LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 12 - Flight to the Ford

[Boromir88]

(Or not--I am sure counterexamples could be found, but knowing the textual history of Book I involved a lot of shifting of hobbit names and roles, I think there could be a shift here, and the previous chapter discussions talked a lot about the hobbit personalities--especially Merry's--and this seems a pertinent addendum thereto.)

Interesting because while reading it this time through, I kept saying to myself "this feels like Sam's chapter." Frodo's still the prominent hobbit, as we get a look into the life of a wraith, by Frodo going through the "wraithing" process. But Sam is the hobbit that gets deferred to the most. He's the hobbit that keeps Frodo grounded in the world of the living and away from the wraith-world. The hobbits (and we) are all surprised when Sam makes up his own silly troll poem:

'Where did you come by that, Sam?' asked Pippin. 'I've never heard those words before.'

Sam muttered something inaudible. 'It's out of his own head, of course,' said Frodo. 'I am learning a lot about Sam Gamgee on this journey. First he was a conspirator, now he's a jester. He'll end up by becoming a wizard - or a warrior!'

'I hope not,' said Sam. 'I don't want to be neither!'

This is Sam's chapter. And some funny foreshadowing at Sam ending up by becoming Samwise the Warrior!

Pippin shows his youth and immaturity in this chapter:

Pippin, not liking to show Strider he was still afraid, went on ahead with Merry.

Then having no idea they were near where Bilbo encountered Tom, William and Bert, and forgetting that trolls wouldn't be outside in broad daylight.

This little bit that Glorfindel said also caught my attention. First we find out that Gildor did quite a bit more towards helping Frodo by getting messages to Bombadil and Elrond. He was more helpful than I originally considered in past readings, and definitely more helpful than Gandalf just pushing Frodo out the door with very little guidance other than he should make for the Prancing Pony and then Rivendell,

"They said that the Nine were abroad, and that you were astray bearing a great burden without guidance, for Gandalf had not returned. There are few even in Rivendell that can ride openly against the Nine; but such as there were, Elrond sent out north, west, and south."

See Jackson might not have taken that much liberty by inserting Arwen. Surely she would have been one that could ride openly against the Nine! In all seriousness though, there were others that Elrond sent out and it just happened to be Glorfindel that found them. Now this just makes me wonder who were the others in Rivendell that went out to search for the hobbits? Erestor? Elladan and Elrohir? All of course just going to be speculation, I would guess his twin sons, seeing as they were the ones who get sent out to scout the road ahead before the Fellowship departs.

[Galadriel55]

In The Council of Elrond, did Elladan and Elrohir not just return from a long mission? Book not with me to check details, but I had the impression they were fighting orcs in the north until the day of the feast. In that case I doubt they could have been "sent" in search of Frodo.

[Boromir88]

Indeed, as I'm just finishing Many Meetings, it says Elladan and Elrohir weren't present because they were away on errantry as they often would be with the Rangers and hunting orcs. Drat...well I guess these other mysteriously powerful Elves, who were sent out to search for Frodo, will just have to remain a mystery.