So many good points made. There’s no restoring the world to what it should have been. That loss is already there. But through their efforts and their morals, they come close. They choose to push forward through hardship and uncertainty, accepting their place in the grand scheme of things. As you put it, these are the governing laws of the world.

I sometimes think about this in relation to Tolkien’s view of machines, especially when comparing it to his time at war. The way Hobbits react to machinery feels intentional. There’s distrust there, even fear. Goblins, on the other hand, are often shown forging weapons, shaping metal, bending the world into tools of destruction. It’s hard not to see that as a reflection of industrialized warfare during his time.

In that contrast, Tolkien isn’t just writing fantasy. He’s grappling with a world where creation and progress can just as easily become instruments of harm, and where choosing restraint and humility becomes a moral act in itself.

Your analysis is, of course, far more introspective than mine, and I really appreciate the depth you brought to it.