Frodo, lord of the dissertation

It turns out that just as Candide is an allegory for the academic job market, Frodo’s journey in The Lord of the Rings mirrors dissertation writing:

Like many a dissertator, Frodo’s terrible and treacherous mission has a dual nature. He cannot, and does not, accomplish the goal without the help of others, but ultimately, he must bear the great load alone.

One question: if Frodo’s fellowship “includes family, friends, dissertation groups, fellow doctoral students, professors, undergraduates, and archival and administrative staff members,” why do these people keep trying to take his dissertation from him?

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