Comparing The Transforming Journey Of Two Unlikely Heroes

The Transforming Journey of Two Unlikely Heroes
In the Harry Potter and Lord of the rings series, both Neville Longbottom and Samwise Gamgee start their journey as undervalued people that undergo metamorphosis evolving into heroes. At the beginning of their respective journeys, Neville and Sam are viewed as ordinary people. Both are everyday characters who rise to fulfill heroic roles, motivated by loyalty, integrity and the love for friends. When the story begins, Sam is a simple gardener, born into a family of no significance who has never stepped foot outside of his homeland, the Shire. On the other hand Neville, is introduced to the readers as the definition of ineptitude. Neville, is best described as clumsy, shy that has very low-self confidence that changes into a leader, hero and a major reason
for Harry's defeat of Voldemort. Although, Sam and Neville undergo two different routes on their path to heroism; but, share similar experiences that shed light on their transformation.
Both Samwise and Neville, start their journey very docile and unsure of what is to come.

As Sam is by no means articulate, but is bumbling, apologetic, and skeptical, mostly because of his limited geographic knowledge.

Neville is the chubby, clumsy and is known for forgetting the most simplest things. Neville’s first test of character was a simple circumstance everyone comes to but many avoid, he decided to confront his friends with a difference of opinion. They wished to break the rules he wished them not to. His opinion nearly became a fact when Neville attempted to barricade the exit with his body to prevent the others from disappearing into a midnight corridor in violation of the house rules. By contrast, Sam feeling of insecurity creeps up for a moment when

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Neville and Sam, both wrestle with the burden of hesitance and insecurity when starting their road to heroism. For Neville, the sorting hat took a long time to choose Neville’s fate and decided to put him in Gryffindor. Neville was intimidated by his perceived ineptitude of the bravery that was predicted for the members of Gryffindor. And even tried to argue the case that he should be placed for the Hufflepuff house. In Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “Men Halflings and Hero Worship”, points out how Sam felt when he calls himself, “luggage in a boat” (Bradley 84). This reveals how, Sam reduce himself as the dead weight of the baggage in the boat. This show his reluctance and the unsurety of what’s to come. For both Neville and Sam, felt hesitance of what was ahead and if they were up for the challenge.
By contrast, the aspect that makes Sam and Neville different is the relationship they develop to the central figure of the story, Harry Potter and Frodo Baggins. In the beginning, Harry has little interest in interacting with Neville. For the first couple of books, Neville is seen as the stuttering, bullied kid that is accident-prone. Overtime, their friendship develops into a mutual respect for each other. Also, Neville has small, integral part in the series that have a huge impact. Nevertheless, Neville doesn’t go on all of the endeavors that Harry Potter does. Unlike, Sam who sticks with frodo every step of the way through unbearable times. Sam relationship with Frodo, is the master and servant type. It is through this mission where they are constantly on the brink of death. Their friendship becomes so deep that not even Sauron could tear it apart. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom never had that dynamic with Harry.

Throughout both of the series, Neville and Sam, display unfaltering loyalty toward the main character. Sam immense loyalty for Frodo is clear, when he “never considers leaving Frodo alone and going back to his dear country” (Gracia 67). When Frodo decides to go to Mordor alone, Sam nearly drowns to accompany him. In Peter Jackson’s movie, Sam attempts to swim, and Frodo pulls Sam out of the water onto the boat and Sam exclaims: "I made a promise, Mister Frodo. A promise!” (Jackson, 30) Sam shows just how loyal he is by putting his life on the line for a promise. Marion Zimmer Bradley argues that Sam doesn’t see his friendship to Frodo as an “attachment is not to an object, but to a person” ( 67). This shows that Sam doesn’t have ulterior motive but to finish the journey with his friend. This shows how much he cares about the fellowship and Frodo and his “love translates into loyalty”(67). Neville’s most apparent display of loyalty is when the survivors of Hogwarts, see Hagrid holding a dead Harry Potter and a sea of hopelessness washes over the people of Hogwarts. Neville risks his life and breaks from the crowd and attempt to charge at Voldemort. He shows how faithful he is, even after Harry’s presumable death. Neville even stands up to Voldemort, when he tries to recruit him to be a death eater by saying, “I’ll join you when hell freezes over” and shouts, “Dumbledore’s Army!”(Rowling, Deathly 731) Both characters and the choices they make, accept the possibility of death for the purpose of the greater good. They show resilience and strength in the moments that are the most strenuous.
Sam’s metamorphosis is evident, when Shelob presumably kills Frodo and the fate and future of middle earth is in his hands. Sam is the embodiment of bravery when he takes on Frodo’s task as ring bearer. When he thinks Frodo has died, he is plagued with the choices of what to do next:
So compelling is that only in retrospect has it become apparent how Sam choices here foreshadow his final status. One by one he forsakes the other possibilities; vengeance, suicide...return for wiser counsel; take the Ring and complete the Quest. Although knowing its full terrible power, Sam chooses the last possibility. Even Aragorn and Gandalf had feared this test. (Bradley 86)
Sam takes up the ring when he hears the orcs coming, and in full knowledge of his own choice. Thinking that his master is dead, Sam resolves to continue the quest in the face of all the odds. This, I think, is a mark of his character: he does not allow himself to be overwhelmed with grief, as he has full right to, but stands up to do the deed at hand. Sam is truly prepared to give his life to a quest he never really wanted to go on, one that he simply followed his master in footing. Not to mention without Sam, Sauron would have attained the ring essentially ending Middle Earth. It is potency of courageousness in dire times that sparks Sam’s transformation. He is no longer the “submissive watchdog” but molts the sidekick persona into a blooming dauntless hero. When Sam feels that he is on his own for this journey, he shatters the subservient role into an equal role in the eyes of the reader.
Like Sam Gamgee, Neville experiences a complete metamorphosis when It looks like the battle is lost. Neville stands alone and unarmed against Lord Voldemort himself. As punishment for his defiance he is forced into wearing the Sorting Hat, which Voldemort sets ablaze. But Neville breaks free, pulling forth the sword of Godric Gryffindor and kills Nagini “with a single stroke, Neville sliced off the great snake’s head, which spun high into the air… and Voldemort’s mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear” (Rowling, Deathly 733). Nevill’s destruction of the final horcrux saves the day. Without, Harry believing Neville could take on Nagini, the outcome of the Battle of Hogwarts would be drastically different. Neville’s bravery and heroism, wasn’t triggered in a single moment, it evolved throughout the series. He is fully transformed when he goes from being fearful of Snape to standing up to the most nefarious villains of them all. Then kills the feared snake, Nagini in a single stroke. Neville is not the same stuttering and fumbling kid in the beginning that he is now.
Neville and Sam, took on the role of sidekick or supporter of the main heroin of the series. At first, they are both viewed as less than or subservient. Both Neville and Sam prove beyond doubt that they are just as heroic as their peers. It is through the evolution of their character that they . Sam Gamgee and Neville Longbottom both know that there fight for justice is bigger than them and that main character's heroism doesn’t diminish their own. By the end of both series, Neville and Sam both displays characteristics that every hero should have: humble, solemn, loyal and true. Without them, the outcome of the prevailing evil would be definite.