So there had been some discussion about our favorite characters over in the Excerpts section and I wanted to post here.

I saw Lord of the Rings at the ripe old age of 7 and my favorite character has always been Sam. He's the true hero in my opinion. Frodo never would have gotten anywhere without him, he's the voice of hope, and always there to support his master, and in the end he turns out to actually have more character in my opinion.

I love the quote in the movie where Frodo asks,

"And what hope do we fight for, Sam?"

"That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

I really love all the characters (except for Frodo), but my favorite is Legolas. He has such a magical quality to him that I can't help but admire him.

I also love Pippin...he's funny, witty and eats a lot (like me).
Gandalf and Aragorn are cool too...I have a few "Gandalf" characteristics (loud, in control, told you so, I'm always right) but I can't say I'm as wise as Gandalf. Usually my mouth is bigger than my brain.

So, after that little bunny trail, my favorite character is Legolas! Sam's awesome too, though.

awww! Frodo isn't THAT bad. Elijah Wood just didn't do the best that he could have playing him. In the book, he's actually pretty...sympathetic.

Yes, I agree he was a weakling in the movies. But I still don't like him as a character over all. I don't sympathize well with weakness (I mean like wimpiness, not faults. Those I definetly understand!)

I don't think that many people really like it when a character is weak, but I'd be willing to bet that if Legolas had been the ring bearer, things wouldn't have worked out as well as they did.

Frodo reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:9: But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

No one is without weakness. I think if Frodo hasn't had some, then it would have ruined the book.

In the book, Frodo was actually very very strong, but it was because of Gandalf and Sam, and because he was a hobbit. Sam was the reason he lived so long.

I agree. I guess I just lose patience (now that's a shock) with Frodo. I can really appreciate Sam and Gandalf a lot more than him.

I just have to tell you guys a story. If you haven't already figured it out, I love LOTR. I've read the books twice in a year and a half, and my b-day was watching all three movies in a row. So my mother, brother and I read the books together. I loved them (and did most of the reading). Halfway through the Fellowship:

Mom: Who is Mordor?
Me & my bro die laughing
Mom: Who is he?
More laughing.
Mom: You don't know do you!

Finally, we ended up explaining that Mordor was a place, not a person. Classic.

(Um...wow. I really wish this forum had an emoticon for laughing hysterically. But unfortunately, all I can do is...LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!

That sounds just like something one of my parents might say!)


On another note, would you really like Frodo better if he were a tall, strong, good looking elf? I wouldn't. It would completely destroy what makes the story so magnetic to human nature! It's a tale about an underdog overcoming impossible odds and making a huge difference!

I don't care that Frodo's a hobbit; I don't like his personality, or his psycho-weirdness. If that makes sense. Maybe it's just personal taste.

LOL. Well, I get the part about his personality, and I wouldn't want him for a husband, but I think he's a lot more like the average, every day person than Legolas, or even Aragorn! (I guess I don't get where you're taking the 'psycho-weirdness' from though.)

It seemed to me like the ring "consumed" him so much that he was never the same again. That's the psycho-weirdness I was talking about.

Well...if you'd been through an experience where you were kidnapped by orcs, almost eaten by giant spiders, nearly tortured by a Nazgul, nearly starved, nearly discovered, kidnapped by a Barrow-wight, stabbed by a Morgul sword, etc...I don't think you'd be the same either...

And the Ring DOES leave it's mark on people. I think that was part of Tolkien's point. We never truly escape sin, until we leave this earth. (or in Frodo's case Valinor)

I hear what you're saying...but I still don't like him. I didn't even like him before he got the ring, I guess it's just a personality preference!

My family and I agree. Sam is the awesomest. Josiah was just over here talking about how great he was.

Sam is definitely the best character. Frodo wouldn't have lasted half as long without Sam's loyal support. Eowyn comes in close second, though (from the movies, at least).

LOL about Mordor, Liagiba! That sounds like something my dad would say!

My parents tease about how many times I've read LOTR. My dad will look at me like I'm crazy when I hop in the car on the way to swim practice with The Two Towers in my hand again!

I like Sam too, although he's not my favorite. I have a thing for elves, but I love Aragorn, Pippin, Eowyn & Gandalf too.

