Guys, I'm finally reading LOTR, and it's the real deal. I read the Hobbit about 5 times, because I don't know why. This time I skipped to what we think of as the trilogy (although it's actually one big book divided into six parts). And I'm embarrassed to admit, but now that I'm reading the book, Gandalf has fallen from the greatest-of-the-greys to, well, kind-of-a-bum in my eyes. Because he gave Frodo bad advice! Bad advice. There, I said it, even about Gandalf, the most beloved character for many a fan. But I'll explain why, so just hear me out. In the beginning of the book, Gandalf bears grave tidings to Frodo. Frodo not only must carry the ring to its destruction, but must fearfully avoid the power of the ring over his own mind, and “keep it secret, keep it safe,” according to Gandalf. Once this responsibility fully sinks in, Frodo spends an entire spring and summer dreading his journey, swallowing lumps in his throat, and keeping it all secret. Now