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Maybe it's just the fact that he's the youngest and mentally still rather childish
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"Childish" is the word, and then some. I can picture standing before a contrite Pippin and screaming:
"Why did you
do that!"
(Pippin shrugs and sulks) "I dunno."
And suddenly Pippin seems like the perfect rationalization for
Periannath infanticide.
But you can't really think that Pippin was that dense, or self-involved. I mean, after facing up to Dark Riders and Barrow-Wrights, you'd think that he would "get it" by then.
I can only think that Tolkien was suggesting that - somehow or other - Pippin was more susceptible then most to the "will" of the Dark Forces. That somehow or other they could influence him to do things that might put the company in jeopardy, even though he could not be compelled to do actual evil. Gandalf did his best day of work when he decided to take Pippin with him to Minas Tirith, far away from Palantirs, Rings, and other magical elements.
Hmmmm...That brings up an interesting speculation: maybe Pippin had some "magical" inclinations, but like the Sorcerer's Apprentice could not exert any control over these inclinations? Just a thought.
[ December 11, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]