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An Unexpected Hero Can a short man with fuzzy feet really be a hero? J.R.R. Tolkien made that possible when he wrote the book The Hobbit. The short man with fuzzy feet is named Bilbo Baggins, and he is a hobbit. Bilbo is forced into a crazy adventure when 13 dwarves show up at his hobbit hole for breakfast. Bilbo gains three traits, cleverness, courage, and reliability, which teach him that it is not necessary to be tall and strong to be a hero. Bilbo begins his adventure very reluctant, but by the end of it he is an unexpected hero. Throughout the story Bilbo’s “Tookish” side comes out and he becomes very clever. The first time that Bilbo showed how clever he really was, he was lost in the dark tunnels of the goblins’ realm. Bilbo runs …show more content…
Late that night Bilbo went to a corner of the inner chamber and drew the Arkenstone from his bag. The hobbit then took Thorin’s most prized possession , the Arkenstone, down the mountain to give to the Elvenking and Bard. This action showed Bilbo’s cleverness because he gave up his portion of the treasure just to stop the dwarves and the elves from going to war. Many of Bilbo’s actions during his journey required a lot of courage. Bilbo showed his courage when he created an escape plan for him and the dwarves. He helped the escape from the Elvenking's dungeon. His plan was to shove all 13 dwarves into into separate barrels and float them down the river. There was, however, a weak spot in Bilbo’s plan. The hobbit forgot how he was going to get into a barrel. The hobbit took all of the courage he had, deciding to jump onto one of the apple-smelling barrels. Baggins could have drowned if he would’ve fallen into the wavy river. That didn’t stop Bilbo though! The hobbit also showed courage when he met the dragon of the Lonely Mountain, Smaug. Bilbo ends up having a battle of wits with …show more content…
When the 13 dwarves and Bilbo are in Mirkwood, they are captured by wood-elves. Luckily the hobbit was able to put his ring of invisibility on. Thus turning him invisible before the elves caught him. Bilbo then secretly followed them to the Elven Kings dungeon. The company relied on the hobbit to create an escape plan in which he succeeded. Another time the dwarves relied on bilbo was when he saved the from the giant spiders of Mirkwood. Bilbo first comes across his friends tied up in a tree while wearing his invisibility ring. The hobbit created a plan to lead the spiders away from the dwarves so he could untie them. To get the spiders to chase him he would sing “Old fat spider spinning in a tree! Old fat spider can’t see me! Attercop! Attercop! Won’t you stop, stop your spinning and look for me?” (159) After distracting the spiders, Bilbo went and cut his friends free. Although Bilbo was unenthusiastic to start his adventure, he ends up being an unexpected hero. The hobbit is not the type of hero that conquers his enemy through force, but of wit and the use of riddles. This shows that it is not impossible for a short man with fuzzy feet to be the hero of a
Many showed up in groups of three or four, so that Bilbo couldn’t just turn them all down. They later asked him to come on their adventure with them. The dwarves had told Bilbo about their treasure that was stolen and Bilbo suggested that they go to Lonely Mountain to reclaim it. Bilbo really doesn't want to but feels forced to go. They left a piece of Bilbo's notebook paper on his mantle under a clock showing all the dangers he might encounter. Gandalf had come to tell him that he was going to be late if he did not leave soon to be with the dwarves, causing him to feel forced to go. In the movie, however, Bilbo Baggins is presented with a contract from the others involving his burglar services that he will use on the journey with them. He grabs a backpack before he runs out to catch up with the others. This makes the movie more realistic because no normal person would go on an adventure without grabbing anything for the long journey ahead. Bilbo now had a few items from his hobbit hole that would remind him of his home. The book shows Bilbo as more of a reluctant hero. In the book, Bilbo finds the letter on the mantle and decides to go at the last minute. He seems to have felt pressured, resulting in just running out of the hole and not grabbing any of his belongings. He leaves
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.
Within J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Tolkien uses the character of Bilbo Baggins to reveal to the reader the constant struggle between heroic and anti-heroic qualities within Bilbo and ourselves.
Hobbits, and more specifically bilbo's family are not known for being adventurers. They usually just stay in their homes, farm, and do other things that reside in their town but Bilbo does not. “The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected.”(21) He wants to prove himself that he is courageous and brave better than the average Hobbit. Few Hobbits have ever gone on to an adventure so with a little push from Gandalf and the dwarves he sets off nervous but
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...”
So, he went over to it and took it. The Trolls then notice him and then get angry. Then Gandalf and the Dwarves come to the rescue. He successfully got the wallet, but almost got killed for it. Another chapter in which Bilbo changes is chapter five, Riddles in the Dark.
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...
...th heroes take are dangerous and difficult. Bilbo makes many mistakes but in the end he does mature and grow as a person. The hero is willing to put everything above themselves. Comparing Bilbo with Beowulf, it is clear that while Beowulf is an archetypal hero from a hero themed story, Bilbo is arguably more of a hero than him in some ways. Bilbo shows himself to not just a hero in skills and prowess but a hero in character, which Beowulf does not seem to show. Thorin even comments “Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself a good companion on our long road, and a hobbit full of courage and resource far exceeding his size…” (198). However both heroes have acts of self-sacrifice and courage, while Beowulf uses his physical strength to achieve his heroics, Bilbo’s sense of honour, moral and courage proves himself equal to Beowulf in heroics.
One example was when Bilbo faced off against Gollum in the goblin tunnel, this was most certainly one of Bilbo's greatest acts of courage. When Bilbo woke up underground and had no idea where he was, he then soon finds Gollum. The sneaky sea creature declared a match of trickery riddles. Gollum was more than surprised when Bilbo defeated him by asking the question “what have I got in my pocket” (78). The answer of course was Gollum's ring of invisibility. What makes Bilbo so audacious is he has no idea what he is getting himself into. To Bilbo, it is all the unknown so he walks by himself with pride into these situations. Another proof of Bilbo's daringness is when he faces Smaug alone in the Lonely Mountains. Bilbo was more ready to challenge Smaug than he ever would have been at the beginning of his adventure. When it comes time to encounter Smaug for the first time, Bilbo hears his snoring so he knew he was asleep. Although Smaug later noticed, Bilbo left his lair with a two handled golden cup. The second time Bilbo journeys into Smaug's lair the dragon pretended to be asleep at first, then startles Bilbo when he begins to have a conversation with him. While in discussion, Bilbo purposely replies only in riddle to him while discovering his weak spot which was above his left breast. Bilbo comes out alive by outrunning Smaug's deathly flames. Bilbo has proven himself
Bilbo Baggins is a very soft and quiet hobbit. He loves to eat, and is pampered by his own self. So when Gandalf arrives to take him on an adventure, Bilbo is a little hesitant –scared to death- to risk his life with Thorin and Company. “At may never return he began to feel a shriek coming up inside, and very soon it burst out like the whistle of an engine coming out of a tunnel. […] The...
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...
...ting points of the plot also relied on Bilbo’s courage. If Bilbo did not have such a valuable trait, the story of the Hobbit would’ve been fairly short.
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.
When legends are told throughout the world about heroes, the picture that we have of that hero is someone like Beowulf. However, the reason why we see Bilbo Baggins as a hero is because he is so similar to the rest of us. He portrays the average person but Bilbo has gone the extra step. He takes risks and faces battles that seem impossible to conquer. This is why we he is a hero. He does everything that we wis...