So I had this really bizarre thought...
 

What would actually happen if the four hobbits were raised by Gandalf? How would the story be affected? I assume we'd get a Sam, Merry and Pippin who are curious about the world in a different way ie. Sam wouldn't be all excited about "I get to see Elves! Yay!" Frodo would probably be the same old Frodo. OTOH, Pippin would probably get used to being called "Fool Of A Took".

EDITED. Thanks, Estelyn.

This an interesting question for opinions - those are great for the Novices and Newcomers section of the forum, since anyone can answer without being an expert on the books. I'm moving the thread there, where you can continue to read and post. Thank you!

Anyone want to put in their 2 cents?

I don't know how much the hobbits would be affected bu I DO have to wonder about how Gandalf himself would be affected. For all his friends and connection Gandalf is by his nature a loner never settling down anywhere for too long.

Also academically we'd have to look at Why Gandalf was raising the hobbits In Frodo's instance it might just mean Bilbo had died leaving only Gaandalf to care for him though it would be quite likely go live his cousins the Brandybucks meaning they too must have been removed somehow. Frodo would be quite the marose Hobbit.

Sam could conceivably be taken on as an Apprentice underGandalf though wizardry is more innate magic than applicable study so Sam would get the knowledge of pyrotechniques and flames. This may however also improve his Botany skills should he spend any time with "Uncle Radagast"

Merry and Pippin often inseperable would be taken on for their persistance on being Gandalf's pupils. both I think would mature along the same lines as before being from the other side of the river they tended to be more andventurous by nature.

Again though we have to go to why Bilbo isn't in the picture, this has scary ramifications for Middle Earth, did Gollum still have the ring hence Bilbo being caught and killed in Moria? Was he perchance struck dead by Thorin after the theft of the Arkenstone? Is the ring in the hordes of Dale?

And also with his 4 wards to care for how often would he be able to travel and make the meetings and plan the plans that need to be laid out in order to counter Sauron.

Honestly in the scenario I really only see Sam benifitting and tat only temporarily until Sauron gains enough powerto retake Middle Earth and search for the ring unimpeeded.

The scenario here could vary wildly. Gandalf did a lot of traveling - by foot, at that! He had a great deal to tend to during the years in which these hobbits would've been growing up. Do you mean that they were to tag along with him once they were of age? That would've been very difficult, even assuming they could keep up.

If they were raised and kept with Gandalf as he traveled, they would be more adventurous and more mentally/physically suited to handle the things they had to endure during the War of the Ring.

But what about emotionally? For me, the roots they had in the Shire's simple, innocent life spurred them on as they traveled and fought with courage and resilience. This was part of Gandalf's thought process - equipping the Shire to protect itself - and a major theme of the book that is sometimes lost on readers (and more so, viewers!) in the fantasy aesthetics. He did raise them, in a certain way. They grew tremendously throughout the war.

As Gandalf himself says to them at the end of the story:

It sounds like the premise for a bad TV sit-com. You could title it "Raising the Precious" and have Smeagol as the obnoxious next-door neighbor kid, and have Saruman as the cranky old neighbor who always says things like, "You impudent hobbits, stay off my lawn!"