Have Elf, Will Travel

[tar-ancalime]

Originally Posted by Dininziliel

And, did Tolkien intend to make our three hobbit heroes a bit elvish, or is that a coincidence?

Sure, I think so.

The other hobbits of the Fellowship are also rather special--their noble birth, their bravery, Merry's Bucklandish interest in life outside the Shire (he's the only one who had been previously to Bree, for instance), and Pippin's most unhobbitlike curiosity set them apart. And both Merry and Pippin develop affinities for people of other races, but in their cases they are races of Men, not Elves. They never touch the Ring and hardly even see it; Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam, on the other hand, are all Ring-Bearers. It seems at least plausible to me that Tolkien did this on purpose (though of course there's no way to be sure): all five major-character hobbits develop special relationships with other races, but only the three who feel the affinity for Elves (very early in the story Gildor names Frodo Elf-Friend) become Ring-Bearers and sail away to the Undying Lands.