Return of the King

 “He wondered where Frodo was, and if he was already in Mordor, or if he was dead; and he did not know that Frodo from far away looked on that same moon as it set beyond Gondor ere the coming of the day.”

Pippin’s point of view chapter uses a polysyndeton, a literary device where the author inserts multiple conjunctions into a sentence to slow the rhythm and emphasize each item in a list. This polysyndeton serves to indicate how Pippin’s thoughts are constantly occupied with thoughts of Frodo, despite their geographic distance. By showing how Frodo remains in the thoughts of his companions, Tolkien indicates how the love, loyalty, and unity demonstrated by the forces of good will help them to overcome evil. Tolkien also makes clear that the Fellowship, though physically disjointed, is still very much in tact and is working together as a unit toward a greater good.

“The mightiest man may be slain by one arrow…and Boromir was pierced by many.”

Pippin tells Denethor about Boromir’s heroic death using an aphorism that draws attention to Boromir’s exemplary skill. By conveying the universally accepted principle that even a powerful man can be killed by a single arrow, Pippin then subverts Denethor’s expectations by saying that it took many arrows to kill Boromir, helping him to better praise the man who saved his life. Pippin’s solemn respect for Boromir’s sacrifice motivates him to pledge himself to Denethor, helping him to eventually repay Boromir by saving his younger brother Faramir.