XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: hayesstw@telkomsa.net   
      
   On Sat, 4 Aug 2012 04:37:55 +0000 (UTC), Lewis   
    wrote:   
      
   >In message    
   >  Steve Hayes  wrote:   
      
   >> Though I haven't seen the films (I don't want them to mess with the pictures   
   >> in my head), I think the thing that really makes people see them   
   superficially   
   >> is computer games of the 1980s and 1990s, when people ask about the relative   
   >> "powers" of the likes of Gandalf and Sauron as if it is "power" that counts.   
   >> To do that is to miss the point of the story, which is that Sauron is   
   >> defeated, not by power, but by weakness.   
   >   
   >I've always maintained that the essential point<1> of the book is that   
   >Frodo *fails* in his quest. In the end, the ring is too strong and Frodo   
   >is corrupted by it. This is something that many people don't seem to   
   >understand, despite it being made painfully obvious, or they gloss over   
   >it. It is also important that despite Frodo's ultimate failure, he is   
   >still rightfully hailed as a hero.   
      
   Which accounts for the failure of most revolutions intended to bring down   
   tyranny.   
      
   >Does anyone other than Sam know the whole story? Does Frodo carry his   
   >failure as a shameful secret or not? Should he be ashamed? Gandalf   
   >certainly would not think less of him, but would the others?   
      
   How well do those points come out in the film?   
      
      
      
   >   
   ><1> Well, one of several dozen "essential" points.   
      
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   Steve Hayes   
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