By: Michelle Kong
The Characteristics of a Successful Hero
“By facing our fears and overcoming them will make us strong and capable enough to face any challenges in life.” - Anurag Prakash Ray
Bilbo Baggins and Katniss Everdeen were both brave heroes that acquired many skills from their adventures. They shared many of the same heroic qualities such as bravery, being victorious, having mental fortitude, acquired physical strength and undertaking a challenge. I believe that Bilbo and Katniss are both successful heroes that brought peace to their land and changed their world for the better.
“I'm going on an adventure.”- J.R.R Tolkien (An unexpected adventure). Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of the book “The Hobbit”, is both a non-traditional
…show more content…
hero and a traditional hero. Throughout the journey, he acquires various skills during his adventure with Thorin and Company. Bilbo Baggins overcomes many different obstacles by using problem solving (mental fortitude) and courage, which he did not have in the beginning. He proved that he was able to become the burglar and ally Thorin and Company required. Eventually, Bilbo was respected by the dwarves because of his sudden change in behaviour. He used the ring (which was found in Gollum’s cave) and his sword to defeat the spiders when the dwarves got captured. The ring in this story plays a very significant role in helping him build up courage and it changed him into becoming a successful hero. He named his sword like many other heroes did and it was very clear from that point of the story that he was developing the qualities of a hero. Bilbo descends into Smaug’s (a dragon) lair and successfully steals the Arkenstone to restore peace to Thorin’s long lost kingdom. This shows the courage that Bilbo acquires throughout his journey. At the end, he goes home to his hobbit hole and although physically, nothing big has changed since he left, his life becomes much more eccentric and adventurous than before. “May the odds be ever in your favour”-Suzanne Collins. Katniss Everdeen is a non-traditional hero that that had and acquired many skills that were presented in both the movie and book called “The Hunger Games”. Katniss volunteers as tribute for her sister because she knew that her sister would never win and survive in the Hunger Games. She is very selfless and although she believed she wouldn’t win the games either, she wanted to keep her sister safe. She is willing to protect the ones she loves no matter what the cost is. Another example is when she shields Gale from getting whipped even though she almost got shot. It is shown in both the movie and book that she went through many hardships and obstacles before entering the arena, shaping her to become a strong willed and independent tribute. In the book, it was told that her father died when Katniss was very young, and after, she had to help the family make money in order to survive. She met Gale in the woods one day and he teaches her how to shoot a bow and arrow. She soon becomes an expert at archery and hunts with Gale, her longtime friend. She used many physical skills she already learned/knew in the Hunger Games and learns other skills to become victorious in the arena. She uses various abilities, both physical and mental, to stay alive in the arena. For example, she uses her knowledge of nature; her skill with a bow and arrow and her ability to anticipate and adapt to a new environment. Bilbo Baggins and Katniss Everdeen both share similar heroic qualities.
Bilbo and Katniss were victorious at the end, were both brave, loyal, had mental fortitude, sacrificed for others, represented justice, were respected at the end and most importantly, they undertook the challenge. Bilbo started out very weak, stubborn, un-respected, unadventurous and didn’t want to accept the challenge. Eventually, he accepted the call and throughout his journey, he became courageous and earned the respect of Thorin and Company. He proved he had mental fortitude and physical strength. Bilbo was able to defeat his enemies by using his ring to become invisible and slaying them. On the other hand, Katniss started out as a stronger character than Bilbo, but, she shared many characteristics such as being very stubborn, un-respected and didn’t undertake a challenge. Although she was strong in one particular physical skill, which was archery, she learns many more skills inside the arena. She earned the respect of the citizens of Panem when she plotted against President Snow and decided to give hope to Panems’ citizens by becoming the “Mockingjay”. The first challenge she undertook was when she announced that she would take Primrose’s spot for the Hunger Games. She accepted her challenge right then and it completely changed her life. Therefore, Bilbo and Katniss have many similarities in heroic
qualities. I believe that Bilbo and Katniss have similar heroic qualities which made them successful/victorious in the end. Bilbo Baggins acquired many skills throughout his journey such as bravery and physical strength (learning how to fight with a sword) while Katniss Everdeen acquired many skills before and after her journey such as selflessness and using different weapons. All heroes acquire different skills during their quest and in order to acquire various skills, a hero must undertake the challenge.
