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#21 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Right here in between yesterday and tomorrow.
Posts: 357
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I've read that when JRRT read that part to CS Lewis and others, they wept. It's one of the best, if not the best, scene in the whole book -- Sam is so human at that point, and his reactions so understandable.
I think Tolkien was setting Sam up for his greatest challenge that would come a bit later: giving the Ring back to Frodo. Thus, he had to first take the Ring. When Sam gave the Ring back to Frodo (OK, he didn't just say "here it is" and plunk it in Frodo's hand, but he did lift the chain and Ring off before Frodo, crazed by the Ring, grabbed it from him), he became the first Ringbearer since Bilbo to give it up willingly, and unlike Bilbo, he had no help...just his love of Frodo. The really critical part was right after Frodo had grabbed the Ring back -- what would be Sam's reaction? With just about anybody else, it would have led to a terrible fight. Sam just knelt there with tears in his eyes, which besides showing that he himself had escaped the Ring's lure also brought Frodo back to his senses. A little touch of love there in that awful tower at a moment when the Ring should have driven these two apart and betrayed them to its Master -- how wonderful! To lead up to it, it had to be stressed earlier that Sam's nature wasn't to leave Frodo, even if the Quest required it. Thus it was said, when he learned that Frodo was alive, he abandoned the Quest and chased after his Master. Yet the net effect was to save the Quest. Very complex, that.
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#22 | |
Peer of the realm of Sanguine
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: The Hill, Marlton, NJ
Posts: 798
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Gaffer Gamgee said:
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Sam’s choice went against his grain, because as he saw it, Frodo’s job was to cast the ring into the fire; Sam’s job was to help Frodo, not take over for him. He reluctantly put on the ring because he believed Frodo was dead, and that being the case, there was nobody else to take the ring to Orodruin. When he discovered his error in thinking Frodo had died, he naturally beat himself up for jumping to conclusions.
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“"I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ringwinner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider," Fear Complacency! ___________________ Something under the bed is drooling Last edited by barrelrider110 : 12-30-2002 at 02:12 PM. |
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#23 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Hobbiton
Posts: 739
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I think that Sam was being to hard on himself, at the moment when he left, what else could he have done? He thought that Frodo was dead! I always wondered why he didn't check Frodo's heart to see if it was beeting, like just see if you could fill it/hear it, but maybe Hobbit's and other races didn't know about it in that time period?
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Jesus loves you! Movie vewing count from the theater: Return of the King:9 Two Towers: 11 Fellowship: 13 FRODO LIVES! |
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#24 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Hobbiton...no wait....
Posts: 263
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Quote:
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Fortune rides like the Sun on high With the fox that makes the ravens fly Luck his sould, the lightning his eye He snatches the moons from out of the sky. |
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#25 |
Sapling
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 7
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Son of the Ol' Gaffer I Suppose...
Parenting has a lot to do with Sam being hard on himself. The Gaffer always puts him down. To me it's funny but sad when Sam refers to something about "What the Gaffer would have to say about it..." However, I don't feel the Gaffer's motivation is to belittle Sam. I think it's generational... it was the way he was raised too. It's reverse psychology where a parent tells their child they "won't amount to anything" so they hopefully go out try to prove you wrong. It might be questionable parenting...but the Ol' Gaffer no doubt loved his son.
Sam may also feel, although somewhat educated in "his letters," that he doesn't have "academic intellect" of Frodo and others of the fellowship. He's not ashamed, but feels he's out of his league. I think in this situation he based his decision based on what thought others (Frodo, Strider, or Gandalf) would do. Afterwards he realized it was not prudent to try to emulate those who are so wise and that he should just be himself... to relying on keen senses, gut feelings and heart and have proved faithful to him thus far. I feel the sharp self-analysis is because Sam very reflective thinker... a very good quality.. (I always admire the reflective thinking of the "Sam's" of the world...just wish they would change that "inner voice" from a parent berating to a kinder tone like a trusted counselor.) Another thought... I think it is powerful lesson to all of us to be true to ourselves in challenging situations and not try to second guess ourselves and not be completely guided by doing what others might think we should do. Tolkien always makes me think... what a joy! LovesBeren |
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#26 | |
Viggoholic
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,749
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I don't think Bilbo gave up the ring willingly (like Sam does later on in the story), it takes a lot of prodding from Gandalf before he releases the ring.
Gandalf says in the FOTR: Quote:
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Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try. |
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#27 |
Lurker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Lothlórien
Posts: 3,419
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I think the Ring abandoned Sam because it had done much more work corrupting Frodo than him.
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There's antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium... |
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#28 |
Sapling
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3
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I think LovesBeren is on the right track, Sam was always sputtering about what the Gaffer would say. Sam was very fond of his dad and I think that the Gaffer was fond of Sam, but I don’t believe that he thought Sam was too terribly bright or reliable. Remember how skeptical the Gaffer was when they returned to the Shire? Frodo had a hard time convincing him that Sam had been an asset on the quest.
I think that a lot of Sam’s self doubt was a direct result of things the Gaffer had said to him. I also think that part of the reason Sam was so loyal to Frodo was because Frodo always praised Sam and had confidence in him. Sam was a wonderful character, but let us not forget that in the end, he chose not to take the Ring to Mt Doom, he decided instead, to go back and stand guard over a dead body. Had the timing been different, Frodo, Sam and the Ring would have been captured! Whether by fate, or by accident, Sam ended up making the right decision twice. I also think that Blackboar has a good point, it always seemed odd to me that Sam was so worried about someone defiling Frodo’s body and yet he didn’t make any effort to try and hide it. |
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#29 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Hobbiton...no wait....
Posts: 263
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Quote:
More on topic, I think Sam was very hard on himself. I mean, if he stayed, he and Frodo probably would have been killed by Orcs and the whole quest would have been in vain. Rosie
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Fortune rides like the Sun on high With the fox that makes the ravens fly Luck his sould, the lightning his eye He snatches the moons from out of the sky. |
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#30 | |
Sapling
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 3
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