Gollum is the persona Sauron saw in those lesser than him. Weak in mind and easy to folly.
Correct, and that was ultimately Sauron's undoing.
Gollum was really good at riddles.
Any who would entertain him instead of go "ACK! Monster! Kill the fiend" would eventually discover he was indeed an individual who had simply fallen to his sins. Gollum still enjoyed a riddle, despite eating fish raw and wriggling and gleefully murdering innocent people if given the chance.
You're right, Bilbo spared him. Twice. He resisted the urge to just slaughter him or flee on the spot as well as kill him after a long conversation and riddle challenge gave him a chance to strike a killing blow.
Bilbo saw worth in the worthless, and his ultimate goal was to just let him be as he was.
Despite Gollum proving himself only momentarily capable of good, he was admittedly instrumental in destroying the ring. Without Gollum's help, Frodo and Sam would never have been able to make it to the End of all Things.
It is not for the good alone that we accomplish our goals. Sometimes, we do great things in SPITE of our sinful nature. It's the harder path.
There's two ways to move a wagon -- push and pull. Some pull (the virtuous) and have an easy time avoiding their sinful ways. Others push (the sinful), and must challenge their sins head-on to proceed.
All that matters is that you don't give up and don't stop moving the wagon or try to dupe some other sap into pushing your load for you.
Correct, and that was ultimately Sauron's undoing.
Gollum was really good at riddles.
Any who would entertain him instead of go "ACK! Monster! Kill the fiend" would eventually discover he was indeed an individual who had simply fallen to his sins. Gollum still enjoyed a riddle, despite eating fish raw and wriggling and gleefully murdering innocent people if given the chance.
You're right, Bilbo spared him. Twice. He resisted the urge to just slaughter him or flee on the spot as well as kill him after a long conversation and riddle challenge gave him a chance to strike a killing blow.
Bilbo saw worth in the worthless, and his ultimate goal was to just let him be as he was.
Despite Gollum proving himself only momentarily capable of good, he was admittedly instrumental in destroying the ring. Without Gollum's help, Frodo and Sam would never have been able to make it to the End of all Things.
It is not for the good alone that we accomplish our goals. Sometimes, we do great things in SPITE of our sinful nature. It's the harder path.
There's two ways to move a wagon -- push and pull. Some pull (the virtuous) and have an easy time avoiding their sinful ways. Others push (the sinful), and must challenge their sins head-on to proceed.
All that matters is that you don't give up and don't stop moving the wagon or try to dupe some other sap into pushing your load for you.