There are two figures in the books that the ring has no power over, Tom Bombadil and Sam, both give up the ring willingly, neither are touched by its power, Bombadil is thought by some to be analogous to God, unsullied by desire and yet still powerful beyond almost any other, the first one who saw the begining of middle earth, Sam is driven by his love for Frodo, it is the driving narrative of all three books, without Sam Merry and Pippen wouldn't have know about the quest (in the books Merry and Pippen are Frodo's equal, young men not idiots), through all three books Sam is the constant source of Frodo's strength, who at every turn enables the quest to continue
|