Red, wasn't Smeagol cast out after he found the ring? Not that I'm disagreeing, he must have been quite nasty to strangle his friend after only seeing the ring for a few seconds.
The hobbits of the Shire hadn't really had much of a chance to show how good or bad they were by nature, there had been little hardship since they settled there. While there was no real evil in or near the Shire, there were some less desirable personality traits e.g. jealousy, selfishness, greed.
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Fearlessness is better than a faint-heart for any man who puts his nose out of doors. The length of my life and the day of my death were fated long ago.
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