Haha, how funny. Everyone seems to prefer Sam over Frodo. Personally, Sam is my least favorite hobbit out of the four in the Fellowship. I know, he's basically the hero of the story, but I don't know... he's just not a charrie I like that well.

I have to admit, Pippin's my favorite. My mouth is as big as his some time...and so is my appetite!

Lol. Ya'll are prolly going to think I'm crazy when I say that I dislike Eowyn.

I definetly do. Is it because of Aragorn? Or why? She's not my favorite, but I still really like her; she's Merry's friend.

I love her style of not wanting to just be another female who bows to every guys' wish and doesn't want to sit and watch the war unfold without doing anything... but I don't know, she's definitely not one of my favorites either.

Yes, I agree. She has guts, she's not melodramatic, and she's one of the characters that I can relate to. Even though I love Legolas, I really can't relate to him. After all, he is an elf. I can relate to Pippin's big mouth and Eowyn's rebellious, men can't do it all attitude.

I don't really think much about relating to charries, myself.
I like Legolas, but I think it's mostly because I love Elves. I'm not sure why, I've just loved them since I got into LOTR. After seeing part of the second movie, I started reading the books, then I read more of Tolkien's books. I think I ended up reading 6 or 7. The LOTR trilogy, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, and part of The Lost Tales... it seems like there was one more, but I can't remember. I also started reading The Tolkien Reader, but it wasn't very interesting. That's why I didn't read any of the HoME (History of Middle Earth) books, because they just didn't interest me.
Between that and reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (and then reading the others Narnia books and watching both movies, and planning on seeing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader next year), I'm pretty much hooked on fantasy (but not in an unhealthy way... I'm not literally addicted or anything). All of the stories I've written so far have been fantasy.

Same here. I love elves, that's why I'm writing my new story...about an elf.

I dislike attributes of her. I like characters that have both bad and good qualities, like real people. The parts that I dislike in her annoy me terribly, but it turns out good in the end by her marrying Faramir.

Hm. I guess the reason that I don't like to read about Eowyn is she is the complete opposite of the woman I want to be... She's out to win fame for herself, she is overly bold, her disconentment with the role of supporting her Uncle and his vision. She's nothing like Arwen, who gently supports Aragorn, and is always there to be his help-meet.

On the other hand, maybe it's good for us to see those two sides in a book, so that we see the contrast...

Exactly. Which is why I like the face that she learns her lesson in the end and marries Faramir.

What you guys are saying must be why I love Eowyn and hate Arwen. Don't kick me off the forum, but I'm Eowyn through-and-through. Although I wouldn't say I'm out to get fame, I am outspoken (perhaps too) and very tomboy-ish. I can't stand Arwen. I appreciate her support of Aragorn, but it always seems like she's content with just staying home and like her abandoning her father is more important than Aragorn risking his life daily for Middle Earth.

I'm actually more like Eowyn, myself, but after reading those posts, I think what I don't like about her is her rebellious attitude. Yes, Arwen abandoned her people, but she also supports Aragorn. I'm sort of a hopeful romantic (yes, I intentionally typed "ful" instead of "less". Think about it ), so I tend to like people like that in books.

Know what you mean. Eowyn is rebellious, but I'd rather be rebellious than subservient.

That really depends on the type of subservient you are talking about, and the type of rebellion that you are talking about. There is a form of both that is sinful, and there is a form of both that are necessary. The good kinds are not mutually exclusive either. Eowyn's problem was that she did not realize that, and it really messed her up.

Outspokenness and tomboyishness, if not counter to God's role for you, is fine. Eowyn did good, but she also did bad because of her mistaken views. Arwen was a hero as much as her: it was her banner that helped encourage Aragorn to do what needed to be done.

Sorry for all my posts on this: I have a little bit of a passion about this.

Arwen did not abandon her people. She chose one of her peoples. Aragorn was as much her family as the Elves (a fact not very well touched on in the movies). She had to choose one or the other, and to accept the Elvish immortality, she would have to reject Aragorn. That would have been as bad as rejecting her father. But in the end, she really did not reject either. The movie skipped out the fact that it was a great honor for her and her father for her to wed Aragorn. Elrond was glad that they wed: Aragorn was like a son to him anyways.

