The Fellowship of the Ring

Despite their close companionship, Frodo and Samwise serve as foils for each other throughout the novel. Frequently, Sam's friendly but simple-minded attitude contrasts with that of the more introspective and hesitant Frodo. This contrast of characters is evident in a scene in which both hobbits compose very different poems memorializing the apparent death of Gandalf, with Frodo going first: 

He stood upon the bridge alone 

and Fire and Shadow both defied; 

his staff was broken on the stone, 

in Khazad-dûm his wisdom died. 

"Why, you’ll be beating Mr. Bilbo next!" said Sam. 

"No, I am afraid not," said Frodo. "But that is the best I can do yet." 

"Well, Mr. Frodo, if you do have another go, I hope you’ll say a word about his fireworks," said Sam. "Something like this: 

The finest rockets ever seen: 

they burst in stars of blue and green,

 or after thunder golden showers 

came falling like a rain of flowers.

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