The Hobbit Character Analysis Essay

I was never the one to read a fantasy book, nevertheless reading The Hobbit proved there are books in genres that define the genre. J.R.R Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, wrote The Hobbit, which soonly became one of the most recognizable fantasy stories to date. In The Hobbit, the main character, Bilbo Baggins, struggles with the standards of his time with stereotyping, behavior, and usually friendships. One of the standards Bilbo experienced was stereotyping. Bilbo fought with the hobbit’s stereotypes; a hobbit is stereotyped as lazy, tiresome, and predictable. Having to fight his urges, Bilbo must resist giving up, trying not to fall into a pattern of his nature, and try to continue with his journey. Tolkien emphasizes

Bilbo and his friends uphold this standard when meeting new creatures. After the dwarves and Bilbo escape the trolls, Gandalf must explain how one of his friends live in the woods and they should go visit. As Gandalf and Bilbo meet their host, Gandalf introduces him, “‘That is Mr. Baggins, a hobbit of a good family and unimpeachable reputation,’ said Gandalf. Bilbo bowed. He had no hat to take off, and was painfully conscious of his many missing buttons” (118-119). While meeting a new friend, Bilbo does not feel well on the way he was introduced because he feels he is not dressed properly and cannot greet the host in a respectable way. Another example of Bilbo conforming to standards of polite behavior is when dwarves start arriving at his house for a party. When opening the door, a dwarf walks in and tells Bilbo he is at his service, Bilbo responds:

“‘Thank you!’ said Bilbo with a gasp. It was not the correct thing to say, but they have begun to arrive had flustered him. He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself. He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he--as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful--he might have to go without.”

During the beginning of the novel, Bilbo and Gandalf meet to embark on a new adventure. Gandalf is considered shallow and becomes friends with creatures who can further his career. While Bilbo is on his front porch, Gandalf approaches him and states, “‘But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone’” (4). At their first meeting, Gandalf searches for his next associate to help him through the next quest. Bilbo most likely would not have been friends with Gandalf if it was not for the adventure they would go on because of how predictable and unadventurous hobbits are, nevertheless at the end of the book, the two are more close and continues to keep in touch throughout the next books. Towards the end of the book, Gandalf admires Bilbo on his changes, “‘My dear Bilbo!’ he said. ‘Something is the matter with you! You are not the hobbit that you were’” (302). Gandalf admits to Bilbo on how much he has achieved from going on the adventure, as a result, Bilbo is more advanced compared to the Bilbo at the beginning of the book. Without a doubt, Bilbo would not be friends with Gandalf if it was not for Bilbo taking one of his more daring decisions: to follow the pack and go through with the