Seldom do authors fall short in comparison to filmmakers when it comes to characterization because it is often true that to understand a character more deeply, one must search out pertinent information in books that film counterparts tend to neglect. However, in the case of the character Thorin Oakenshield, film director Peter Jackson trumps J. R. R. Tolkien in the areas of intrigue and influence. In The Hobbit: or There and Back Again, Tolkien's intent was clearly not to construct a prominent protagonist in Thorin as much as he intended with Bilbo Baggins, yet Jackson saw fit to project this dwarf king in a much different way, causing his character to slip into the role of co-protagonist alongside his hobbit companion. Unfortunately, in Tolkien's …show more content…
Tolkien describes Thorin's arrival at Bilbo's home in a slightly trivial fashion, as if he were a mere neighbor, by saying that he arrived with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur, and they all "fell in, one on top of the other" (23). Other than a mention of his grumbling at being squashed on a doormat and his "importance," Tolkien introduces Thorin in a heap of dwarves, somewhat neglecting the fitting description associated with one of his stature. But Jackson offers viewers a much different debut for the character in the film. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Thorin arrives alone to Bilbo's home, after the other dwarves, and the first shot of his character depicts someone of great importance and mystery (Jackson). This venerable persona in Thorin continues throughout the trilogy. Yet, as dignified as he seems, Thorin's character in the films has abrasive personality traits that make him appear aloof or disagreeable at times, especially when it comes to interaction with other non-dwarf …show more content…
Though the characters in Jackson's The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies never use the word "greed," the sickness they speak of is caused by the treasure. In the background of the first film, Thorin's grandfather Thror revels in his wealth in the vast halls of Erebor, while Thorin stands in the shadows observing him (Jackson). At this point, Thorin appears wary of the dangers his grandfather faces under this spell of the gold. Yet, Thorin succumbs quickly to the sickness in the third film, or perhaps he had been all along, and unlike Tolkien, Jackson places much focus of the film on the dwarf's obsession. The moment he lays eyes on the treasure, he falls in the trap, and afterward, loses sense of the reality surrounding him. As soon as Thorin hears that Smaug is dead, he marches straight to his gold in hopes of finding the arkenstone, with no regard to the burning town and ruined lives below, and his refusal to send aid or keep his promises strikes tension, not only between him and Lake Town, but also within his own company (Jackson). He becomes hostile toward his companions, demands that they work nonstop until they find the arkenstone, and suspects betrayal. Thorin's suspicion of everyone, his friends included, displays how the sickness changes him and isolates him. One of the most striking lines Thorin says occurs when he sits on his throne as the other armies battle outside his gate.
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.
Although Bilbo’s character has changed and become more Tookish in many ways, he remains “only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all” (Tolkien 363). Bilbo is happy to visit the elves and have tea with Gandalf, but he is also just as happy to relax in his hobbit-hole and enjoy the comforts of home that he longed for so much on his journey.
In the beginning of the book “ Bilbo is a short, peaceful hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is the protagonist of the novel. He considers himself a typical hobbit; that is, until Gandalf and the dwarves appear at his door.(Akers)” When Gandalf and the dwarves first arrive at Bilbo’s
Tolkien to be very good. He develops the story gradually, building up to the climax, and changing the main characters attitude. In the beginning Bilbo, the main character, starts as a very timid hobbit who knows nothing beyond his home, and is overwhelmed by the appearance of the twelve dwarves sudden appearance to his house. Although he grudgingly agrees to join them in their quest, he is very unhappy, and conveys it through this quote: “I wish I was home by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!” This shows how unhappy Bilbo was at the beginning of the story. Over the course of the story, J.R.R. Tolkien develops Bilbo into a brave character who had proved himself through his many acts of bravery. In conclusion, the author did an excellent job developing Bilbo as a
Throughout The Hobbit, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, the role of wealth can be viewed as an element that not only motivates the story but also serves as a warning against greed. Tolkien uses wealth to expose the irrationality of the idolatrous heart. At first, the main character, Bilbo who is the newly hired thief, is motivated by peer pressure, but it becomes clear when the Tookish in him, his mother’s family, is stimulated, he is mainly motivated by adventure. On the other hand, other characters prove to be purely motivated by wealth and treasure. Thorin, a dwarf looking to avenge his family’s lost treasure, and Smaug, a dragon who robs everyone and anyone of their riches, are both portrayed as being possessed by their greed for wealth, which
