The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Consequences of the Events at Mount Doom

ainur · 10-12-2002, 12:56 AM

Think of the end of the novel "1984." The one thing that Winston Smith cannot abide is rats. Yet he is forced to sit with his head in a cage of rats until he says "they should do it to her!" (I'm not sure of that quote, it's been a long time since I read it.) He is referring to the woman he loves. It is the one thing the government of that world was waiting for. After that, he can be trusted. He will do what he is told. He was willing to say anything to get away from those rats. Even betray the only thing of any worth he found in his world.
Now think of Frodo doing the one thing that he knew was the most evil thing he could do--claiming the ring for his own. Everything else in his world changes. Everything. Sam is no longer his dearest friend. The Shire has no worth to him. Only the Ring matters. It is his!
I think that if he had simply cast it into the fire, he would have stayed in the Shire until the end of his days. All of his wounds would have been healed in time. It was that one choice of claiming the ring for his own that forced him to give it all up and leave across the sea. It was his eternal guilt that needed healing in Valinor, not some mere knife wound or spider sting. They were just reminders of who he betrayed when he claimed the Ring for his own--his new king and his dearest friend (each in their own way.)
I wonder--did he meet Gollum in the house of Mandos after he got to the Blessed Realm? Did they forgive each other? Was their first conversation awkward? or did they become fast friends, familiars, with a knowing smile for what the other has been through?

10-12-2002, 12:56 AM	#7
ainur Haunting Spirit Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Minneapolis MN Posts: 72	Think of the end of the novel "1984." The one thing that Winston Smith cannot abide is rats. Yet he is forced to sit with his head in a cage of rats until he says "they should do it to her!" (I'm not sure of that quote, it's been a long time since I read it.) He is referring to the woman he loves. It is the one thing the government of that world was waiting for. After that, he can be trusted. He will do what he is told. He was willing to say anything to get away from those rats. Even betray the only thing of any worth he found in his world. Now think of Frodo doing the one thing that he knew was the most evil thing he could do--claiming the ring for his own. Everything else in his world changes. Everything. Sam is no longer his dearest friend. The Shire has no worth to him. Only the Ring matters. It is his! I think that if he had simply cast it into the fire, he would have stayed in the Shire until the end of his days. All of his wounds would have been healed in time. It was that one choice of claiming the ring for his own that forced him to give it all up and leave across the sea. It was his eternal guilt that needed healing in Valinor, not some mere knife wound or spider sting. They were just reminders of who he betrayed when he claimed the Ring for his own--his new king and his dearest friend (each in their own way.) I wonder--did he meet Gollum in the house of Mandos after he got to the Blessed Realm? Did they forgive each other? Was their first conversation awkward? or did they become fast friends, familiars, with a knowing smile for what the other has been through? __________________ Yet all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.