Bilbo's Growth In The Hobbit

The Hobbit Essay “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” (goodreads) In the novel The Hobbit, a timid hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, takes on a mission filled with peril and danger in the company of thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf. After meeting new foes and allies, the dwarves retake Erebor from the reign of evil Smaug. Throughout the story, personal growth is displayed at three main points of Bilbo’s adventure. Firstly, Bilbo is put into a fight or flight situation where his friends were captured by spiders. Secondly Bilbo takes matters into his own hands and decides to give Bard the Arkenstone; therefore he can use the stone as a bargaining chip for his part of the treasure. Finally, Bilbo finds Gollum's ring, and musters up the courage and power to escape the grasps of Gollum. Thus Bilbo experiences personal growth that highlights his true qualities and abilities. Firstly, when Bilbo and company are captured by the spiders, Bilbo is put into a situation he has never been in before, and must choose between his safety and his friend's lives. Bilbo makes a split second decision “...when suddenly Bilbo reappeared, and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side. 'Go on!' Go on!' he shouted. 'I will do the stinging!'”(Tolkien 151) When put

Bilbo is able to do of all of this because he found the One Ring, which allows him to turn invisible. Bilbo has to leap over Gollum and his jump is described as “No great leap for man, but a leap in the dark.” (82) When Bilbo jumps over Gollum the quote says that it's not a question of physical ability to make the jump, but that he's jumping without knowing what's ahead. This forces Bilbo to find the courage in him to make the jump, which symbolizes Bilbo's true character start to