Into the Wardrobe

I voted for Gollum/Smeagol, because I was drawn in by the way that Tolkien took him from being a purely evil villain in "The Hobbit", to being _almost_ redeemed by the agape love which Frodo shows him, and then, heartbreakingly, falls back into the pit.

Tolkien's comment about how the interaction of Sam & Gollum shows the way that the "good" can make it difficult for the "bad" to repent has haunted me since reading it. I look at people I meet, some of whom are VERY scary, and reflect that their lives may have brought them to this pass, but that they are still people for whom Jesus died. In bringing the character of Gollum to my memory, Tolkien has helped me immeasurably.

Marcus

PS: "favorite character", at least for me, doesn't mean "the one I'd most like to be with". That, for me, would be Faramir. One of the reasons I dislike the Jackson movies is the way he trashed Faramir's noble character for the sake of turning him into a modern, "conflicted" character.

Marcus

I voted for Faramir. I love how he learns of the Ring and still allows Frodo to go and finish his journey. Even though he is tempted by the ring, he over comes it and does the right thing. (Sounds rather like a fairytale, doesn't it ;) )

Tiffany