Tolkien telegraphs in several places (Frodo's dreams, for example, or Faramir
and Boromir's prophetic dream, or the prophecies about Aragorn reclaiming his
throne) that LotR is a fairy-story with a happy ending. But he does
create suspense by making such an ending seem increasingly impossible, and
giving us the unexpected eucatastrophe -- the joyful but unexpected turn of
events brought on by Gollum's role in the unmaking of the Ring and the arrival
of the Great Eagles. Furthermore, he again surprises by creating a long
and unexpected epilogue (the trip back from Gondor and the Scouring of the
Shire) to the fairy-tale ending (Frodo and Sam rescued and honored, Aragorn
crowned and married) in which the ending turns out to be not nearly as happy as
expected -- indeed the final parting of the hobbits is overwhelming sad.
So Tolkien creates expectations, then plays with them, both in the way those
expectations are fulfilled, and the way in which they are
confounded.
________________________________________
"‘I think he was a silly little man,' said Councillor Tompkins. ‘Worthless, in fact; no use to Society at all.'
"‘Oh, I don't know,' said Atkins, who was nobody of importance, just a schoolmaster. ‘I am not so sure: it depends on what you mean by use .'
"‘No practical or economic use,' said Tompkins. . . .
. . .
"‘It is proving very useful indeed,' said the Second Voice. ‘As a holiday, and a refreshment. It is splendid for convalescence; and not only for that, for many it is the best introduction to the Mountains. It works wonders in some cases. I am sending more and more there. They seldom have to come back.'"
