March 30, 2004

Frodo the Hero
Lilly

When I first read the LOTR, I wasn't looking for the Hero. When I finished, I didn't say to myself, "he was definitely the best," or "this guy was the biggest hero."

How do you judge a hero? To one person standing up to a pushy co-worker is as nerve-wracking as jumping in front of a bus to save a kid might be to someone else. Courage has never struck me as the greatness of the deed, but rather the standpoint and outlook of the one performing it. A guy could single-handedly take on a bear and think nothing of it. Is he more brave than the man who, despite his overwhelming desire to run away and hold his tounge, deliveres an important, life-changing speech to a full audience? Did the speaker not topple a greater personal obstacle than the bear wrestler?

The LOTR to me is a story about a wide variety of personalities, attitudes, and peoples, each tackling a problem of his own, and taking his own personal journey. The feats of Pippin, who had never seen battle before his journey with the Fellowship, may not be as great as, say, Gimli the warrior. Yet they each were heroes according to his will and ability.

Which is more fantastic, a ranger claiming a throne, or an elf making friends with a dwarf?

Which is braver, he who carried a terrible burden to a mountain of fire, or he who was always at his friend's side, unfailing, with hope unquenchable?

there is no one hero of the lord of the rings, or not, at least, to me. Not one of them is really greater than the other. They all faced a point in their lives, and each overcame.

Whew. That's enough sappiness for today!

Melodramatically yours.

~Lilly
PS: I still love Sam the best!