What about Samwise?

[Evenstar1]

Okay, I just read the wonderful thread on Boromir (who, I agree, is Totally Fabu!). But one of my favorite, often-overlooked characters is Sam! I cried in the movie when he showed his dedication to Frodo, and I cried all the way through the whole Mordor-section of ROTK. Sam was the ultimate personification of friendship! (Couldn't you just HEAR the music from "Rudy" as Sam carries Frodo the rest of the way up Mt. Doom...? Okay, sorry!)<P>And here's an interesting thought: Why do you think that Sam was not as affected/tempted by the Ring as were Frodo and Bilbo? Was it only because he possessed the Ring for such a short period of time? Or is there more to it than that?

[Aosama, the Wandering Star]

I love Sam too!!<BR>I think he wasn't as affected/tempted by the Ring as Frodo and Bilbo were is mostly because of his simplicity; and too many people confuse simplicity with stupidity. He saw through the Ring's tricks; he knew himself, and though he saw "Samwise the Strong, hero of the age", he didn't believe it. I cried when it seemed that Frodo was dead, more for Sam than for Frodo (but really, it doesn't affect Fro, he's dead. But Sam's gotta live with it...)<BR>Sam rules!

[Hanna_Gamgee]

I agree. I also cryed at the end of the book when Frodo goes to the Grey Havens and leaves Sam behind. I felt sorry for him but luckily he had his wife Rosie to make him feel better. I loved Sean Astin in Rudy and the Goonies.

[Daniel Telcontar]

if it makes you feel better Hannah, and just in case you did not know, Sam is reunited with Frodo in the Undying Lands.

[Merry]

Yea that is a good thing but it is kinda sad when Frodo still leaves Sam. One reason I thought Sam wasn't affected by the ring is because of how true a heart he has. I mean think about it. It's not like anyone thought it was Sam's "doom" to take the ring to Mordor. They all thought it was Frodo's. And yet Sam remained true to Frodo all throughout the ordeal. Even when Frodo "died" (well in Sam's mind at the time) and nobody was left to take it, Sam was still skeptical about whether or not he was the one to finish the job. Sorry if that was a little confusing. But, do y'all see what I mean.

[Nufaciel]

Sam's not my fave (reserved for Boromir and Legolas), but I love Sam. He's adorable, and he's all that you've said.

[Evenstar1]

(Yeah, Rudy was one of my favorite movies, and Goonies was pretty good, too! )<P>I agree with all that you are saying! But think about where that puts Sam in the Big Picture: What would have happened if he hadn't made it onto the boat with Frodo? Or worse: if Gandalf hadn't caught him listening below the window!

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

I think that Sean Astin portrayed Sam wonderfully. One of my favorite parts is his line about "dropping eaves". That made the audience love him right away.<BR>As for him not being tempted by the ring... One thing to look at is by that point Frodo had had the ring for many years, Sam had just taken it & become the bearer then. Had he beared it for as long as Frodo did he may have given in a little more. But, I also think that Sam had a truer heart and he could see the good or bad in people before others.<BR>I, too, cried at the part where Sam thought Frodo was dead. I was thinking, "Oh no! Poor Sam is left in Mordor all alone! Noooooo!!!!!" I had never cried at a book before then.

[NinjaFerret]

Sam... was a good hobbit. His feet were firmly on the ground. He was so truly pleased with himself and his life, he didn't want anything; he was happy with what he had. The same goes for Pippin and Merry. Everyone else in the Fellowship had some greater scheme in his mind. Gandalf wanted to destroy Saruman, Boromir wanted to free his lands, Aragorn was troubled about being king, Gimli wanted to restore the power of the dwarves (he also did not trust Legolas), and Legolas did not trust Gimli. There was much tension and negative feelings within the group; they were thrown together out of desparation (sp?). I got the feeling that Sauron fed off of fear, mistrust, division of purpose, and chaos. So when he encountered beings such as the hobbits, who were so simple and happy with who they were, he did not know how to deal with it. Therefore, he was rendered impotent. That's my hypothesis.

[Evenstar1]

Oohh! Very interesting thoughts about Sauron, Ninja! I think in LOTR (can't remember which book) it refers to the fact that the reason the Dunedain guarded the Shire is to keep it from Sauron's interest. It was mentioned how much Sauron would delight in enslaving a people such as Hobbits, if he ever regained possession of the Ring.

[piosenniel]

Sam reminded me somewhat of Tom Bomabadil's character - very tied into the natural universe, unaffected by the things concerning the war of good and evil.<P>I liked in the movie how PJ portrayed him at first as an unwilling, somewhat immature character, unsure of himself, but at the end of FOTR you could see him starting to mature and providing a staff upon whom Frodo could lean when needed.