Tolkien Quotes: The Way That Seems Easier

“You are kind,” answered Frodo. “But I do not think that any speech will help me. For I know what I should do, but I am afraid of doing it, Boromir: afraid. … I think I already know what counsel you would give,” said Frodo, “and it would seem like wisdom but for the warning of my heart.”

“Warning? Warning against what?” said Boromir sharply.

“Against delay. Against the way that seems easier. Against refusal of the burden that is laid on me. Against— well, if it must be said, against trust in the strength and truth of Men.”

When I decided that I wasn’t going to go to college, many different people in my life were upset, with emotions ranging from disappointment to horror. The common consensus seemed to be, “Why are you throwing your life away?!” I tried to explain to some of them, but most were left thoroughly befuddled. Although Frodo’s situation here is completely different, I always think about that part of my life when I read this passage.

Especially a few years ago, the smartest course of action, as far as almost everyone was concerned, was to go to college. Period. However, I’ve known since I was 14 that I want to be a writer, and I’ve known since I was 18 that I wanted to be a traveler. In today’s world of destroyed status quo, the best way to be a writer is to write, not attend college. And I certainly couldn’t travel the way I do if I was attending a university. For me, college would be stalling; it would be the path of least resistance; it would be wrong. Thus, I took a tutoring internship and I never looked back. Years later, with a steady job that allows me to travel the world, I’m so glad I didn’t take the predictable path.

On a separate note, this passage once again highlights Tolkien’s observations about misplaced dependence. Trust in our own strength is not enough— trust in the easiest or the most socially-acceptable or the most obvious decisions are not sufficient. Sometimes, the smartest decision is not the wisest decision. Frodo’s determination to set off for Mordor alone is a fool’s errand. However, as the book later shows, it’s the only way that the mission can be completed. Sometimes, the foolhardy path is the best one to take.

~Lisa Shafter