He went from being a reluctant hero to an epic hero just from a few slight changes. Bilbo was almost forced out the door to begin his journey with the dwarves by Gandalf. He did not want to go on the journey and certainly did not feel the need to be a hero, although he reluctantly ended up being one in the book. In the movie, on the other hand, he had many opportunities to become the hero and he took these opportunities, becoming an epic hero. While change can greatly impact some things, it can also take away from important pieces of the
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.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”
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
J.R.R Tolkien's action packed, fantasy driven, inspiring novel The Hobbit shows the message that everyone must know, that you should never give up even if all hope seems to be lost. It shows setting of evergreen forests with villages scattered along the paths of which they must take and mountains just on the horizon. The read must go along with bilbo baggins a hobbit that does not realize there is more to him than just being a baggins and that he will live up to his family's name. Even after gandalf tells him that he will embark on a great adventure he still doesn’t believe he is anymore than just bilbo. Therefor this story is inspiring and shows that with the setting, character, and theme combined make this story a great read.
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.
“…people need not fear the unknown if they are capable of achieving what they need and want" (79). Both protagonist learned about the dangers of fear through the tribulations of their journey. Although life may constantly though curveballs our way, it is important to learn how to take risks. One must to have the audacity to continue on. Odysseus, a courageous Greek hero, would not have made it very far if he was apprehensive of taking risks. Instead, he sought
During The Departure period in The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins lives a respected life with no adventures or anything unexpected like a hobbit should. Gandalf asks Bilbo to join the dwarves on their quest, “‘I am looking for someone to share in an adventure I am arranging’” (Tolkien 4). This serves as the call to adventure, the first part in the departure. The following part of the
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...
In J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit, Bilbo develops not only the ability to be a hero, but also the mindframe to believe he can be a hero. In the beginning of the book, he starts out as a timid, scared hobbit. As he goes on more adventures, his self-confidence and heroism grows. He discovers how he can be a Baggins while also being a Took. Bilbo can also be compared and contrasted to another archetypal hero, Odysseus, from Homer’s The Odyssey.
The novel of The Hobbit is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who lives in the town of Hobbiton. He lives a subdued, quiet life in his sophisticated home. Until one day, a knock on his door from the wizard, Gandalf, changes everything. Gandalf invites himself to tea and arrives with 13 dwarves, led by their leader, Thorin. They plan a voyage to recover treasure stolen from the dwarves by, Smaug, the dragon who now protects the loot inside of the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf claims Bilbo should fill the role of their burglar, for he is small and intelligent.
A hero. Today, by definition, to be a hero is to have abundant power, defiance, to attain fame and wealth, and to have the intrepidity to help the ones who cannot defend for themselves. However, Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien, grows to be a hero without possessing any of these qualities after he partakes in an adventure to help reclaim the Dwarves’ homeland from the dragon Smaug. This quest to the Lonely Mountain brings the indolent hobbit into a completely new world, where he faces trouble and experiences a region of supernatural wonder. Bilbo’s adequacy and heroism are shown in the adventure through his latent cunningness and courageous acts, and through the loyalty and devotion he shows to his companions.
...y a little fellow, Gandalf hints that even he was impressed by the large role Bilbo played in their journey, adding irony to the theme of heroism. Bilbo was the perfect character for Tolkien to express the theme of heroism because he was just the average, everyday character with a kind heart. He wasn’t some wizard or renowned warrior, but a hobbit, a simple hobbit who didn’t ask for heroism. Bilbo would much rather stay in the quite of his own home, but fate would have him do much more, even though Bilbo wouldn’t say so himself, he was indeed…a hero.
...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.
In the novel, The Hobbit, we find many themes and underlying messages from which useful knowledge and principles can be acquired. As the modern canadian fantasy writer once said, “Fantasy has the capacity to be as important and as thought-provoking as any other form of literature we have.” Tolkien’s work provides readers with challenging and time honoured themes such as: use your unique positive traits for the greater good of the group, power should never be abused and it is important to find your true self in life.