Why is Pippin thinking "mostly" of Frodo, ignoring poor Sam?

Question

It seems that even in thoughts and prayers, poor Sam is thought of as "lesser than" Frodo, if even included whatsoever:

All now took leave of the Lord of the City and went to rest while they still could. Outside there was a starless blackness as Gandalf, with Pippin beside him bearing a small torch, made his way to their lodging. They did not speak until they were behind closed doors. Then at last Pippin took Gandalf’s hand.

‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘is there any hope? For Frodo, I mean; or at least mostly for Frodo.��

Gandalf put his hand on Pippin’s head. ‘There never was much hope,’ he answered. ‘Just a fool’s hope, as I have been told.

Later, I believe that even the book itself refers to "Frodo", as if he's on a solo mission. But it's far more serious when a "great friend" of his (Pippin) thinks "mostly" of Frodo.

Why is Pippin thinking "mostly" of Frodo, and ignoring Sam? Or have I misread it completely?

Answer 1

You're misunderstanding Pippin's meaning.

‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘is there any hope? For Frodo, I mean; or at least mostly for Frodo.’

"Is there any hope?" could be taken to mean: Is there any hope in general? For anybody?

That's why Pippin then specifies: "For Frodo, I mean."

But as he vocalizes it, he realizes he isn't just wondering about hopes for Frodo, but for all of them, which is why he then says "or at least mostly for Frodo."

Frodo has the most important task of any of them, and all their hopes hang primarily on him.

But given that they're all defending Minas Tirith against a siege by overwhelming numbers, Pippin would also like to know whether there's any hope for the rest of them: even if Frodo succeeds in his quest to unmake the ring, will there be anyone left to enjoy the victory?

None of this is meant to denigrate Sam. Frodo is the Ring-bearer. It's upon his head the task has been set. So by "Frodo," Pippin means "the quest to unmake the ring and save Middle-earth from Sauron."

Answer 2

Well, that's because he is lesser, from Pippin's point of view.

As I've written here before, Sam is very much of a lower social class than the others. It's even more pronounced with Pippin, who is the son of the actual Thain of the Shire. Sam's just a servant.

Even taking class out of it, it's Frodo that's Pippin's friend, not Sam, so it's natural he would be thinking mostly of him.

And, of course, as mentioned in the comments, it's Frodo who is the Ring-bearer.

Answer 3

People usually associate something with the leadership involved, rather than the myriad workers. For example, people say so-and-so built a bridge or climbed Mount Everest, yet such tasks aren't possible without the help of others.

The Ring wouldn't even have been destroyed if not for Gollum, but history is likely to forget that. In the Akallabêth it is summarized:

For Frodo the Halfling, it is said, at the bidding of Mithrandir took on himself the burden, and alone with his servant he passed through peril and darkness and came at last in Sauron’s despite even to Mount Doom; and there into the Fire where it was wrought he cast the Great Ring of Power, and so at last it was unmade and its evil consumed.

At least Sam gets almost a mention in this passage.

So Pippin is referring to the mission, rather than Frodo as a person.