The importance of Tolkien's minor characters

[stickifinger]

It is interesting that what has the most power is never really seen to use it. The only thing we see the ring do (or not see, as the case may be) is turn folks invisible. Other than that, we get no real demonstration of its power. The same goes for Sauron. All we ever see of him is an eye. We only have the word of Gandalf and the elves that he was a bad guy. Wait a minute! What if he was really all right and those people were just spreading lies about him? After all, we never really hear his side of the story.

Just kidding. Don't want to get carried away.

[Lobelia]

Let's hope you ARE kidding, Stickiifinger! If the story took place in the modern world, Sauron would be one of those politicians or big business tycoons who are quite happy to wreck the environment for the sake of money or votes! Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if, somewhere in the depths of fan fiction, there's a Mary Sue tale about how Sauron was redeemed with a hug. A lot of my friends in other fandoms prefer the villains.

[stickifinger]

Yes, I really am kidding just because I love the story as it is. But, what if...?

For the sake of argument, suppose Gandalf and the elves WERE the bad guys. We all know how the story can be skewed by bias. Suppose all the environmental damage was done by the "good guys" attacking Sauron. Suppose he was just trying to defend himself and the little piece of territory they allowed him. Suppose the orcs all had unhappy childhoods because they lived in poverty. What if the hobbits were just gullible?

And I repeat, this is just an exercise in creativity. The story is perfect as is, in my opinion.

[Rimbaud]

Are minor characters performing important plot devices not just that? Plot devices, clumsy or otherwise?

[Essex]

Fordim Hedgethistle, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't what rimbauld saying is kind of what you said (in a round about way) on your earlier post?

I find it quite refreshing that Tolkien uses these minor characters as 'plot devices'. I can't put my finger on WHY, I just do. Maybe someone else will eloquently explain why..............

[Estel'sAngel]

I think that he uses them to show that even one person can make a difference -for good or evil. One small choice can be the difference between life and death, in the case of this book.

Many people say that "it only takes one person to make a difference." Tolkien used that. One minor character helped them on part of their quest. One "minor" character told them an important piece of information. One person gave them food, or shelter. That makes them major characters, in my opinion. True, not the characters that our story focuses on, but major in the way that they influenced the outcome.

Ok, I'm starting to repeat other posts now. So I'll leave it at that!

[Dininziliel]

Essex, I am still rooting among the truffles in The Letters of JRR Tolkien and recently came across the following--it speaks to your wondering about the appeal minor characters as "plot devices"

There are of course certain things and themes that move me specially. The inter-relations between the 'noble' and the 'simple' (or common, vulgar) for instance. The ennoblement of the ignoble I find specially moving.

This is both a nice & ingenious thing to do. It also reflects & illustrates some truths about the world & the plan behind it. For me, another part of the appeal is in thinking that I, too, may one day be considered an ennobled "plot device" in the moving of things in this, the 7th Age. [Hi, Child!]