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Originally Posted by Boromir88
Tom (as well as Farmer Maggot) are important in getting the hobbits to grow up.
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Yes B-88. I've been reading FotR for the last little while and was reminded of this thread. I was struck by the fact that from Shadows of the Past through to Rivendell, one of the primary themes of FotR is as a "coming of age" story about Frodo. I don't include the other hobbits at this point. Sam is pretty much already what he ever would be, except that he gets deepened by his experiences. Merry seems reasonably mature also, and is deepened by his experiences. Pippin is the most immature and self-centered of the bunch, but his "coming of age" story really begins with his capture by the orcs, and his service under Denethor. So I see this as Frodo's coming of age story, and he is under the tutelage of first Gandalf, then Farmer Maggot (briefly), then Tom Bombadil (crucially), and finally Strider from Bree to Rivendell.
So I guess what I have hit upon is that I no longer see the Tom Bombadil piece of this story as an unnecessary aside. Frodo's experience with Tom, with Goldberry, and in the barrow, are all very important for his growing up . . .very much like Bilbo's experience when Gandalf was away in The Hobbit.