Who Can Be Trusted?

In class yesterday, we talked about the idea of trust and how to come to conclusions about who could be trusted at the Council of Elrond. We were talking about Gandalf and the trust and respect surrounding his name that qualified him as a voice to be taken seriously. His sense about the Hobbits and their capacity to take the Ring without as much certainty of failure as would likely result if another race had taken it seems to have been one of the biggest factors in the decision to allow Frodo to take the Ring.

We see this same concept in the chapter, "Strider," when the Hobbits meet Strider at The Prancing Pony. Their first impression of him is that he seems dark and mysterious, as though he could be hiding a dark ulterior motive as he watches the Hobbits carefully. Even after Frodo speaks with him and finds that he could have valuable information, all of the Hobbits remain suspicious about where his loyalties lie. It is only after Frodo reads Gandalf's letter explaining that Strider is a friend that Frodo trusts him and allows him to join the group as they travel to Rivendell. Sam remains the most skeptical about Strider's authenticity, but, because he trusts Frodo, chooses to trust Strider. I do think, however, that Sam comes to trust him on a personal level later on as Strider proves his character and faithfulness to his friends.

I do think this concept applies in normal life as it does in Middle-earth, as Dr. Donovan said in class. I've met people through mutual friends and, because of our mutual friend's character, would make assumptions about the kind of person I was probably meeting. Given enough time, I get to know those new friends enough to really know their character, but it is interesting that we make little assumptions based on the type of people they're acquainted with.