The Hobbits from his story are some of the bravest, most loyal, and sacrificial characters to ever be written about. Without fail, they are consistently giving of themselves to help the greater cause; to aid in something that they so easily could back away from. They see that the world is not only about them, but is about each and every individuals freedom and happiness. Over and over again each one of them shows extreme courage in the face of adversity and when given a chance to walk away they remain firm in the quest, never faltering.
Samwise Gamgee, of all the Hobbits, is by far the perfect example of the kind of people we should be. His dedication to his friends and loved ones is admirable while his constant encouragement is the driving force of why Frodo never gave up. He was spat upon, criticized, and judged and never once let that change the way he viewed himself and his purpose in life.
I think our society somehow has created this mindset that we should not be those kind of people. That instead of giving of ourselves, living selflessly, and joining together as a community we should be selfish creatures seeking only for ourselves. In other words, they want us to be like the Orcs: mindlessly wandering about destroying anything that conflicts with our desires and our goals, following blindly the direction of someone who does not have an ounce of concern for them, and would rather live in darkness and despair. When did that become the "norm"? When did it become more acceptable to be vindictive and rivalrous than valiant and respectful?
These are the faces of true heroism, goodness, loyalty, and humanity. Let us be more like them in 2014.
