The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
read: 2012
Time 100 Novels, Guardian 1000 Novels

In most fantasy novels, the reader is brought into the world by an outsider. Tolkien uses this convention in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The reader doesn't see the world through the eyes of Gandalf or one of the elves, but through a lowly hobbit. This allows him to learn about the world as Bilbo or Frodo does. But partway through The Lord of the Rings, the narrative shifts perspective from Frodo to Samwise Gamgee. This is a sign that Frodo's extended ownership of the ring has transformed him from a simple hobbit we can relate to it into someone wrestling with forces beyond our understanding.

Tolkien's best characters tend to possess a lot of humility. Gandalf knows he cannot possess the ring because it will destroy him. Gandalf is also the only wizard who is interested in the lesser beings of Middle Earth, such as the eagles and the hobbits, and this ends up being one of the major factors in his success. Frodo recognizes his own lack of courage and this inspires his brave choice at the end of book two - he knows he must leave alone with the ring right then because he will not be strong enough to do so later.