That quote from Tolkien - where he discusses Gandalf’s sacrifice - is one of my favorites. Gandalf’s death and resurrection can seem like such an event of cancelled action (why remove the character from the events of the story, just to undo that removal?) but that quote from Tolkien brings it into a new light. Gandalf is what Saruman should have been. Where Saruman glorified himself, Gandalf sacrifices himself. Where Saruman locks himself away from danger to become a controlling Power, Gandalf puts himself in danger and gives up his place in the story entirely. Gandalf’s sacrifice, then, is not just something he does - or an event of cancelled action - but instead the exemplification of the very thing that sets him apart from Saruman and shows him as Wise, Noble, and Empathetic.
The distinction between perceiving someone's thoughts versus actually feeling with them hits hard. Sam's journey from shrewd perception of Gollum's motives to finally experiencing empathy shows how intellectual understanding isn't the same as moral wisdom. Makes you think about how often we confuse being able to predict someone's behavior with actually understanding them on a human level, like we've figured out the puzzle but missed the person.
I am glad you quoted Frodo's warning words to Gollum at the Black Gate, that Frodo would use the evil power of the ring to command Gollum to cast himself into the fire. It was Frodo's use of the ring (in a way Boromir chose) that condemned Gollum. Empathy without pity. Sam's lack of empathy was not the cause.
A great conclusion to a really thoughtful series. I'll keep this in mind for my next reading. Mulling over: mercy is not always common sense, but is required of us, and is what we ourselves have received.
That quote from Tolkien - where he discusses Gandalf’s sacrifice - is one of my favorites. Gandalf’s death and resurrection can seem like such an event of cancelled action (why remove the character from the events of the story, just to undo that removal?) but that quote from Tolkien brings it into a new light. Gandalf is what Saruman should have been. Where Saruman glorified himself, Gandalf sacrifices himself. Where Saruman locks himself away from danger to become a controlling Power, Gandalf puts himself in danger and gives up his place in the story entirely. Gandalf’s sacrifice, then, is not just something he does - or an event of cancelled action - but instead the exemplification of the very thing that sets him apart from Saruman and shows him as Wise, Noble, and Empathetic.
The distinction between perceiving someone's thoughts versus actually feeling with them hits hard. Sam's journey from shrewd perception of Gollum's motives to finally experiencing empathy shows how intellectual understanding isn't the same as moral wisdom. Makes you think about how often we confuse being able to predict someone's behavior with actually understanding them on a human level, like we've figured out the puzzle but missed the person.
I am glad you quoted Frodo's warning words to Gollum at the Black Gate, that Frodo would use the evil power of the ring to command Gollum to cast himself into the fire. It was Frodo's use of the ring (in a way Boromir chose) that condemned Gollum. Empathy without pity. Sam's lack of empathy was not the cause.
A great conclusion to a really thoughtful series. I'll keep this in mind for my next reading. Mulling over: mercy is not always common sense, but is required of us, and is what we ourselves have received.