[Bêthberry]

I have to say that I think tom bombariffic is correct to observe that Gandalf must be/do different things at different time of the story. Absolutely.

And I'm not sure it really matters much what Tolkien said in his Letters, whether those letters were written at the time of writing or post publication. Statements of intention sometimes don't or can't outweigh the evidence of the story.

The loss/disappearance of Gandalf the Grey at Moria is one of the most unexpected and heart rending situations, for readers as well as for the rest of the Fellowship. This emotional reading experience is part of the great sense of loss which pervades LotR. Does it really matter that later on Tolkien was in his letters a bit embarassed by the credibility of having a character return from the dead? Isn't the significant fact the loss of the wizard who the others thought was their leader? What does one do when one's leader or mentor is lost?

I suppose Anguirel's question has to do with whether the fellowship needs an authority figure to help them find motivation and succour. However, to me, the question remains an aesthetic one: Gandalf the White is less interesting to me than Gandalf the Grey. Whether this reflects my own readerly pecadillos, or Tolkien's writing style and imagination, or something else, I don't think is germane to Anguirel's thread here, which I suspect might relate to the question of how or whether readers feel the need for some kind of providential messenger who can guide men and the hobbits.