The Fellowship begins to break apart. Lothlórien could have been a turning point. It could have strengthened their bond through their mutual loss and bring their musings to a more peaceful place, but instead, it divided them even further.

As the Fellowship is leaving this blessed realm, the Elves present them with gifts of which they could make good use on their journey. Gimli`s gift, however, cannot match even the sharpest blade of the Elves. His interaction with Lady Galadriel is a special one.

How do you cope with loss? Do you let your emotions run free and uninhibited or do you shield yourself from feeling any pain by remaining in control of yourself? Both ways are on display as the Fellowship exit Moria.

Although out of danger, for the time being, the emotional toll takes center stage. Tears stream down Hobbits` faces, Gimli expresses anger trying to break out of Boromir`s arms, while Boromir`s own grief leads him to comfort not only Gimli but the Hobbits as well.

Legolas` eyes unravel deep sadness and Aragorn presses the Fellowship to move on before nightfall. Aragorn`s own pain presents itself as his look lingers after Gandalf has fallen. His is the expression of disbelief.

A rugged Ranger he seems to be, unknown to most inhabitants of Bree. Everyone appears to be respectful around him, letting him be, sitting there in the corner of the Prancing Pony. Right away we get a sense of uncertainty about this particular character, leaning perhaps towards him being after the Ring, given the way he stares at Frodo.

However, after the first fright, he becomes the little company`s guide through the Wild. He takes upon himself to help them along on their journey.  

In the Council scene, there is one other threat that starts to loom. Boromir is the only one who sees the Ring as something positive, something that could be used against the enemy. He is clearly unaware of the power the Ring possesses and the only Master it answers to. Like a moth to a flame, the Ring draws him in.

A light, brighter than the Sun, pure, almost godlike with only a musical female voice introducing it with elegance and enlightenment – Arwen. This beautiful white light is seen through Frodo’s eyes, the same ones that are passing into shadow. As his surroundings grow dark, his eyes perceive her as a beacon of much-needed brightness. Through Arwen, her being, her manner, and her beauty, we are introduced to the Elves of Rivendell.

An incident occurs – a life forever changed. In one excruciating moment, the inner light turns dim. The events that happen in our lives maybe for our benefit or our impediment. Frodo has faced an almost insurmountable obstacle and has surpassed it with the healing powers of Lord Elrond. But how has this event influenced him?

The inner world is an individual’s own personal view of the world. It is most often different than that of any other individual, which in turn makes them unique. My own context is a story that began since birth and has been influenced and shaped by the experiences and knowledge I gained through the years.

Because of this context, my behavior is subject to automatized behavioral patterns that shape me as an individual. Underneath my behavior lie emotions. They are the reason why I behave the way I do. It all begins with them. Happy, sad, jealous, hurt, frightened – whatever the emotion is, it stirs the rest of the body into action.

There exists a parallel world to the known reality of Middle-Earth. Within it a great evil festers, waiting patiently to ensnare another carrier of its world`s portal, the Ring. This reality is a much more “members only” zone, where few enter and remain sane to tell the tale.

The power of this dark world gathers all evil to it and corrupts susceptible characters to its will. None are important only the Lord of the Ring himself, everyone else is a simple pawn in his chess game. Corrupting Peoples is not all that hard, as it turns out. They all only strive to gain power. So, the take-over formula is to simply promise a share of the power or, even better, manipulate to a point of disease and disarm.

A simple wedding band it appears to be, unadorned, round, plain. Its main inspiration was the wedding ring of Rick Porras. He was in love with its shape and recommended it to be the One Ring. Ever since then, it has been celebrated in many different ways, from jewelry to screensavers. Hell, I even have one dangling on a chain against a Tolkien calendar. It has penetrated into the mainstream consciousness. But with all of its popularity, it is one of the most complex items put on screen. How does one bring a normally inanimate object to life? How does one impress upon the viewer the power of this golden band?

When the reality one lives in becomes unbearable, or one is simply fed up with having to play a certain role in it, the mind tries to escape it. It focuses all its energy on more delightful and perhaps fictional surroundings, enabling a life one can`t wait to live.

This behavior can be damaging, not only for oneself but for others as well. The more one is absorbed in this particular reality, the more the non-fictional reality becomes a nuisance. Others are given a place on the sidelines and treated as outsiders, and even enemies, trying to penetrate this “fictional” reality. One feels misunderstood and therefore reduces communication to its bare minimum.