Drownded

[The Might]

Well there is some truth in that theory alatar, as if I remember correctly Gandalf does say something like: not many except you would have made it so far. Not sure where, not going to look for it.
But I doubt that Eru would go so far so as to do any other changes other then pushing Gollum in.
Indeed I have already had many discussions about luck, fate and providence in M-e and I although it seems to be more then just a coincidence I personally can't believe that Eru would "play" in such a way with the inhabitants of Arda.
What god of love would kill two innocent hobbits, no matter for what purpose. And would Tolkien as a believing Catholic write such a thing? I doubt he ever intended such a thing, however it could be seen as just a chance event as all others. But then again we can go further back in past and maybe speculate that the sparing of Elros and Elrond was also planned by Eru, as no Elros and Elrond meant no Aragorn and Arwen and Fellowship and succesful Quest.
This problem is unfortunately not easy to solve...

[Farael]

Ah, but are we not looking at it from the wrong angle?

Wouldn't losing his parents at such an early age make Frodo different from other hobbits, and perhaps more suitable for the bearing of the Ring?

Being orphaned at a young age would make him feel less "attached" to The Shire, being adopted by Bilbo even more so. Being orphaned would probably make him more resilient as well, less prone to asking others to solve his problems and more likely to take matters in his own hands.

Therefore, I'd say that it's not that Frodo was special and so Eru drowned his parents as part of a divine (if convoluted) plan, but rather that this accident, which is nothing more than that, an accident, ultimately made him uniquely able to bear the ring.

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Farael

Being orphaned would probably make him more resilient as well, less prone to asking others to solve his problems and more likely to take matters in his own hands.

I don't think it can be generalized that an orphan is more apt to deal with life problems. I believe quite the contrary to be the case.

[The Might]

I am not sure if it was the Frodo that left Bag End that was so special...I rather think it was the way the trip and the difficulties encountered changes him that made him so special.
If on Weathertop he could do nothing to stop the Ringwraiths, Tolkien comments in a letter that had he put on the Ring in Sammath Naur the Wraiths wouldn't have hurt him due to his power.
In my opinion it is this transformation that he suffers that plays the greatest role.

On the other hand, I must admit that a certain innate liking for adventures and great deeds that was in the family (Bilbo) also was necessary.

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by The Might

If on Weathertop he could do nothing to stop the Ringwraiths, Tolkien comments in a letter that had he put on the Ring in Sammath Naur the Wraiths wouldn't have hurt him due to his power

True, but only as long as it took them to remove him from the Crack:

Originally Posted by Letter #246

But the situation was now different to that under Weathertop, where Frodo acted merely in fear ... He had grown since then. Would they have been immune from its power if he claimed it as an instrument of command and domination?

Not wholly. I do not think they could have attacked him with violence, nor laid hold upon him or taken him captive; they would have obeyed or feigned to obey any minor commands of his that did not interfere with their errand – laid upon them by Sauron, who still through their nine rings (which he held) had primary control of their wills. That errand was to remove Frodo from the Crack. Once he lost the power or opportunity to destroy the Ring, the end could not be in doubt – saving help from outside, which was hardly even remotely possible.