Presented at the 2017 National Conference in Austin, TX.

J.R.R. Tolkien distinguishes between an adventure and a quest, amidst an age obsessed with forgettable adventures rather than unforgettable quests. We shall see that a happy ending and a worthy quest are not the same thing. Nor are all tales worth remembering, for some tales should be forgot, even those with happy endings. Our prime focus will be on Sam and Frodo as characters who do not complete their quest, but who become true heroes of a tale hugely worth remembering.