That's because things like elves and dwarves, (not hobbits, they're a subtype of Men) never have their souls leave Arda. They never get to directly know Eru Ilúvatar (i.e. go to heaven). The gift isn't so much that they die (even elves die, albeit not of old age) but rather what happens to them once they die. Take Our Word for It.
To be technical, death is really more of a side effect. Eru's gift to Men is that they are not "tied to the fate of Arda"; that is, Men can make their own place in the world. Which is why all of the greatest heroes, and arguably (non-divine) villains, in Middle-earth are human.
Humans get to choose when they die, and there was (in the beginning, at least) no pain involved. Death was originally no different than drifting off to sleep. Morgoth perverted that, introducing fear and pain. Also, the Elves' so called "immortality" is tied to Arda. When Middle-earth ends, their souls die along with it. Men will become like the Valar themselves and join with Eru Ilúvatar to sing the Second Music and create a new, utopian world. The Elves know this, which is why they end up resenting humans (along with the fact that humans are not as morally superior as they see themselves).
Being able to die (and leave the confines of the world) also means that, unlike the Elves (and the Valar, eventually), Men don't have to endure the sorrow of the world's gradual and inevitable decay.
Being Immune to Fate has distinct advantages. Elves can't Screw Destiny or be the Spanner in the Works, but Men can. I think the best way to describe Men in Middle Earth, from everyone else's perspective, is 'weird'. They're weak, they die young... and they took over the world. And all their accomplishments are so much more impressive because they do all this without having hundreds of years to learn how to do everything.
Humans also have the Flame Imperishable, which Eru Ilúvatar shared with them alone among the thinking being of Arda. The Flame is what allowed Him to create thinking being with life of their own, independent of His will. The implication is that Men have the ability to grow into being on a par with Him while still within Arda, and will learn to do things that will place than far above the Valar.
Húrin and his son Túrin. Plus, Men are physically stronger, in general, than Elves while Elves are more agile.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
This thing is way too nattery to stay. Someone please rewrite this into a coherent thought:
- In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth stories, human mortality is described as "the gift of death". Err, thanks?
- That's because things like elves and dwarves, (not hobbits, they're a subtype of Men) never have their souls leave Arda. They never get to directly know Eru Ilúvatar (i.e. go to heaven). The gift isn't so much that they die (even elves die, albeit not of old age) but rather what happens to them once they die. Take Our Word for It.
- To be technical, death is really more of a side effect. Eru's gift to Men is that they are not "tied to the fate of Arda"; that is, Men can make their own place in the world. Which is why all of the greatest heroes, and arguably (non-divine) villains, in Middle-earth are human.
- Humans get to choose when they die, and there was (in the beginning, at least) no pain involved. Death was originally no different than drifting off to sleep. Morgoth perverted that, introducing fear and pain. Also, the Elves' so called "immortality" is tied to Arda. When Middle-earth ends, their souls die along with it. Men will become like the Valar themselves and join with Eru Ilúvatar to sing the Second Music and create a new, utopian world. The Elves know this, which is why they end up resenting humans (along with the fact that humans are not as morally superior as they see themselves).
- Being able to die (and leave the confines of the world) also means that, unlike the Elves (and the Valar, eventually), Men don't have to endure the sorrow of the world's gradual and inevitable decay.
- Being Immune to Fate has distinct advantages. Elves can't Screw Destiny or be the Spanner in the Works, but Men can. I think the best way to describe Men in Middle Earth, from everyone else's perspective, is 'weird'. They're weak, they die young... and they took over the world. And all their accomplishments are so much more impressive because they do all this without having hundreds of years to learn how to do everything.
- Humans also have the Flame Imperishable, which Eru Ilúvatar shared with them alone among the thinking being of Arda. The Flame is what allowed Him to create thinking being with life of their own, independent of His will. The implication is that Men have the ability to grow into being on a par with Him while still within Arda, and will learn to do things that will place than far above the Valar.
- Húrin and his son Túrin. Plus, Men are physically stronger, in general, than Elves while Elves are more agile.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman