I like all your points
Bethberry, I think that the plotting strategy is archetypal. You also bring up something which I've been saying for a while, but I think it's worth repeating...
Quote:
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Then this bond breaks. One doesn't make it. Two leave the others behind to complete their lonely quest. The other younger kids, Merry and Pippin, are abducted.
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The bond between the "Fellowship" does break, and crash into failure. However, I love all the other "fellowships" that are "created." (Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli; Merry and Pippin; Frodo and Sam). Before this time, we could definately say that the Company got to know eachother, did forge a friendship. But the bond between them, to me, always seemed weak, because practically from day 1 everything that could go wrong, did go wrong (Caradhras, Moria, Boromir's arguments, Amon Hen). Because of these situations the Fellowship breaks. But look what springs out from it? The "Fellowships" that spring out from it, are much stronger. Frodo and Sam become practically best friends. Merry and Pippin were best friends from the start, but they too grow and mature. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, travel with eachother to the end. And a friendship between an Elf and Dwarf is created that has never been seen before.
I think comparing the original Fellowship, to the 3 new fellowships, I would have to say the original Fellowship's "friendships" were rather weak. They collapsed under pressure. Where if we look at some pressures these smaller Fellowships have to face, they are able to succeed. Helm's Deep, Shelob, Cirith Ungol (I love the moments with Sam and Frodo), Paths of the Dead, Isengard, Pelennor Fields. Which leads me to think that these smaller bonds, were stronger then the Fellowhsip of 9. Since they are able to get through the hard times, where the original Fellowship fell apart.