LotR -- Book 4 - Chapter 10 - The Choices of Master Samwise

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I think where I've got to in all that I've said here is that yes, the characters are subject to fate, and yes, they must also willingly choose to follow that fate rather than stay at home with their feet up, but at the root of everything, they are indeed pawns, but they are Tolkien's pawns. I shan't say any more because that's a big hole I've climbed into.

Indeed.

Your post was cause for me to change my sig.

Sorry if I'm repeating what others have said, since Lal's is the last post I've read so far, but there is one way that Evil can win over Good, and that is for Good to succumb to such vices as cowardice, pride, vanity, chosen ignorance; in a phrase, to refuse to do what it should when called upon. Authorial sovereignty? Into the big hole we go....

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

...perhaps I have lobbed a few explosives...

ha ha! "lobbed"? Surely that was on purpose?

The sexual undertones of Shelob's defeat at Sam's hands was not lost on me this time around. I found it interesting that our little hero has not lost his "sting". But where is Gollum? Hiding? Fallen? Why is he not anywhere to be found at this point, considering that he shows up again later?