'Its about death, the inevitability of death'

[tifo_gcs]

littlemanpoet: Consider that all events are chains that are meant to be. In that case, Elrond and Galdriel may have been manipulated into certain circumstances. The wise cannot see all ends, but they plan for many contingencies. I conceed that I'm losing the argument, though.
However, following the christian ethos, angels also interact with humans, however only at times of great importance, such as the birth of Jesus.
Glinglefariy: I think that with Tolkien's background in the trenches, his writing may well have been a form of catharsis. Coming back from the wars, and having preserved the world, but still seeing it changed. The longing for days of innocence and old friends, etc. That's the entire point with the return to the Shire. It's about the pain that ultimately exists in life, as things pass, but it also tells you that life will go on.
In that way, in that it reflects real life, LOTR is more akin to literature than some works that my English teacher considers literature