The extended farewell journey visits most of the significant locations of the quest and gradually drops members of the party, until the four original friends return to the Shire. It is as though Tolkien does not yet want to leave his world and his characters, but the long denouement has a thematic purpose as well. The hobbits have journeyed widely and experienced great hardships, growing in the process—quite literally in the case of Merry and Pippin. A happy homecoming, while it fits the story arc of a coming of age tale, would not acknowledge the changes they have undergone. Throughout the journey, the hobbits have always been helped. Even Frodo at the Cracks of Doom cannot fulfill his quest, and Gollum must complete it for him, however unintentionally.
The four hobbits have been away to war, but they learn that war also comes home. To pretend otherwise would be naïve and misleading. The ravaged Shire has been corrupted not just by Saruman, although they discover his involvement, but by the Shire-hobbits themselves. Arrogance and greed lured Lotho and others into taking advantage of their fellow hobbits, and even the good-hearted allowed it to happen, looking the other way until it was too late. The scouring of the Shire is the true test of the hobbit heroes. No king or wizard will help them here; they must do the job themselves. And they do. They face their ravaged homeland, expel the invaders, and work hard to make it better than it had ever been before.
Of all the hobbits, Frodo suffered the most and has the hardest time adjusting to home life again. Not every veteran can make that adjustment, as Tolkien himself saw after two World Wars. Once Frodo sees the Shire restored, and finishes recording the history for future generations, he gratefully accepts Arwen’s gift, a place on the ship leaving Middle-earth. Within The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien leaves the Blessed Isle deliberately vague. Elves do not die, but unlike the mortal races they can leave behind the sorrows of Middle-earth. Frodo needs that freedom from care, the just reward for all that he has endured. Sam remains behind, ready to continue his life and to keep the memory of Frodo’s sacrifice alive.
