: In this book, we see the formation and departure of the Fellowship of the Ring. Finally, the quest has fully begun. While Frodo is willing to take the burden of the Ring onto himself, he acknowledges that he doesn’t even know where to begin in terms of getting it to Mordor. And Elrond understands that he cannot go alone. However, he doesn’t send him forth with a host of great warriors -- rather he sends him in a small group meant to represent all the peoples of Middle-Earth, a group formed largely around friendship! So we see the theme of Fellowship carrying through into Book II. The life-saving, life-giving virtue of friendship…