“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” — J.R.R. Tolkien
The first time I watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I was just a teenager. I enjoyed the battles, the adventure, and the mysterious beauty of Middle-earth. But when I revisited the movie years later, one scene hit differently when Gandalf tells Frodo that he must take the Ring to Mordor.
Back then, I didn’t think much about it. But now, that moment feels deeply human. Gandalf, one of the wisest beings in Middle-earth, chooses a small, humble hobbit for the world’s most dangerous task. Why Frodo? Why not someone stronger or smarter?
The more I thought about it, the more I realised Frodo’s journey is not just about fantasy. It’s about what every young person faces growing up: responsibility, fear, identity, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the weight feels too heavy.
The Power of Ordinary Courage
Frodo is not a warrior or a wizard. He’s just… ordinary. But as Gandalf tells him, “You have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.” (Dallas Baptist University, 2010)
That line makes me pause. Frodo isn’t picked because of power, but because of his heart. He represents what Tolkien believed true heroism to be: quiet endurance and mercy (Tolkien Estate, 1963 Letter).
In our own lives, especially during adolescence, we’re often faced with situations that test us. We might not feel “ready,” but like Frodo, we still take a step forward. Courage doesn’t always roar; it sometimes whispers, “Keep going.”
Humility in a World of Power
When Frodo offers Gandalf the Ring, Gandalf refuses, saying that even he would be corrupted by it. (WIST Tolkien Quotes)
Hobbits, on the other hand, live simple lives. They care about gardens, meals, and friendship. Gandalf chooses Frodo because he has humble and unambitious qualities that protect him from the Ring’s temptation.
That reminds me of how growing up often feels like a tug-of-war between wanting recognition and staying grounded. As teens or young adults, we crave importance. But Gandalf’s lesson is clear: humility isn’t weakness, it’s protection. When we stay connected to who we are, the “rings” of power, ego, comparison, and peer pressure lose their grip on us.
Choosing to Be Responsible
There’s a moment when Frodo could have refused. Gandalf doesn’t command him; he lets him choose. And Frodo says, “I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.”
That line reminds me of Erik Erikson’s idea of identity versus role confusion, a key stage of adolescent development where young people discover who they are and what they stand for (Verywell Mind, 2023).
Frodo’s decision marks that turning point. He accepts responsibility not because he’s sure, but because he knows it’s the right thing to do. In a way, every student faces their own “Ring”, the challenge of choosing direction, standing by values, and taking the next step without a map.
Gandalf as the Perfect Mentor
I’ve always admired Gandalf’s balance as a mentor. He supports Frodo, guides him, but never controls him. That’s what makes him such a powerful figure, not because he has all the answers, but because he trusts Frodo to find his own.
Psychologists call this kind of relationship a secure base, a mentor, or an adult figure who provides safety while allowing independence (SAGE Publications, 2020).
When I think about my own mentors, teachers, older friends, and even family, they didn’t always solve my problems. But their trust in me gave me confidence. Gandalf’s mentorship mirrors that: true guidance isn’t control, it’s belief.
Failure Is Not the End
At the end of the story, Frodo doesn’t destroy the Ring himself. The Ring wins, for a moment. But Tolkien later explained that Frodo’s failure wasn’t moral weakness, it was a human limitation (Tolkien Estate Letters, 1963).
This struck me deeply. In school and life, we’re taught to avoid failure, but real growth often happens through it. Psychologists agree that failure builds resilience and emotional strength (PubMed, 1991).
Frodo’s courage wasn’t in being flawless; it was in carrying on despite pain. His journey reminds me that adolescence, too, is full of mistakes that shape who we become.
Returning Home Changed
When Frodo comes back to the Shire, everything looks the same, but he has changed. He tells Sam, “There are some wounds that time cannot fully heal.” That line always moves me.
It reflects what developmental researchers say about identity transformation during adolescence after great experiences, we can’t fully return to who we were (PubMed, 2001).
Frodo’s choice to sail into the West is not about running away; it’s about accepting that growth sometimes means moving on. It’s the same realisation we face when we outgrow old versions of ourselves.
What Frodo’s Journey Teaches Us
Here’s what I take from Frodo’s story and what I believe every student can, too:
- 🌱 Strength is about moral courage, not muscles.
- 💭 It’s okay to be scared and uncertain. Growth starts there.
- 🧙♂️ Good mentors guide without taking control.
- 💔 Failure teaches us resilience.
- 🔄 Change means becoming someone new, and that’s okay.
We all carry our own “rings”, maybe expectations, stress, or responsibilities. But like Frodo, we can learn to carry them with courage, humility, and hope.
Our Own Fellowship
When I think of Gandalf and Frodo now, I see more than just characters. I see a reflection of how guidance and trust help us through life’s hardest transitions. Gandalf’s choice wasn’t about strength, it was about potential. He saw in Frodo what every mentor hopes to see in a young person: heart, endurance, and the ability to choose good even in darkness.
Growing up, we don’t always get to choose our burdens. But we can choose how to carry them. As Gandalf reminds Frodo, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
And maybe, like Frodo, that’s all the courage we need.