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Analysing J. R. R. Tolkien's Bilbo and Frodo

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Bilbo and Frodo
J. R. R Tolkien is most known for his published works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. While The Hobbit was perceived by many as a children’s book, the storyline proved entertaining to adults as well, prompting readers to encourage Tolkien to take his “elvish” story to the next level. This is how The Lord of the Rings eventually surfaced. Tolkien’s second story is closely comparable to his first one regarding characters and events taking place. While there are a few things in each story that set them apart from one another , they are so much closer to the being the same that in the end two very similar characters, Bilbo and Frodo are joined together.
The Hobbit began simply by Tolkien grading an exam paper, which he found to be boring, and writing the word “hobbit” on the paper. The story’s main character, Bilbo Baggins, was chosen by a wizard named Gandalf to be what he called a burglar. Bilbo comes from a background of two personalities, his paternal traits more laid-back and reluctant and his maternal traits more outgoing and adventurous. At first thought, Bilbo refuses the calling Gandalf has placed on him but later becomes curious and his braver maternal traits begin to kick in as he accepts Gandalf’s challenge. They [hobbits] are certainly capable of extraordinary bravery and humaneness; living in burrows, their creator declares, doesn't amount to anything like an animal kink (Norman). Tolkien easily illustrates why Bilbo was chosen by Gandalf to complete the task of retrieving the treasured item as well as connecting the character to the story’s title. Bravery is the root of what Tolkien aims at the mind of the reader to pursue by using Bilbo’s strange adventurous self. Contrary to popular belief, t...

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...im, such as the “Elvish” lifestyle. Though Bilbo and Frodo have missions that are slightly different, their personalities are one in the same, having come from the same background. From children’s book to fun reads for a more general audience, J. R. R Tolkien has captured the minds and hearts of many through the use of two characters joined as one.

Works Cited
Green, William H. “The Hobbit”: A Journey into Maturity. New York: Twayne, 1995.
Norman, Philip. "The Prevalence of Hobbits." New York Times. N.p., 15 Jan. 1967. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
Shippey, Tom. J. R. R Tolkien: Author of the Century. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2000
Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The Lord of the Rings. London: Unwin, 1974.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Rings. London: HarperCollins, 1966.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1966.
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