What ain't there and ought to be.

[davem]

Originally Posted by Child

But the remarkable thing was that it was pulled inside, and that the idealization of the Shire remained basically intact, with the exception of a character like Frodo whose journey took him outside its bounds in more than one way.

And yet once it was 'pulled inside' it was exposed to the inherent dangers of Middle earth - it (& its inhabitants) suffered from being a part of that 'greater world'. Saruman & his ruffians appear & drag it to the brink of destruction. Then there is death - on a 'massive' scale. There is 'battle & war', there are burials. Middle earth is a place of suffering, & nothing & no-one within it is exempt. Once the Shire & Hobbits find their way into Middle earth they are at risk.

But they can also grow. In the world of The Hobbit a hobbit may go off & have an adventure but he (or she) would remain what they were. A Frodo could only emerge once the Shire had been 'pulled inside' Middle earth. The world of The Hobbit is the world of eternal childhood & in LotR the Shire grows up & comes of age. I suppose there is a Hobbit funeral - a boat funeral - right at the end....