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It seems to me that he started with a "light" tone to the book, then changed his mind and whenh for dark instead.
What is interesting is that he KEPT the light tone in the early chapters, and sort of gradually made it darker and darker in the chapters leading up to Frodo getting stabbed by the Nazgul. I had fun rereading the book and trying to pinpoint exactly where the mood changes - but I couldnt, he made it so gradual.
When the Hobbits takes off everything is very light, lots of mention of food and suppers. The sniffing Nazgul shows up, bringing a darker mood. They immedietaly return to talk about cooking mushrooms and stealing apples. Then you get Old Man Willow - but Bombadil immediately defuses the mood, making it feel like nothing is really dangerous and someone or other will always save you in the last minute.
The Barrow Wight is so creepy - here you dont get the impression you would just be "OK" with everything after that. And then Frodo gets REALLY hurts at weathertop. I think Weathertop is when it changes for good - since we know know the heroes are vulnerable and they can die.
After this point there are a few relapses to the light mood - but now it seems sort of insencere, making it a bit eerie and creepy. Like WWI soldiers celebrating someones birthday in the trenches.
Sam tries to turn the clock back and ligthen the mood with the rabbit cooking. But it just seems eerie making a nice cosy meal with Gollum invited and Frodo going coo-coo from the ring.
Another example is the chatter about pipeweed at Isengard. But here we get the contrast between the homely-familiar and the image of a city rutined by war.
I find it really great the way he managed to mix these two completely different moods in one book without making the break seem artificial.
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