LotR -- Book 2 - Chapter 04 - A Journey in the Dark

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Herm -- it occurs to me: it is in Moria that Frodo loses his first guide (Gandalf) and begins to acquire his last (Gollum); is part of the purpose of this chapter to set up Gollum as Gandalf's replacement? In a sense, Gandalf's sense of uncertainty, his foreboding, his reluctance, and -- let's face it -- his general inability to hold the Fellowship together comes out very clearly in this chapter. Contrast this to the certainty of Gollum. He never loses his way, even in "the dark places of the Earth" and he never leads Frodo wrong. He does lead him into evil (Shelob) but not through any 'wrong turning'.

I have no time to work this out in full, so I hope somebody else will, but I'm beginning to think that for the task which awaits Frodo on the other side of Moria, Gandalf is not the right or appropriate guide, but Gollum is. . .