Epic Comparison of

Thelma & Louise&

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

By:

Shelby Leonhard

FrodoEpic Hero I

– carry the ring– withstand the pain and

responsibility– end life long fight over

the ring– Full of life – Happy– Selfless

LouiseEpic Hero II

• Escape from problems

• protect Thelma• Selfless• Rebelous• Happy • Apologetic• Commited

Sam Sub Hero I

– Selfless– Kept Frodo going– Stuck with Frodo– Protected Frodo– Didn’t let conditions

get him down

ThelmaSub Hero II

– True to Louise– Helped Louise no

matter what– Didn’t give up– Stuck with Louise

Quest• Frodo & Sam

– Destroy the Ring– Protect the Ring

• Thelma & Louise– Protect each other– Get to Mexico– Run from the law– Live life to the fullest – Have fun – Escape the men

Vast Geographical Region• Thelma & Louise

– Arkansas to Mexico• Started in Arkansas• Ended on a cliff

– Without going through Mexico

• Lord of the Rings– Shire to Middle Earth

• Isengard• Helm’s Deep• Moria• Rivendell• Minas Tirith

Valor• Frodo & Sam

– Fighting the spider– Fighting Gollom at the

end– Escaping orks/orki

• Thelma & Louise– Shooting the guy– Robbing the store– Sticking with each other

through to the end.

Guide

• Hal Slocumb (Police seargant)– Trying to save them– Going against him

• J.D. (Brad Pitt)– Like Gollom– Seemed charming– Lead them astray– Fulfilled part of

Thelma’s quest

• Gandolph– Helped them– Selected Frodo

• Gollom/Smegal– Like J.D. – helped them most of the

way– Turned on them at the

end– Turned to violence to get

the Ring

Scene Parrallels

• Thelma & Louise – Drove off the cliff– Didn’t want to get caught– Didn’t want to end their adventure– Chose to end their lives

• Lord of the Rings– Sat on the rock stranded

on the volcanoe– Thought their lives were

over– Saved by Gandolph them– Wanted the adventure to

be over

In Media Res

• Gollom – Was like Frodo – Ring turned him into this

evil creature – Between personalities

• Smegal• Gollom

• Lousie’s past– Wouldn’t go through TX

• No matter what

– Wouldn’t tell Thelma what happened in TX

Theme

• Thelma & Louise– Friendship– Adventure– fulfillment

• The Lord of the Rings– Friendship – Adventure– Fulfillment

Internal Conflicts

• Thelma and Louise– Louise & Texas

• The Lord of the Rings– Marry & Pippin– Samwise Gamsey

External Conflicts

• Thelma & Louise– Shooting the guy– Robbing the store

• Lord of the Rings– The Ring– Sam and Gollom

Symbolism

• Thelma & Louise– Women’s Rights

• Shooting Harlan

• Blowing up the truck-driver’s truck

– Freedom : driving off the cliff

• Lord of the Ring– Ring : evil– Fellowship: coming

together in WWII

Thelma & Louise

• Thelma & Louise is very interesting and adventurous!!

• It enforces the strength ability that women have to stand up for themselves!!