[00:00:00] So I just finished Chapter 9 of The Fellowship of the Ring, and I've gotta say, The Hobbits are so different from the book to the movie. As most of you know, I am reading this for the first time, so these are my impressions based on Chapter 9 or up to Chapter 9 alone. If you like this kind of content and you want more of my essays on all my thoughts on every single chapter, make sure to subscribe and like the video as I am going through every single chapter
[00:00:26] and pretty much doing a short little essay on, you know, my thoughts on the entire chapter. And this chapter in specific made me really rethink The Hobbits. Let's start with Frodo and do like a characterization of Frodo. In the movie, Frodo appears much younger and much more innocent. And so when he becomes a ring bearer, it just feels super dramatic. And then his decision to leave the Shire is even more sudden and reactive rather than a long considered plan like the books have.
[00:00:53] And even within this, while the age of Frodo is portrayed correctly because he didn't really age and Frodo was supposed to look young, movie Frodo has this angst to him that is especially true of coming-of-age stories. He's simultaneously carefree but paranoid. He's also seen as the most responsible one of The Hobbits, even though in the movies he's still a bit foolhardy and brash. But in the books, Frodo is an old man. Well, not really an old man for Hobbit standards, but Frodo is still very wise in the books.
[00:01:23] He's less of an adolescent and more of a young fool in the books, which may seem like a weird distinction, but it feels true. Even though he seems wiser in the books, there are moments where Frodo actually seems a bit more foolish and a bit dumber. Which pushes the idea that maybe the ring is influencing him significantly more than the movies portray. Take, for example, his decision to sell Bag End and then leave for Buckland. It's an incredibly wise move that movie Frodo would not have done, to be honest.
[00:01:51] So that seems like a more wise thing to do. But there's also a bit of foolishness to him. Like in the chapter with the Barrow Whites, when he just goes running out into the fog like an absolute idiot and loses the other three Hobbits. And then on top of that, and I wanted to talk about this chapter in particular, because this is where I noticed the biggest difference in the Hobbits. At the end of the Prancing Pony, Frodo doesn't stop Pippin by grabbing him by the shoulder, but he stops Pippin by making an absolute fool of himself.
[00:02:19] And standing on the table that he's sitting at with Strider, and then he bursts into song after the whole bar starts chanting for him to sing. It feels so much less mature than the movie. But Frodo is also wiser and more mature at the same time. Honestly, it's a bit of an enigma for me to put into words the difference. But I guess both movie and book Frodo are kind of wise and serious and a fool and really immature, but in different ways.
[00:02:46] But movie versus book Sam is a different matter. Because I think this is a pretty true character depiction from the book to the movie. The only real difference is perhaps that Sam in the movies is more like a friend than in the books. Yes, Sam is still a friend to Frodo in the book, but his best friends seem to be Merry and Pippin. And Sam seems kind of like the servant that helps him and feeds him. He's like a little squire for Frodo.
[00:03:11] And he's also a bit more simple-minded in the books, but also simultaneously smarter in the books too. Sam seems to know and get more excited about things like elves. But when they're in the house of Tom Bombadil and the other three hobbits are having terrible dreams, the text says that Sam is essentially sleeping like a log. Which shows that he's viewing this more as a duty rather than anything else. And he can rest easy at night because he's not carrying this burden of the ring.
[00:03:40] But in the end at the Prancing Pony chapter, Sam just kind of comes out of his character and comes out of his shell a little bit. Because he's a bit grumpy and ticked off. And he's very suspicious of the brief folk. But when he has some food in him and some good ale in him, he doesn't really think of that anymore. I keep thinking of him like in a Snickers commercial. Sam seems to be governed a tad bit by his love of the creature comforts of home. And even though he wants to see the world, he still would kind of rather just stay home.
[00:04:09] And I think Sean Astin accomplished this really, really well in the movie. And now Pippin and his differences. Or I think it's better to say difference because I think he has one significant difference from the book to the movie. Because in both, Pippin is seen as young and a bit immature. And he's just fun and easygoing. He's kind of like the person in the group that he makes it lighter and easier for everyone. And he seems to be encouraged by people paying attention to his stories.
[00:04:39] As his depiction at The Prancing Pony, where he seems to be delighted by the retelling of a relationship he has with Frodo, is just really similar to the books. Although in the books he's telling the story of Bilbo's birthday and Frodo stopped him when he's getting close to the part where Bilbo disappears. But the biggest difference I see for Pippin is in his loyalty. When they help Frodo move and Frodo is about to start his journey alone, Pippin speaks up and says some beautiful words of loyalty that they are coming with Frodo.
[00:05:06] He is fun and he's just a good loving hobbit, but he's deeply loyal to Frodo and the friendship that he has with him. And these three hobbits and Sam, Frodo, and Pippin all decide to party on in The End of the Prancing Pony. They all decide they don't want to go to bed yet and they want to get a few more drinks and have a good time. The one who doesn't is the emo, brooding, but fiercely loyal Mariadoc Brandybuck.
[00:05:33] And I have to say, out of the four hobbits, he is by far, to me, the biggest difference from the movie to the book. In the movie, Mary is just seen as the less funny duo of Mary and Pippin. He still seems to lack a bit of sense, but he's mainly there for comedic relief. He doesn't really show a ton of wisdom in his knowledge of the Shire or any of the surrounding country as he does in the book.
[00:05:58] And he doesn't seem like the hobbit who is responsible at all in the foursome that they have. He feels more like an innocent bystander who just happened to stumble into Frodo and decided to tag along on this journey without even knowing anything. But Mary is so different, so different in the book. I was thinking about making this essay solely on Mary, but I think it's more fun to contrast him with the other hobbits, so I just included the others as well.
[00:06:24] Yes, Sam is serious, but this is what book Mary says when the other three decide that they wanted the party. So, refreshed and encouraged, they did feel at the end of their supper, about three quarters of an hour steady going, not hindered by unnecessary talk, that Frodo, Pippin, and Sam decided to join the company. Mary said it would be too stuffy. I shall sit here quietly by the fire for a bit, and perhaps go out later for a sniff of the air. Mind your P's and Q's, and don't forget that you are supposed to be escaping in secret,
[00:06:54] and are still on the high road, and not very far from the Shire. Oh my gosh, Mary is me. I would much rather just sit by a fire, and then go out for a walk, than do anything else like party, or go drink with my buddies. Mary is exactly what I would want to do. And if Mary is not the adult parent of the group, then I don't know how else to classify him. He very much seems like the responsible hobbit of the four, and his decision to join Frodo isn't out of sheer chance.
[00:07:21] It's out of loyalty and friendship to Frodo. I think so far in the book, my favorite line is when Mary says, it all depends on what you want, put in Mary. You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin, to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours, closer than you can keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway, there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the ring.
[00:07:48] We are horribly afraid, but we are coming with you, or following you like hounds. This just seems like a stark contrast to what Mary would do in the movie. But to be fair, I think the actors did great in their roles. And I think it might have just been a bit more essential for a movie that they have certain tropes, as they can't go into the deep details of each character. But I'll end the video by saying, hey, HBO, or actually Amazon, because they own the Lord of the Rings stuff.
[00:08:14] If you want me to write a show for you that is like the Lord of the Rings remade, give me a call. Because I think a show could flesh out these details of these characters a bit more, and make them more complex and interesting as they are in the books. But anyway, let me know what you think of these characters, and what you think of this whole video. And make sure you subscribe if you like this kind of content. As I'm continuing to publish more videos, I'm currently in the Strider chapter, which I'm very, very excited to talk about. But make sure you subscribe, and I'll see you in the next one.