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The hobbit literary analysis
The hobbit literary analysis
The hobbit literary analysis
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The Hobbit Essay “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” (goodreads) In the novel The Hobbit, a timid hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, takes on a mission filled with peril and danger in the company of thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf. After meeting new foes and allies, the dwarves retake Erebor from the reign of evil Smaug. Throughout the story, personal growth is displayed at three main points of Bilbo’s adventure. Firstly, Bilbo is put into a fight or flight situation where his friends were captured by spiders. Secondly Bilbo takes matters into his own hands and decides to give Bard the Arkenstone; therefore he can use the stone as a bargaining chip for his part of the treasure. Finally, Bilbo finds Gollum's ring, and musters up the courage and power to escape the grasps of Gollum. Thus Bilbo experiences personal growth that highlights his true qualities and abilities. Firstly, when Bilbo and company are captured by the spiders, Bilbo is put into a situation he has never been in before, and must choose between his safety and his friend's lives. Bilbo makes a split second decision “...when suddenly Bilbo reappeared, and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side. 'Go on!' Go on!' he shouted. 'I will do the stinging!'”(Tolkien 151) When put …show more content…
Bilbo is able to do of all of this because he found the One Ring, which allows him to turn invisible. Bilbo has to leap over Gollum and his jump is described as “No great leap for man, but a leap in the dark.” (82) When Bilbo jumps over Gollum the quote says that it's not a question of physical ability to make the jump, but that he's jumping without knowing what's ahead. This forces Bilbo to find the courage in him to make the jump, which symbolizes Bilbo's true character start to
Bilbo Baggins lived a very simple life, a life he enjoyed very much, until the day when the wizard Gandalf arrived at his door one morning. Gandalf was searching for someone to share an adventure with, but Bilbo quickly declined, saying, “We don’t want any adventures here. You might try over The Hill or across The Water,” and with that the hobbit dismissed the wandering wizard, but not before he had given the wizard an invitation for tea the next day. This of coarse, was the polite thing to do. But Gandalf saw something more in Bilbo and would not be discouraged.
Bilbo Baggins, having a diminutive stature but, a heart bigger than than Hobbittown. People may begin to wonder would Bilbo be considered a hero? Being heroic is portraying qualities that are helpful, selfless, and brave. Bilbo possessed these character traits in The Hobbit. Gandalf exclaimed that there is more to Bilbo than meets the eye, I feel like that statement is true because Bilbo has went through many heroic events that he could have easily backed down from. In The Hobbit, while still wearing the ring Bilbo “beats the creature off with his hands-it was trying to poison him to keep him quiet as small spiders do to flies-until he remembered his sword and drew it out to cut his legs loose. After that it was his turn to attack” (154) This shows how courageous Bilbo was when he could have gotten eaten alive, I think what changed in Bilbo was when he came in contact with the spiders, he be...
Bilbo Baggins undergoes a hero’s journey in The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. He departs from his home, is initiated into a more mature mindset, undergoes a road of trials, goes through his innermost cave, and is returned home and reintegrated into society. Bilbo’s journey is also a quest for self identity, because he realizes his place as “quite a little fellow in a wide world” and learns to balance out his respectable Baggins heritage with his adventurous Took background (Tolkien
Tests are important in Bilbo’s heroic journey because he picks up how to make decisions situated from his own mistakes and how to act individually. When walking through the cave with the dwarves, they saw a light. The dwarves had decided that Bilbo should go see what it was. Bilbo observed that there were trolls. Consequently, he did not know whether to warn the dwarves or try to steal from them “either he should have gone back quietly and warned his friends that there were three fair-sized trolls at hand in a nasty mood, quite likely to try roasted dwarves; or else he should have done a bit of good quick burgling” (Tolkien, page 42). Bilbo makes decisions when he is figuring out what to do and how to do it. Throughout this, Bilbo makes his decisions reflecting from his own mistakes. For instance, he was caught by the trolls when
One of the recurring themes throughout The Hobbit is Tolkien’s manifestation of morality through his inherently good and evil characters. Although, some characters narrowly balance the line of good and evil through portraying characteristics such as greed, the hobbits represent naturally altruistic and peaceful characters. The protagonist Bilbo’s rational nature and willingness to compromise through his selfless transfer of the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elvenking further highlights Tolkien’s portrayal of a simple and sensible twentieth century Englishmen in a fantastical setting. Even though he risks his promised sum of the treasures, Bilbo chooses to work as a peacekeeper to opt for a more sensible way of solving a problem. Therefore, the dialogue between Bilbo, Bard, and the Elevenking is a manifestation by Tolkien of the moral high ground of hobbits and their rational and peacekeeping nature, which impresses the men and elves to award their trust and honor to the hobbit.
