Do you consider the ring a character in LotR?

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

I have a theory that the ring is a separate character in the book. I brought up my theory in another thread so look here to see the theory if you want Gollum vs. the other Hobbits.

Here's my theory

I also have a theory that the ring was a separate character in lotr. I don't think that it was just an object or a tool. When I read lotr, I get the impression that the ring was a character. It couldn't physically interact in the environment like the other characters could. It couldn't walk or talk, but it could think. I think that it had a mind and its own personality. Maybe its personality wasn't really developed but I'd describe it in one word- evil. The ring could use its mind not to communicate but to trick and confuse and to even control ring bearers. It even used ring bearer's to get closer to sauron. It had the ability leech on to a ringbearer's mind, or it was like a virus that enters the body (in the ring's case, the mind) and take over. I think that it could predict how it would get to sauron. For example, the ring purposely slipped off of isildur's finger to avoid being brought to Gondor and then under counsel, where it would be decided that it must be destroyed. Or maybe it wanted revenge for sauron. Anyway's, the ring saw gollum as an opportunity to get closer to sauron.

I changed part of my theory. I never actually said that I thought it was a character in The Hobbit but I thought adn meant it did when I said my theory. Now I'm not so sure if the ring was really meant to be a separate character in The Hobbit, but I'm still pretty sure that tolkien wanted to make the ring seem like another character in LotR.

Ok, tell me what you think of my theory, but please read the other thread before you respond. Thanks.

[ December 03, 2002: Message edited by: MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie ]