Providence. Opportunity. Destiny. Whatever name is given to it, it is always the same: the characters make a mistake, or some misfortune befalls them, only to be subverted for the good. If used incorrectly, it can feel like a cop-out. When used correctly, however, it can give the text a hint of deeper meaning that the audience can make inferences about. The Lord of the Rings features many of these cases, which become an important mechanism to advance the plot, perhaps too many. There are example after example of acts of providence in The Lord of the Rings. Merry and Pippin are saved during their encounter with Grishnákh: "An arrow hissed out of the darkness: it was skillfully aimed, or guided by fate, and pierced his right hand." (446) If Grishnákh's sword had not glowed and (presumably) revealed its location, Merry and Pippin would have been killed, Aragorn's party would have found their bodies, and they may not have provided their assistance to the Rohirrim. The hobbits would not have met Treebeard and the Ents, and the Ents would not have decided to engage in fighting. Many Lord of the Rings characters reference the case, most notably Gandalf, Elrond, Tom Bombadil, and Galadriel. Some "less wise" characters also make comments about chance and fate: Mablung, one of Faramir's men, makes the comment, "[Faramir's] life is enchanted, or fate spares him for some other end." (645)When Gandalf falls in Moria, no character – nor any reader – can consider it fortuitous. The company has lost its leader and most powerful member: there seems to be little hope. In retrospect, however, Gandalf's fall appears to have made the Fellowship (though destroyed) stronger. If Gandalf had es...... middle of paper... a specific purpose for these random acts. Often when they occur, Tolkien gives them a nod of acknowledgment, so it seems he consciously includes these instances. Many attribute them to Ilúvatar, the divine figure of mythology. Considered from this perspective, it becomes clear that Ilúvatar is one of the main factors driving the plot of The Lord of the Rings. In fact, you could almost go so far as to say that he is the main driving force. This also adds a religious element to the story. Without these impossible little strokes of luck, the story of The Lord of the Rings would be completely different. It shows how much the Fellowship owes Ilúvatar, which can be perceived as a message to his readers about his religious beliefs and what he wants them to believe. Works Cited Tolkien, JRR The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.