Expository Writing: Critical/Analytical Responses to Text #2

1. Breanna NielsenTorn at the SeamsHumanities 30-1Mr. Kabachia3/24/2010<br />When dealing with pressure, fear, doubt, and competing demands, individuals struggle to restore certainty and honor in themselves, others, and in the state of the world itself, along with the lives which inhabit it. In his film, The Return of the King, Peter Jackson develops this idea through his characters, the collection of defenders of Middle Earth, Samwise Gamgee, and Smeagol, also known as Gollum. The Defenders of Middle earth, with massive amounts of pressure, and excessive amounts of fear and doubt, fight to revive their home land, Middle Earth, along with the lives that partake in it, in order to restore their honor and certainty in their lives, and in the state of existence of their home. Sam in particular, struggles to prove Frodo of his trustworthiness, due to Smeagol’s tactics of turning Frodo against Sam, leaving Sam struggling to restore Frodo’s honor and certainty in his actions and intentions. Whereas Smeagol faces competing demands of who his true “Master” is, Frodo, or the ring, and struggles to decide whom to restore his honor and certainty in; himself, Frodo, or Gollum and the ring. <br />The entire film is based upon the Defenders of Middle Earth’s fight to overcome evil throughout Middle Earth, to assist Frodo and Sam in their quest of destroying the ring, and to restore Middle Earth to its past state, along with the return of the King. At the start of the film, Theoden speaks to Saruman, stating that Middle Earth will be at peace again when Saruman has taken responsibility for the lives he has taken, when the lives of the soldiers, who had died in battle, are avenged, and once Saruman has been hung and put in his rightful place, then they will have peace. This Statement develops the idea that the Defenders of Middle Earth are working towards defeating the evil that has overcome their world, and restoring certainty and honor in the state of their home, along with inhabitants that live in it.<br />Samwise Gamgee’s constant struggle with Smeagol, leads Sam to have to fight for Frodo’s trust, and must rebuild Frodo’s respect and confidence in him. Near the start of the film, it is displayed that Sam sees a different side of Smeagol, his “evil” side, Gollum, which Frodo does not see, causing Sam and Smeagol to be at odds with one another, putting Frodo in a position of having to “choose sides”. From this scene, we can foreshadow that Frodo will have to make a choice between is companion and protector, Sam, or his guide, Smeagol. Later into the development of the Film, Gollum causes Smeagol to blackmail Sam, making it appear that he ate the remainder of the food. Sam, knowing he had not committed what he was accused of, denied it. Unfortunately, because of Frodo’s sympathy and relation towards Smeagol, he put his trust in the wrong individual, in fear that Sam wanted the ring for himself, Frodo told Sam to go back home. What Frodo did not know, was that Smeagol would later lead him to a death trap, and try to steal the ring back for himself. During this time, Sam luckily finds the food that he was wrongly accused of eating for himself, regains his motive, and sticks to his obligations of protecting Frodo and helping him along his quest. Sam then restores Frodo’s respect and confidence in him and his intentions throughout the rest of the film by freeing Frodo when he was taken captive, and leading and supporting Frodo throughout final days of the quest, which does in fact, lead to their victory. <br />As for Smeagol, his struggle with competing demands and his inability to be the “Master” of himself, causes Gollum to take hold of him, and his unbearable desire for the ring takes control of his actions and thoughts. In the Beginning of the film, Jackson shows Smeagol being introduced to the ring, his “Precious”, and displays Smeagol’s desire for it so strong, that he kills his friend just so he could wear it. After this, Smeagol turns into what we see him as throughout the rest of the film, a frail, helpless body, unable to control himself due to the power of the ring, and the deception of the ring’s creation in Smeagol, Gollum. Smeagol once says that he has forgotten the taste of food, the sound of nature, and the feeling of wind, and that he has even forgotten his name, all for his “Precious”. This statement proves Smeagol’s devotion of honor to the ring, and his certainty and the comfort in which it provides him. Although Smeagol had promised his devotion to Frodo as well, he does not maintain his honor and certainty towards Frodo, and lets Gollum and the ring be his leader. Due to his unbearable devotion to the ring, and the honor and certainty he holds in the comfort that it provides him with, Smeagol is lead to his death, and is destroyed along with his chosen “Master”, the ring.<br />When an individual is faced with pressure, fear, doubt, and competing demands, they struggle to restore their nobility and surety in the things and people around them. For the Defenders of Middle Earth, they fought to revive their world, and the lives within it, by fighting against Sauron’s armies, aiding Frodo and Sam towards completing their quest, and defeating the “evil” that had overcome Middle earth, in order to restore their respect and confidence in their world as well as their lives. Sam, not only having to protect Frodo in completing their quest, also has to restore Frodo’s confidence and respect in him due to Smeagol’s deceiving suggestions, but due to his perseverance, regains his friend’s honor and certainty in him once again. As for Smeagol, his inability to remain honorable to Frodo, and his honor and certainty which he held in the ring, lead to the end of his life, and the destruction of his “Precious”. As individuals who struggle with restoring their honor and certainty, some are not successful, but others are victorious and develop their respect and surety of their character.<br />