Bravery In The Hobbit

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien shows the world that bravery is not something that comes with birth and background. It is something inside us all, and we just need to reach down and get it. Tolkien dives into this concept through Middle Earth, his fantasy land of elves, dwarves, dragons, goblins, and hobbits. The Shire is the beautiful, grassy home of Bilbo Baggins, a perfectly respectable hobbit in all manners. He leads an ordinary life where anything out of the ordinary is considered absurd. But then, one deciding day, the seasoned wizard Gandalf pays our hobbit Bilbo a visit. He brings tidings of the need of his help to go on an adventure in the east. Bilbo flat out refuses, but Gandalf has a surprise in store for him. A troop of

Mirkwood is not the place to be, ever. One step off the trail could result in forever wandering, or even death. But with his newly earned elven blade and magic ring, Bilbo has found a new definition of bravery. It is made, not born. With the threat of the dragon looming in the distance, no one really looks forward to anything. The days drag on, and nothing seems to lift the dreary spirits. Over a few hours, a light keeps appearing in the distance. The dwarves foolishly chase after it, leaving the path. The Mirkwood spiders come upon them, and all are bound except for our little hobbit. He cleverly slips on the ring and releases the dwarves. They proceed only to be captured again by Wood-elves, a fair folk of the east. The long rivalry between elves and dwarves leads Thranduil, elvenking, to treat the dwarves unkindly. Bilbo, however has his newfound sense of bravery and adventure, and frees the dwarves thanks to his sneaking about with the ring. The dwarves, with Bilbo, escape by barrel, sent to Lake-Town. This clever plan is thought of by Bilbo, with his newfound wit. Waterlogged, but very much alive, the dwarves are out of Mirkwood. All thanks to the new Bilbo, with a new

But he acquired more than gold. Bilbo has found bravery, inside him. Even though he was not born into a position of power or royalty, he plucks up his courage, and puts a brave face on. He might be absolutely terrified on the inside, but bravery is not being fearless. Bravery is being afraid, but stepping up anyway. Bilbo shows this in an extraordinary way, by releasing the dwarves from the Mirkwood spiders and Wood-elves. Bravery is not inherited; it does not come with your birthright. It is something inside that we pull out, when the need