I think Frodo's failure to destroy the ring is a good example of how Tolkien's books do not have a simple good vs. evil dichotomy. Other good examples are the wrath/pride of Feanor's sons, and the tale of Turin, both from the Silmarillion.
Tolkien has a very Christian good / evil dichotomy. And Frodo at the cracks of doom fits right in.
In this scheme, we mortals are not able to save ourselves, only God can do that. In Frodo's case, Gollum turned out to be Gods instrument. But first Frodo had climb the mountain before that could happen.
> I think Frodo's failure to destroy the ring is a good example of how Tolkien's books do not have a simple good vs. evil dichotomy.
I think its an example of how the focal characters are imperfect, but I don't think it shows that there isn't a simple good v. evil dichotomy in the books; I mean, there's no ambiguity that destroying the ring was the one correct course of action and that Frodo was falling short of it.