In the beginning, Bilbo is very abject to go on this adventure. “Don’t be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!” He said to himself, “Thinking of dragons and all that outlandish nonsense...”
Then one day a wizard by the name of Gandalf comes and gives Bilbo the opportunity to go on an adventure. Bilbo turns his offer down, but the next day thirteen dwarves come to his house. They have meals together and they sleep at Bilbo’s house. Gandalf then convinces him to go on an adventure with them. Bilbo is many things, in the beginning he is flat, static, main, and he is the protagonist.
Throughout Bilbo’s metamorphosis journey, he undergoes many dangers on his path that changes him to become more cunning and courageous. When Bilbo confronted Smaug, he was more prepared. This was especially evident after he was able to make the creature Gollum feel baffled by challenging him with a harder riddle question using his devious skills. When Bilbo heard Smaug snoring whilst he was bravely walking down the tunnel alone, he realized “Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait” (Tolkien, 260). This quote emphasizes how challenging it felt for Bilbo to find the courage to continue. This was particularly because Bilbo was unsure of the danger that laid ahead of him, but he had certainly realized that it was there and coming. Moreover, when he steeled himself and continued on, it was the single moment o...
Bilbo cleverly eluded Smaug’s temptation, spared the life of foul creature Gollum, and demonstrate courage more and more throughout his journey. These exquisite traits made Bilbo into the revered character that was loved and respected for generations of readers. Throughout the book, Bilbo’s character had changed. At first, he was the ordinary hobbit who described adventures as “Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things” (4) but by the end of his journeys stated to Thorin, “I am glad that I have shared in your perils” (290). Bilbo’s ability to fight evil, make new friends, and to look beyond his maps and books enable him to become a hero. As Gandalf once said at the very beginning, “There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself” (19). Gandalf was right. What appeared to be an uneasy hobbit who fainted at the thought of adventures, turned out to be a brave leader, a compassionate friend, and an inspiring
Bilbo begins his long journey with the dwarves, who at the time were still skeptical of Bilbo’s abilities. The dwarves didn’t see why they needed such a small incompetent hobbit with them along their journey. Gandalf tells them to stop complaining and to trust that there is more to Bilbo than meets the eye (Tolkien 6). Bilbo soon shows his courage and heroism for the first time in the story when they run into their first obstacle, three large trolls huddled around a campfire. Bilbo, who was once a shy, non-adventurous type, begins to develop into a hero as he tries to steal one of the trolls’ money purses. This is a dramatic scene in the novel because it was Bilbo’s very first act outside his comfort zone. It was this...
It is shown that this story can convey a strong message that all readers should know. That when you believe in yourself that you could accomplish things that were only in your wildest dreams. Bilbo Baggins had been the one to overcome his fear of changing his daily life and become the hero that he should be known for. Even though he starts off as the most non-courageous person in the world into a great hero. He goes one to defeat spiders, goblins, and outsmarts doby into getting the ring.
Perhaps this quest of self-discovering of Bilbo also reflects the trek everyone must also partake. The road to success is a combination of confidence, courage, love and support, and self-acceptance. Bilbo saves the dwarves multiple times, and accomplishes his task near the end of the book. This shows teens that good will come out of doing the right thing, and this will encourage them. Seeing and processing positive examples from the Hobbit will give teens the idea that doing the right thing is the most rewarding, and to not give up when confronted with difficulties in life. With careful readings and reflections, the Hobbit can motivate teens to make the right choices in life and inspire them to strive for success.
At the beginning of the novel, Mr. Baggins starts out at his comfy little hobbit home, but suddenly a grand, wise wizard shows up. Not long after, 12 dwarves began to appear, one by one at Bilbo’s door, and they have come to carry him off on a life-changing adventure, full of greed. That was the beginning of our hairy hobbit’s transformation from a shy, quiet hobbit, to a strong and bold life-saving hero, who enchants any who come in contact with him. For example of his strength and boldness, would be in chapter 5, when Bilbo rhymes riddles for an unknown creature, who calls itself Gollum. Bilbo would’ve been eaten if he were to have lost, but took his chances, and risked it anyway. After all, it did get him out of that goblin-infested cave.
Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, changed quite a bit throughout the story. In the beginning when he was first recruited to go on the quest with the dwarves, he was a well-respected, quiet, member of his community. He lived in his hole in the side of a hill and never thought of adventure. As he is on his quest every encounter he has with people, animals, and beasts helps him to become braver and more adventurous. After Smaug had been killed, Bilbo went back to his home (the hole in the hill) which was being auctioned off because he was presumed to be dead. After he got everything straightened out in that situation he went back to being a quiet little hobbit that lived in a hole, thinking back on his adventurous quest.
Bilbo doesn’t realize it at first, with the help of Gandalf he sees he has changed. He has become brave and fearless. He has also learned the value of friendship and kindness through his new friends and their journey together which has now forever