My students like to use the cliché, “Every coin has two sides” when they write an essay, and I often joke, “But not everything is a coin!” 

“Things” are not limited to two sides. Every story or issue can be seen from very different angles and given different interpretations, and if one is not conscious of how the person telling the story is weaving a narrative from just a single position, one can be easily deceived into believing that what he is hearing is the truth. 

I had this epiphany watching Game of Thrones, and watching my reaction to the character, Jaime Lannister. Jaime was at first portrayed as arrogant and heartless, but after a couple of seasons, he was shown to be a more sensible and even compassionate person. (I only read 2 pages of the novel, so) I then thought to myself how writers have so much power over viewers’ emotions — they can make you love or hate a person — by controlling the narrative! And in real life, it is like that too. People around you tell stories that, should you instantly believe them, could make you prematurely judge others. 

It was only in August last year that I got to watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy and read the three books the following month,(and realized how GoT borrowed much from LOTR.)

Like Jaime in GoT, Gollum also seemed contemptible at first, but upon learning about his past, one cannot help but have compassion for him. 

Smeagol/Gollum’s story is one that made me truly liked Tolkien and how he saw people, especially in this conversation between Gandalf and Frodo: 

“…What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature [Gollum], when he had a chance.

Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need…” 

(To me, Tolkien’s books showed how well he understood people in much the same way that Dostoevsky revealed the same in his novels which makes me love both authors.)

In the same scene, Gandalf said, “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it.” 

Here it is made clear that Gollum/Smeagol himself was a victim; that he lost control of himself and is to be pitied. Later, Frodo himself felt the same pity for Smeagol when he realized the power the ring had over him. Even when Sam wanted to get rid of Gollum, Frodo stopped him because Frodo understood. 

Many times I’ve been tempted to judge people especially when the ones telling me their stories are those that I trust. My hope is that I will always remember to pause, and to see the “story” from a different angle, to reserve judgment or to never judge at all. Lest I too be judged.