“Not all that glitters is gold, not all who wander are lost…”, this is my favorite quote from my favorite author, the great J.R.R. Tolkien. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was a bestselling author, professor of Old and Middle English at Oxford, and an incredibly skilled linguist. He was determined, steadfast, and a firm defender of his artistic integrity. J.R.R. Tolkien was an inspirational Englishman because he created a modern mythology, sparking the creation of a new genre of modern fiction.
Tolkien’s childhood and studies had a large impact on his later life. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa on January 3, 1892. Tolkien lived in South Africa until the death of his father in February of 1896. His time there would influence his later writings. An encounter with a large Baboon Spider at the age of three, would inspire future characters in his writings (Doughan). After that he moved back to England with his mother and younger brother. Living in the West Midlands, Tolkien often moved between the urban blight of Birmingham and the idyllic countryside of Worcestershire. The harsh contrast between these two extremes, would be reflected in later works. After the death of his mother in 1904, Tolkien lived with a Catholic priest, Father Francis Morgan. At the age of 16, while still under the care of Father Morgan, Tolkien met his future wife, three years his senior, Edith Bratt. However, Father Morgan prohibited Tolkien from having any sort of relationship with her while under his care. Tolkien attended Exeter College and later Oxford University, graduating in the summer of 1915 with a degree in English Language and Literature. Upon graduation Tolkien joined the army. His experiences while fighting in the trenches of France woul...
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...rld fascinated me. Tolkien inspired my love of reading. Tolkien’s work is one of the greatest modern epics. His epic recalls the great tales of Homer, and the mighty stanzas of Beowulf. Without Bilbo Baggins there would be no Harry Potter. They remind us of what heroes are, and what stuff legends are made off.
Works Cited
Bratman, David. "About the Inklings." Mythopoeic Society. Mythopoeic Society, May 2009. Web. 16 Jan. 2014. .
Carter, Lin. Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings. New York: Ballintine, 1969. Print.
Doughan, David. "J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biographical Sketch." The Tolkien Society. Tolkien Society, 2002. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. .
"J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography." Biography. A&E Networks, 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. .
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.
This story begins with a small fellow by the name of Bilbo Baggins. This fantasy story was written in 1956 by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is about a hero’s journey through the dangers and wonders of Middle Earth. Although it was not meant to become such a well-known book, it is filled with much literature. Throughout the book, Tolkien uses literary devices such as repetition, similes, and metaphors to develop the theme of cunning and cleverness.
The paper will begin with a look at the life of Tolkien. This will serve the purpose of providing some context for the novel. Looking into the life of Tolkien will also serve to give the reader some insight into the mind that gave birth to such a rich land and why the novel may have some importance for sufferers of mental illness. Next will likely be a short summation of the
Tolkien, J. R. R., and Douglas A. Anderson. The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
Thrall, William flint, Addison Hibbard, and Hugh Holman. A Handbook to Literature. New York: Odyssey, 1960.
The Hobbit shows J.R.R. Tolkien’s belief in the ancient heroic tales of the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian epics. He asserts that a being goes through many adventures with the help of friends who believe that anything can happen. Tolkien reveals how bravery and courage make ordinary individuals succeed at ordinary tasks.
J.R.R. Tolkien can be considered the founding father of the genre fantasy. Most of Tolkien’s texts revolve around the same themes. An author will often write about important messages that pertain to society as a whole. His texts often have hidden messages that relate to his themes. In the fantasy novel The Hobbit and novella “Farmer Giles of Ham”, J.R.R. Tolkien demonstrates that possession ears to overconfidence, greed and selfishness.
· Urang, Gunnar. "J. R. R. Tolkien: Fantasy and the Phenomenology of Hope" Religion and Fantasy in the Writing of C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and J. R. R. Tolkien. United Church Press, 1971
The Hobbit, written by John R. R. Tolkien, is a fantasy novel published on September 21, 1937. It was written as a prelude to the famous series, The Lord of the Rings, written seventeen years later. The Hobbit introduces the reader to an incredibly immersive fantasy world, that enriches the reader into its epic storyline. The story takes place in a land called Middle-earth, a land filled with enchanting surprises and magical wonders. It was the perfect playground for Tolkien to develop his main character Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo Baggins was a small hobbit, who unaware in the beginning would become a large role in the plot. It is through this character that Tolkien implemented the theme of heroism into the story. Bilbo’s unexpected adventure with the dwarves and the wizard gave him the opportunity to develop into the ultimate hero of Tolkien’s tale. Bilbo’s epic journey to become the hero of the story begins when Gandalf, the wizard, tells Bilbo of an expedition that would soon change his life forever.
Print. The. Tolkien, J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Ring. First Ballantine Books Ed.
Tolkien, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1954. Print.
Throughout his works, Tolkien includes, in varying degrees, every major component of our Primary World: landforms, minerals, weather and climate, natural vegetation, agriculture, political units, population distribution, races, languages, transportation routes, and even house types. “He did more than merely describe these individual comp...
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.