Breanna Nielsen

Torn at the Seams

Humanities 30-1

Mr. Kabachia

3/24/2010

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. In his film, The Return of the King, Peter Jackson develops this idea through his

characters, the collection of defenders of Middle Earth, Samwise Gamgee, and Smeagol, also known as

Gollum. The Defenders of Middle earth, with massive amounts of pressure, and excessive amounts of

fear and doubt, fight to revive their home land, Middle Earth, along with the lives that partake in it, in

order to restore their honor and certainty in their lives, and in the state of existence of their home. Sam

in particular, struggles to prove Frodo of his trustworthiness, due to Smeagol’s tactics of turning Frodo

against Sam, leaving Sam struggling to restore Frodo’s honor and certainty in his actions and intentions.

Whereas Smeagol faces competing demands of who his true “Master” is, Frodo, or the ring, and

struggles to decide whom to restore his honor and certainty in; himself, Frodo, or Gollum and the ring.

The entire film is based upon the Defenders of Middle Earth’s fight to overcome evil throughout

Middle Earth, to assist Frodo and Sam in their quest of destroying the ring, and to restore Middle Earth

to its past state, along with the return of the King. At the start of the film, Theoden speaks to Saruman,

stating that Middle Earth will be at peace again when Saruman has taken responsibility for the lives he

has taken, when the lives of the soldiers, who had died in battle, are avenged, and once Saruman has

been hung and put in his rightful place, then they will have peace. This Statement develops the idea that

the Defenders of Middle Earth are working towards defeating the evil that has overcome their world,

and restoring certainty and honor in the state of their home, along with inhabitants that live in it.

Samwise Gamgee’s constant struggle with Smeagol, leads Sam to have to fight for Frodo’s trust,

and must rebuild Frodo’s respect and confidence in him. Near the start of the film, it is displayed that

Sam sees a different side of Smeagol, his “evil” side, Gollum, which Frodo does not see, causing Sam and

Smeagol to be at odds with one another, putting Frodo in a position of having to “choose sides”. From

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this scene, we can foreshadow that Frodo will have to make a choice between is companion and

protector, Sam, or his guide, Smeagol. Later into the development of the Film, Gollum causes Smeagol

to blackmail Sam, making it appear that he ate the remainder of the food. Sam, knowing he had not

committed what he was accused of, denied it. Unfortunately, because of Frodo’s sympathy and relation

towards Smeagol, he put his trust in the wrong individual, in fear that Sam wanted the ring for himself,

Frodo told Sam to go back home. What Frodo did not know, was that Smeagol would later lead him to a

death trap, and try to steal the ring back for himself. During this time, Sam luckily finds the food that he

was wrongly accused of eating for himself, regains his motive, and sticks to his obligations of protecting

Frodo and helping him along his quest. Sam then restores Frodo’s respect and confidence in him and his

intentions throughout the rest of the film by freeing Frodo when he was taken captive, and leading and

supporting Frodo throughout final days of the quest, which does in fact, lead to their victory.

As for Smeagol, his struggle with competing demands and his inability to be the “Master” of

himself, causes Gollum to take hold of him, and his unbearable desire for the ring takes control of his

actions and thoughts. In the Beginning of the film, Jackson shows Smeagol being introduced to the ring,

his “Precious”, and displays Smeagol’s desire for it so strong, that he kills his friend just so he could wear

it. After this, Smeagol turns into what we see him as throughout the rest of the film, a frail, helpless

body, unable to control himself due to the power of the ring, and the deception of the ring’s creation in

Smeagol, Gollum. Smeagol once says that he has forgotten the taste of food, the sound of nature, and

the feeling of wind, and that he has even forgotten his name, all for his “Precious”. This statement

proves Smeagol’s devotion of honor to the ring, and his certainty and the comfort in which it provides

him. Although Smeagol had promised his devotion to Frodo as well, he does not maintain his honor and

certainty towards Frodo, and lets Gollum and the ring be his leader. Due to his unbearable devotion to

the ring, and the honor and certainty he holds in the comfort that it provides him with, Smeagol is lead

to his death, and is destroyed along with his chosen “Master”, the ring.

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When an individual is faced with pressure, fear, doubt, and competing demands, they struggle

to restore their nobility and surety in the things and people around them. For the Defenders of Middle

Earth, they fought to revive their world, and the lives within it, by fighting against Sauron’s armies,

aiding Frodo and Sam towards completing their quest, and defeating the “evil” that had overcome

Middle earth, in order to restore their respect and confidence in their world as well as their lives. Sam,

not only having to protect Frodo in completing their quest, also has to restore Frodo’s confidence and

respect in him due to Smeagol’s deceiving suggestions, but due to his perseverance, regains his friend’s

honor and certainty in him once again. As for Smeagol, his inability to remain honorable to Frodo, and

his honor and certainty which he held in the ring, lead to the end of his life, and the destruction of his

“Precious”. As individuals who struggle with restoring their honor and certainty, some are not

successful, but others are victorious and develop their respect and surety of their character.