Lighthearted Company

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey now has a full trailer and it looks like Peter Jackson still doesn’t suck at making movies so that’s definitely good news.

Being the iconic film-maker that he is; Peter Jackson is starting to document his film making via blogging and so far it looks like he is doing a real bang-up job on such a nostalgic tale so hat’s off to him.  For those of you unfortunate folk who do not know The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is one of two films currently being shot  that is based off of J.R.R. Tolkein‘s world renowned novel entitled The Hobbit which takes place in the same world (Middle-Earth) as the academy award winning Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  The film will star titular character Bilbo Baggins played by Martin Freeman, Gandalf the Grey played by Sir Ian Mckellen and a small but very cheerful company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakensheild played by Richard Armitage.  Given the delight-filled spirit of this whole thing lets take a look at incorrigible combo Bilbo Baggins and his dear and old friend Gandalf the Grey.

Gandalf the Grey later known as Gandalf the White is an Istari or Wizard, a race of superior beings that were chosen to aid the people of Middle-Earth in the fight against evil.  Gandalf is the wisest and most powerful of the Five Wizards, and has spent much of his time on Middle-Earth learning, teaching, reading, and studying.  Upon entrance into Middle-Earth, Gandalf (Olorin) spent a good thousand or two years walking among the elves as a stranger and learning from them and teaching them.  He later revealed himself as an Istari:

“Warm and eager was his spirit (and it was enhanced by the ring Narya), for he was the Enemy of Sauron, opposing the fire that devours and wastes with the fire that kindles, and succours in wanhope and distress; but his joy, and his swift wrath, were veiled in garments grey as ash, so that only those that knew him well glimpsed the flame that was within.  Merry he could be, and kindly to the young and simple, yet quick at times to sharp speech and the rebuking of folly; but he was not proud, and sought neither power nor praise… Mostly he journeyed unwearingly on foot, leaning on a staff, and so he was called among Men of the North Gandalf ‘the Elf of the Wand’. For they deemed him (though in error) to be of Elven-kind, since he would at times work wonders among them, loving especially the beauty of fire; and yet such marvels he wrought mostly for mirth and delight, and desired not that any should hold him in awe or take his counsels out of fear. … Yet it is said that in the ending of the task for which he came he suffered greatly, and was slain, and being sent back from death for a brief while was clothed then in white, and became a radiant flame (yet veiled still save in great need)

Gandalf is the wisest of the Maiar. He was known as Olórin, who sometimes dwelt in the gardens of Irmo and was the pupil of Nienna, who taught him wisdom and pity, and of Manwë and Varda. When the Valar decided to send the order of the Wizards (also known as the Istari) to Middle-Earth, Olórin was proposed by Manwë and Varda, in order to counsel and assist all those in Middle-earth who opposed the Dark Lord Sauron.

Powerfully intelligent, infamously wise, highly pragmatic, rightfully skeptical, and extremely analytical Gandalf makes for a dynamic example of a Rational.  Indeed Gandalf’s never-ending quest for wisdom and knowledge mirrors that of the Rational.

Rationals prefer to remain calm, cool, and collected.  And if they cannot avoid these emotional states, they will try hard to avoid letting their concern, excitement or enthusiasm showSPs, SJs, and NFs are puzzled more by this seeming unflappability in trying circumstances than by any other trait of the NT character.  Indeed, because they are reluctant to express emotions or desires, Nts are often criticized for being unfeeling and cold.  However, what is taken for indifference is not indifference at all, but the thoughtful absorbed concentration of the contemplative investigator.  Just as effective investigators carefully hold their feelings in check and gauge their actions so that they do no disturb their inquiry or contaminate their results, so Rationals are prone to examine and control themselves in the same deliberate manner, being careful to avoid reading their own desires, emotions, and expectations into their observations.”  — Please Understand Me II, p. 188

Quote1.png A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to. Quote2.pngGandalf the Grey

Bilbo Baggins, on the other hand, is a very friendly and well-mannered Hobbit who like all his hobbit brethren, is “fond of food, drink, a full pipe, his friends and good cheer, and was known for greeting friends and family with hospitality saying “At your service and your families”.

Being related to both the Tooks and the Baggins’: two family groups that were fundamentally opposite in their mentalities, with the Tooks being more fond of adventures and wandering, and the Baggins who were more fond of the settled life, Bilbo had two different sides to him something he referred to as the “Took side” and the “Baggins side”.  This meant that he secretly relished having adventures but still wanted to remain settled and was very afraid.

Warmly hospitable, extremely dependable, surprisingly courageous, and unabashedly concerned Bilbo Baggins is a classic Guardian.  Indeed Bilbo spends half of The Hobbit voicing his concern and pessimism for the adventure he was forced into, but turns out to be the most courageous and stoic of them all.

“This is not to say that Guardians don’t lighten up and have just as good a time as others. SJs can have a great sense of humor, lots of friends, and will usually cultivate a full and satisfying social life.  But even when giving a party Guardians can find things to worry about.  Bilbo Baggins, Tolkein’s hospitable little hobbit, enjoys having friends over for tea, but frets about invitations services and supplies.”   — Please Understand Me II, p. 97

Quote1.png He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself.  He had  a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he…found himself scuffling off to the cellar to find a pint beer-mug. and to the pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had baked that afternoon for his after-supper morsel.  As the host, he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful. Quote2.png

The Hobbit

Both Guardians and Rationals share a deep devotion to their work.  Though the pair works quite well together professionally like that of Holmes and Watson, they also make for very close friends:

“Good morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it.  The sun was shining, and the grass was very green.

But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out farther than the brim of his shady hat.  “What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”

“All of them at once,” said Bilbo.

— The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is slated for a December 14, 2012 release.

Don’t forget to catch Game of Thrones tonight at 9 Eastern on HBO or hit us up on twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/Keirseydotcom.

4 thoughts on “Lighthearted Company”

    1. Great question!! I’ll have to get back to you on that. It was so long ago that I read the books I am thinking about reading them again before the movies come out.

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