This is about the Common view of a Wizard (for example Harry Potter stuff) Vs. Tolkien's Istari. The main point I want to talk about is the Istari staff, since Tolkien really never wrote about the staffs. I think if you want to find out the true Istari, I believe we will have to put away our views of what we feel Wizards are (again Harry Potter).
About the Istari staff, to me, PJ made it seem like the Istari's power was in the staff, which I would have to disagree with. I've always thought the power was in the Istari, and he would need the staff to perform his "magic,"(as I argue on later, I might contradict this, and see really there is no power or point at all for an Istari to be carrying a staff). As we all know Saruman doesn't shoot flaming balls out of his staff (as we will see in ROTK EE, a part I might close my eyes on). But we see Gandalf use some sort of power a few times, he can summon dark clouds, he can cause thunder bolts, he can burst out white light to fend off the Nazgul, but is this really "a spell" or is this Gandalf's revealing "natural" power as an Istari? We never hear of any Istari using energy blasts to kill orcs or whatever. We can see Gandalf use his power but its often used as a scare tactic not to kill or destroy. Saruman's power is similar to that of Hitlers or Churchill, he's a good orater, and can persuade you and in a way put a "spell" on you, with his words. From what was written it seems like the Istari weren't on middle-earth to shoot flaming balls all over the place, they were more there to give council, guidance, wisdom..etc. And I think the reason they were referred to as "wizards" because thats how the ME people thought of them as, as "wizards" they had power that other, normal men, didn't have.
With the whole "staff," thing whether the Istari needed it or not. This is tough because we do see Gandalf use white lights and in Moria he even says he put a holding "spell" on the door.
Quote:
The Bridge of Khazad-dum
"I do not know" said Gandalf "But I found myself suddenly faced by something that I have not met before. I could think of nothing to do but to try and put a shutting-spell on the door..."
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I was thinking the "staff" was a tool they needed in Valinor as a Maia. They bought it to ME, because they grew attatched to it. Part of my job is to work at hockey games and I know players can be come attatched to their sticks, so attatched when the stick breaks they will pay 100's to get it refixed. So maybe the "staff" was important in Valinor and they just brought it with them because they were attatched to them. Who knows maybe there was an importance in the "staff" to me it just didn't seem much use in them.