Yes, I would agree that Eowyn's rebellion was a little over the top. The Rebelution is a "good" rebellion (against - duh - low expectations), and a bad rebellion would be agains your parents' authority. I meant by subsurvient like letting your interests, opinion and self be completely overrun.

No kidding about the passion!

I'm just leaving it that I don't like Frodo and Arwen and I do like Legolas, Gandalf, Pippin & Eowyn. *wipes sweat from brow*

If I come across as offensive, or too dogmatic, please tell me and help me to edit. I tend to get rather fired up on this.

No girl has the right to be masculine. That is not what God created her to be. There is an enormous difference between being feminine, and being a girly-girl.

Some people might call me a tomboy, because I love hunting with my Daddy, building boats with him, playing sports, and doing house repairs. But simply because I'm not a glamour puss doesn't mean I can't be feminine!

1 Peter 1:2-5 states "when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands."

This is what Eowyn misses! She rightly despises the idea of a woman sitting at home knitting, and wasting her time with fashion, etc... But she fails to realize that sometimes, submitting, and supporting the man God has put into your life, is far more courageous, and takes far more strength than promoting your own agenda.

I would agree that in the begginning Eowyn's attitude does have a masculine ring, but she learns quickly to be feminine and brave at the same time. I like Eowyn because of that struggle, the same struggle I go through day in day out. I am no prep, and don't want to be one. But at the same time, I don't want to be disgustingly masculine. I want to be a tomboy. I think Eowyn struggled with this too; with a more masculine-ish personality, she lost her femininity. Perhaps it is because of this struggle that I like her so much; her faults are real, and I can greatly appreciate them in my own life.

I would agree with you there. You should be who God created you to be. Eowyn already WAS a shield maiden. She simply wasn't content with that. On the other hand, Eowyn definitely made quite a significant contribution to Middle-Earth history. (killing the Witch-King of Angmar) And definitely changes in the end when she realizes she wants to be a wife.

I don't know that Eowyn's mistake was as drastic as you're suggesting. I think that she did have an attitude, but at least it was an attitude that had a positive motive. I agree that at times she was too masculine, but that made her all the more endearing.

Well, I suppose that comes down to a matter of opinion then. I tend to see her motives as purely selfish. Although, they could definitely be read differently.

I didn't read them as selfish; I read them as loyal to her people, and a little selfish. She feels helpless guarding the men and women, and I think she feels like she's betraying her country. Her loyalty is admirable.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. I think the main thing is that she realizes her mistakes in the end.

I'd agree. Does anyone else like Legolas but me?

You have a very good point there.
I actually should have thought of that before :P... I've read the books several times.

Plus, the Bible talks about "leaving and cleaving" when you get married. A couple is supposed to get married, and form their own family unit, and be one flesh. It's not betrayal or denying your people, it's simply the most intimate relationship aside from that between you and your Creator.

Oh, Lia, I also like Legolas. I forgot to mention that earlier. I also like Merry and Pippin.

Everyone (okay, so mainly you all and my brother Josiah and a few other friends) seems to be talking about Lord of the Rings and half the time I am confused. I only watched the movies once and I was tired when I watched them. So I think I just need to read the book. (I said that to Josiah and he was quite enthusiastic about the idea.) Then maybe I will be able to add something intelligent to the conversation.

Read the book. Thank you for your support--Legolas is cool, as are Pippin, Eowyn & Gandalf. Tell me no one DOESN'T like Gandalf.

Gandalf is awesome. Both as the grey, and as the white.

I like both Legolas and Gandalf. I just like Legolas because he's an elf, not because of Orlando Bloom, mind you :P
I've heard people get annoyed when people like Legolas, because a lot of girls seem to just like the actor, not the charrie.
I like both versions of Gandalf, but I think grey is my favorite.

I don't like Orlando Bloom either, despite the fact that he did a good job in LotR. I like Gandalf the White better because he's more powerful, although I like his personable-ness as the Gray. Yeah, I like Legolas because he's an elf, has a bow, and he's an elf prince. Did I mention, he's an elf?