The novel The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien has several themes and messages weaved into its plot. Many of them are very important and well stated, but there is only one that stands out the most: greed. The theme that stands out the most in The Hobbit is greed, shown through setting, plot development, and different characters in the story. "'The king beneath the mountain! ...His wealth is like the sun, his silver like a fountain, his rivers golden run!'" (Tolkien
“I wish I could be a hero!” Many adults in today’s society hear small children wishing they could become heroes. Children wish to be more like heroes for the reason that heroes are the type of people who risk their lives to help others. Throughout history, children have had a positive connotation with the word “hero.” The heroes many small children talk about are the fictional ones who protect cities from villains: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and others. However, these are not the only types of heroes in today’s world. Firefighters and policemen are also considered heroes because they save the lives of those in danger. Many adults consider their inspirations to be heroes, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Michelle Obama. Heroes do not always have to be real; for instance, they can also be literary characters such as Atticus Finch, Jonas, and Odysseus. Heroes, fictional or not, only have one purpose, to help people in need. These motivating people are in the rare category of people who willingly spend their whole lives helping people achieve their dreams. Heroes are the people who unselfishly help people live their lives in a peaceful manner. Many children wish they could become heroes, such as Bilbo Baggins. In The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien explores how Bilbo Baggins matures and ultimately becomes a hero.
Kingship in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Ringsand Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings." Tolkien Studies 6.1 (2009): 71-90. Project MUSE. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. .
...t in his hand, as though dazed,” (Tolkien 270-271). He thought that by giving away Thorin’s property, he would get his profit and be able to go home, but it thoroughly backfired, and was a bad decision.
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...
As many have grown up during this generation, they have been dazzled by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien as well as the artistic interpretation of this trilogy through Peter Jackson. This movement started when Tolkien created The Hobbit and then later the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s.However, there are those who have criticized both the books and the cinema for being sexist and/or racist. Tolkien is not a sexist because he develops his female characters by revealing their individualism and dynamic features, and is also not a racist because much of the criticism comes from Peter Jackson’s interpretations and because racism is harshly looked upon more in this generation than it was back in the 1940’s.
Throughout the whole book, Thorin just displayed a complete lack of respect for human life. When Bard and the Elvenking asked for a share in the gold, Thorin would not even give them a measly twelfth of it to avoid war. Additionally, it would only have been fair to give them some of the treasure after all he put them through. That just shows how little he valued life and how much he valued money. A twelfth of that amount of gold would be a lot, but it is small compared to the eleven twelfths of it that he would get and would still be more than anyone could possibly need in their lifetime. Thorin also didn’t want to tell the Elvenking why they were wandering in the forests when they were captured. He was in jail a long, long time, and it all could have been avoided if he just told them their plans. At that point, he wasn’t even really invested in that treasure. He still wanted it and went all that way to get it, but he wasn’t even close to getting it yet. He could have just made a deal with the elves and split the treasure with them in exchange for their help, but he wouldn’t even do that. Instead, he kept it a secret and stayed in prison with the small hope they could get the treasure in addition to the small chance that Bilbo could help them escape, which he eventually did
Though he's not amoral, he is a die-hard realist. Advantage: Howard. Tolkien is also guilty of emasculating the fantasy genre. Who better to play that "dreamy" Strider than heart-throb Viggo Mortensen? And isn't Frodo just the cutest thing?
J.R.R Tolkien artfully depicts in The Hobbit how greed often leads to a disastrous outcome. Greed can strike every type of person, even the leader of a group. Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, is plagued by greed for the wealth inside the mountain. Secondary characters can also be drawn into greed. The spiders attempt to harness the most amount of food for the group, but end up losing all of the food. (Linker) The disastrous end to the antagonists is mainly due to greed. For one, Smaug wants revenge for the missing golden cup. After many days of fighting, Smaug is killed during the battle of the lake men. Society as a whole believes the need for materialistic goods is worth the agony required to obtain them.