[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Aways back there I said that I found Elves to be a bit childlike in their relation to death, but was unable to elaborate on that. But I think, having had some more time to ponder, I know what I meant. . .

For Elves, the only kind of death they know is catastrophic and 'unnatural' -- that is, accident or murder. This is the same kind of death or mortality experienced by children: for a child, mortality simply is not something that applies to them -- the recognition of death, that one will die, is part of maturing into an adult. Elves never have to do this: so long as they don't fall from a great height (for example) or get killed in battle they will live forever.

For a species that experiences death only as a traumatic event, always unlooked for and unexpected, death would not be a 'part' of life in the same way as it is for say, hobbits, who know that it is coming as sure as luncheon follows second breakfast.

For Elves, death interrupts life; for hobbits (and humans) death is a part of life.