The Heroic Journey of Peregrine Took.

             The trilogy of the Lord of the Rings includes the Heroic Journey of many characters. The most prominently known of these characters is Frodo Baggins. He is not alone, however, as his hobbit friends each go on individual journeys with him. When discussing heroic journeys within the Lord of the Rings, most people instantly will say "Sam!" Not many of those people ever think that Pippin, or Peregrine Took, also goes on a Heroic Journey of his own, but he does. Pippin does not go through a complete journey, but does go through many aspects of the Heroic Archetype. He goes through multiple challenges; one of the more notable challenges is when he saves Merry and himself from the Orcs that captured them. Pippin's atonement helps many people complete astounding things. His return to the Shire helps save it more quickly and with fewer lives lost than otherwise would have been, had Pippin not been with them.

             Pippin's call to adventure is relatively simple, compared with Frodo's call. Pippin is spurred to go on this journey by his pure love and concern for Frodo. While Pippin knows Sam Gamgee, Frodo's primary helper, will do everything in his ability to help, he also says, "Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon's throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet; but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure" (I, 137).¹ This sentence shows that he truly does care about Frodo, and will help him any way possible, but it also shows just how naive he is. He calls it a "dangerous adventure." He realizes it is dangerous, as he has heard enough about the Ring to realize that, but he also calls it an adventure. The word adventure usually has an uplifting, almost a game-like tone to it. It appears as though that is the way he is using the term. The hero in the beginning of the journey usually sounds childish, as Pippin does here.