Sam Marolt

Block 4
Mr. Duerr
Small, Yet Immense!
"You cannot pass!" (Tolkien 429) up the opportunity to read The Fellowship of the Ring,
written by J.R.R Tolkien. Many of its themes play a powerful role in the understanding of the
novel. The many examples make it obvious that even the smallest thing can cause the greatest
impact, evil cannot be used to do good, and finally, that there is strength in numbers.
The most important implicit theme, out of the entire novel, is that even the smallest thing
can cause the greatest impact. In the beginning of the novel Gandalf trusts Frodo, a Hobbit, one
of the smallest races, with the future of Middle Earth. Throughout the book many more people
trust this seemingly small creature with such an enormous task. Elrond asks Frodo if he will "be
the Ring-bearer" (Tolkien 360) continuing to trust such a tiny Hobbit with the destruction of the
Ring. Lady Galadriel also gives encouragement to Frodo, saying she herself would get corrupted
by the Rings influence after so long. Another example of this theme is when Fatty Bolger is
getting attacked by Black Riders in Bree and he runs to sound the alarm. It's not too long before
the alarm was spreading" (Tolkien 239) and quickly took off. If this one hobbit hadn't called the
rest of the town to arms the Black Riders could of done some serious damage looking for Frodo
and the Ring. The Ring in itself is also a small object that can cause a massive impact.
Whomever owns this Ring has the chance of stopping Sauron, or aiding him immensely by
returning this seemingly small thing.
Another implicit theme is that you can't use evil to do good. The Ring is the direct
symbol for this theme. Many beings have tried to use the Ring, every time it's ended with evil
being committed. Smagol had wanted the Ring the moment he saw it. When his "friend called
Dagol" (Tolkien 84) didn't hand it over, Smagol "caught Dagol by the throat and strangled

him" (Tolkien 85). The Ring immediately caused one friend to betray the other. Later on
Gandalf, Elrond, and Lady Galadriel are all given the opportunity to possess the Ring. Each one
in turn rejects using the Ring, knowing that the Ring is a powerful weapon, but are aware of it's
just as powerful corruption. Using such a weapon could greatly help the army's defeat Sauron,
but would ultimately lead to whomever used it becoming another being just as terrible as Sauron.
As Lady Galadriel said "in place of a Dark Lord you will set up a Queen" (Tolkien 473). This
theme is constantly there, but is not referenced as widely. The main references come from the
Ring, unlike the main theme, that continuously appears in new ways.
One minor implicit theme is strength in numbers. Sauron knows that the best way to get
the Ring back is with an army, the bigger the better. Throughout the novel big groups keep
showing up, rarely a moment when someone is by themselves. Even when Frodo was recovering
from his wound in Rivendell "Sam has hardly left" (Tolkien 292) Frodo's side. Frodo had gotten
better, slowly but surely, with Sams company and the aid of Gandalf. When Frodo is ready to
continue his quest Elrond decides that "The Company of the Ring shall be Nine" (Tolkien 360).
Elrond knows that nine Black Riders are chasing the Ring and decides to even out the numbers,
one in the Company for each Black Rider. When one of the Black Riders flies by at Amos Hen
alone it is quickly shot down and taken care of. Earlier, at Moria, Gandalf turns to face the
Balrog alone. He is brought down with the beast into the depths unable to quickly overpower it.
He tells his remaining Company to "Fly, you fools!" (Tolkien 430) knowing that the eight of
them cannot take on such a large amount of orcs. This theme is a more vaguely shown
throughout the novel but is present constantly. The main theme trumps this theme because it
gives out a stronger message, it's shows drastic, obvious, ways small things can have the greatest
impact.

The novel is all around an intriguing read. Critical thinking is definitely needed in order to
find the themes of this novel. The ways such an implicit main theme appears throughout the
novel is a continual surprise. By the end of the book it's impossible not to realize that even the
smallest things can cause such an immense impact.

Works cited
Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings New York:
Houghton
Mifflin,1985. Print.