How far could you go?

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...guess what? I'm bringing it up.

I don't think that Shelob or the Paths of the Dead or even Gorgoroth would scare me from going. But I think I'd die before I even get to Lorien. Maybe unable to walk another step, since it's the farthest I've walked all my life. Maybe die of thirst and/or hunger. Maybe killed by the first orc I encounter. Maybe trip and fall and break my neck. Or any other way to die.

In other words, I think I'd manage psychologically but not physically. I'm no Eowyn.

But, on the other hand, it's easy enough for me to say that I'm up for it now in my cozy room with a fride full of food a few rooms away. I don't know what I would say/do if I was in the Fellowship, since, well, I was never in it.

Hmmn, well, the original question was about how much mental strain you could take. But as you say, it's too hypothetical to answer properly. Most of the earlier responses revolve around whether or not the posters see themselves as particularly fearful or emotionally fragile, but all that really does is rule some people out to begin with– it doesn't guarantee anyone else would make it, only that they might.

[sassyfriend]

Wouldn't go to mount doom at all!!!!!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by sassyfriend

Wouldn't go to mount doom at all!!!!!

And be the Fatty Bolger? Hmm...

Another issue, unrelated to all the temptations, is that we already know how everything is going to end. Which might make us either overdo it or not do enough ("the Ring will be destroyed anyways, and nothing will happen tonight, so I can just sleep through my watch..." and then orcs come and kill the whole Fellowship).

On the other hand, though, it does lessen the stress of choices: "sure, Gandalf, we'll go into Moria with you!" "Frodo, you know you have to leave..." "yes, we have to follow the orcs that captured Merry and Pippin, Aragorn!" "Let's take the third road, Frodo!" "sure thing, Faramir! Forget the law!" "same to you, Eomer!" "Aragorn, you have to take the Paths, you have no other way" "Aragorn, you're not going to die, so just go attack Mordor to distract Sauron" and etc.

But even that can go wrong. For example, if your choices work as reverse psychology on the others...

I mean, all these time-travel movies teach us... what? Don't mess in the past if you know the future!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

And be the Fatty Bolger? Hmm...

Another issue, unrelated to all the temptations, is that we already know how everything is going to end. Which might make us either overdo it or not do enough ("the Ring will be destroyed anyways, and nothing will happen tonight, so I can just sleep through my watch..." and then orcs come and kill the whole Fellowship).

On the other hand, though, it does lessen the stress of choices: "sure, Gandalf, we'll go into Moria with you!" "Frodo, you know you have to leave..." "yes, we have to follow the orcs that captured Merry and Pippin, Aragorn!" "Let's take the third road, Frodo!" "sure thing, Faramir! Forget the law!" "same to you, Eomer!" "Aragorn, you have to take the Paths, you have no other way" "Aragorn, you're not going to die, so just go attack Mordor to distract Sauron" and etc.

But even that can go wrong. For example, if your choices work as reverse psychology on the others...

I mean, all these time-travel movies teach us... what? Don't mess in the past if you know the future!

Well, I think the point was to try to predict what we would do if we didn't know the outcome - i.e. if we were in the same situation as the characters are; not like if we were right now, with all our Tolkien-related knowledge transported into Middle-Earth. Otherwise it loses its point, I would say. The point is exactly to try to figure out how you would act in such a situation. Of course your thinking is biased already, perhaps even subconsciously, by you having read the books, but some amount of good guessing is possible still for sure.

[sassyfriend]

I'd go with the fellowship willingly but I would be scared to death of becoming a Boromir even though I love Boromir to death! Physically it would be very trying on me not only am I hobbit sized( think i might be a tiny bit taller? ) I also have aritis and other health problems, but I would try my best to go to the ends of the earth with them even if it was with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. And I Hate Spiders with a passion I am terrified of em thanks to shelob!!!!!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Well, I think the point was to try to predict what we would do if we didn't know the outcome - i.e. if we were in the same situation as the characters are; not like if we were right now, with all our Tolkien-related knowledge transported into Middle-Earth. Otherwise it loses its point, I would say. The point is exactly to try to figure out how you would act in such a situation. Of course your thinking is biased already, perhaps even subconsciously, by you having read the books, but some amount of good guessing is possible still for sure.

Well, thinking realistically, half of us would go down with colds and things like that, simply because we are used to our warm comfy beds, heating, and that sort of things.

And even more realistically, I'd drown myself in the Midgewater Marshes. Can't stand mosquitos in large quantities. And no bug-spray available in ME.

[sassyfriend]

That would be very bad!!!!! Don't like things that can bite without u being able to get away from em!

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by G55

Well, thinking realistically, half of us would go down with colds and things like that, simply because we are used to our warm comfy beds, heating, and that sort of things.

Originally Posted by sassyfriend

Physically it would be very trying on me not only am I hobbit sized( think i might be a tiny bit taller? ) I also have aritis and other health problems, but I would try my best to go to the ends of the earth with them even if it was with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. And I Hate Spiders with a passion I am terrified of em thanks to shelob!!!!!

Just a note: the original poster, Lady Snickerdoodle stated (in a follow-up post) that the question meant "how much mental strain could you take?" It's not a question about your physical hardiness or combat skills or anything like that.

[sassyfriend]

Not sure how mentally tough i would be