days it was sung that Tuor alone of mortal Men was numbered among the elder race, and was joined with the Noldor, whom he loved and his fate is sundered from the fate of Men." (Silm. 2nd ed.)
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I wish to make it clear that I don't think Elros' children had a choice. But I think that it is also clear from the canon that the lines are not as clear cut as one might expect. Of the three unions of elves and men, two "elven" women died (although Tolkien states that Arwen was not an elf, and Luthien was only half-elven as well), and one Mortal man gained immortality.
The first generation after Tuor was counted half-elven, but the first generation after Beren was not (I see no indication that Dior was counted mortal, some will argue that he was, Tolkien said he was of three races, the Eldar, the Edain, and the Maiar. If Dior had been mortal, wouldn't his marriage to Nimloth have been a union of elves and men?)
I think the lines are blurred. You can argue otherwise, but real life is not clear cut, and I think it's quite obvious that Tolkien didn't want it clear cut in ME either.
Sophia