Tolkien and the Monsters

[Legolas]

Why do orcs present a problem with redemption? Tolkien said orcs and anyone else could be redeemed - even Morgoth, though he wouldn't.

Sauron and the Balrog are corrupted Maiar, but not "born" evil just like Saruman, Gollum, and the Nazgul weren't - they all fell to evil after desiring power. They all fall in the same boat.

The Barrow Wights are evil; they weren't just creatures that protected their ground. They were soldiers manning their post, as instructed several hundred years ago.

Old Man Willow isn't what I'd call evil. He's just grumpy and overprotective - for good reasion, I think. Look at the dwindling forests now. The Watcher of the Water is somewhat similar, but I don't think of it as a person or character with the sort of thought processes the others have.

and that she did not acknowledge or care about Sauron's claims to sovereignty (which makes her a lot like the good guys, now that I come to think of it).

This definitely doesn't make her good, though (not that you implied such). She isn't necessarily upset with Sauron and looking to destroy his empire. She just wants to eat. Remind you of someone? (; It's exactly the same case with her ancestor, Ungoliant, that did not care for Morgoth's power. She just wanted to keep her stomach full.