“Mr. Frodo… There is something You don’t know about The Ring!”

The Lord of The Rings, written by J.R.R Tolkien and directed by Peter Jackson, is a trilogy that changed the landscape of modern day movies and revolutionized the film industry forever. The Trilogy consists of three movies including, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of The King. During the 556 minutes of total run time, the audiences are able to enjoy the spectacular visuals and its breathtaking actions that captivate their attention.

However, we simply cannot judge the greatness of a film by just looking at its visuals. It is what’s inside that matters. There are couple central themes that Tolkien and Jackson portrays throughout the three movies. That is no other than friendship, heroism and righteousness.

The value of friendship can be seen through the relationship of Frodo and Samwise Gamgee. Both characters come from a town called The Shire. There are no problems in The Shire. The transition from such a utopic world to encountering the darkest form of evil, and battling Sauron and his Army was extremely challenging for both Frodo and Samwise.

Secondly, heroism is portrayed heavily in the movie. Even though many consider Frodo or Sam to be the Hero of the film, their actions do not qualify them as “heroes.” Frodo is defeated by the ring by putting it on his finger in triumph instead of casting it into the pit. The Ring was only destroyed because of Gollum’s interference. Unfortunately for Samwise, he does not bear the same burden that Frodo does, despite his courageous attempts to share it with him. However, the true definition of “Hero” in The Lord of The Rings trilogy is Aragorn. According to Staffer, “He consciously chooses to set forth from a common world into a conflict with supernatural forces… He wins a decisive victory and returns to his people with the power to set right the wrongs wrought by Sauron’s influence on the world.” Therefore, Aragorn is the character that shows what it means to be a real hero.

Lastly, The Lord of The Rings establishes a sense of moral righteousness. Throughout the movie, the definition of right and wrong is very clear. For example, it is right to go on adventures with your friends, it is right to stand up for your friends when in danger. However, Jackson also tells us that stealing, committing a treason, acting selfishly is incorrect and wrong. This type of message reminds the adults to think about their actions that they have taken in the past, and feel regretful towards it. However, Tolkien and Jackson’s main focus lies with the kids. By delivering a strong message, and setting a clear boundary to what is right and what is wrong, it allows the kids to visualize the consequences of their actions. Morals values/ideals are often created at a young age. Jackson does a fantastic job leading the kids to make correct decisions and contribute to the overall good of the society in the near future.

<Scott Hong Fairmont Prep 10th Grade>