[HairOfTheDog]

His early reluctance to risk harm to the ring kind-of makes me wonder how "they" thought he would be able to throw it into the fire after bearing it so close to him and so far... more unexplained foreshadowing-type statements about Gollum to come, I think.

[Overtaxed]

His early reluctance to risk harm to the ring kind-of makes me wonder how "they" thought he would be able to throw it into the fire after bearing it so close to him and so far...

However Gandalf was the only witness to this.

"I will help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours to bear."

Who's jumping ahead now? Hmmmm? Off to Took's Corner with you! Have a chicken wing.

[Penny1]

It does make you wonder, doesn't it?

I find myself wondering if perhaps Gandalf expected or hoped that Frodo would eventually mature and grow in his ability to resist the pull of the ring. In many ways, he does--for example, (MORE SPOILERS) he manages to keep from wearing the ring when the Nazgûl come close to him just outside Minus Morgul.

Also, I wonder if Gandalf never believed that Frodo and Sam would be made to go to Mordor all alone without himself or others of the Fellowship to help him.

I suppose it's all wrapped up in his statement, "Even the very wise cannot see all ends...."

I read a great review of the movie that summed up the idea of the story that the entire task seems entirely hopeless...and grows more and more hopeless as the story progresses. Until at the last, success of ANY kind seems utterly impossible....and yet...success is achieved. It's all about doing the right thing and having faith that it will somehow be enough no matter how impossible it looks.

-penny