Exploring the Factors that Define a Person's Identity in The Hobbit by J.R. Tolkien
Identity is the basis of individuality. It determines who one is; who
one chooses to be; how one is perceived by others. This philosophy is
applied no differently in 'The Hobbit', written by J.R. Tolkien. It is
a fantasy-adventure tale about a peaceful creature called a hobbit
named Bilbo Baggins, who is hauled into an adventure by a well-known
wizard, Gandalf. He sets off with thirteen dwarves in a quest for the
treasure belonging to the leader of the dwarves, Thorin. On the way,
they encounter hungry trolls, wicked goblins, loyal eagles, giant
man-eating spiders and other strange creatures unknown to man. Their
biggest challenge will have yet to come, however. A vicious dragon by
the name of Smaug. Once they are past this, victory is theirs. Or is
it? 'The Hobbit' is a deeply analytical story. Each character has been
brought alive by Tolkien with its own characteristics and features. To
continue with the opening matter that was started earlier, each
character has its different personality and identity. The three main
characters, as you may have probably already guessed, are Bilbo,
Gandalf, and Thorin. These are the most important characters, with the
most different attributes one can possibly imagine. Bilbo, being the
'hero' of the story, is the definite protagonist, while Thorin, one
would perhaps say, is the antagonist. Gandalf is a character that is
basically a 'good guy', but doesn't show up as often as the others.
One of the reasons for the choice of these specific characters was
because of their extremes in persona. The following content will
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... could be talking about why Gandalf decided to assist the Dwarves in
this specific adventure, as he probably may have had his pick of the
lot. This is quite a good issue, but not the best. Several others
require proper thinking. Themes could be discussed. The plot could be
discussed. Themes of isolation of characters could also be discussed.
Even a comparison with 'The Hobbit' and its sequel, 'Lord of the
Rings' would be a nice idea for a report. It is interesting to see the
changes one goes through during experience. Even when one may think it
is the least expected.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/hobbit/study.html
www.mi.uib.no/~respl/tolkien/ -
www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/unit/hobbit/hindex2.html
www.hobbitlore.com
www.coldal.org.uk/hobbit.htm]
www.ced.appstate.edu/whs/hobbit.htm
My life so far has been like a good hiking path. A path that is winding and twisting and encompassed with plenty of beauty. A path that is lined with trees like angels protecting you from the mysteries in the deep forest and that keep you rooted on the path you are destine to take. One that is filled with deep troughs and the most beautiful peaks you could ever image. Sometimes the path is rocky and hurts the soles of your feet until they crack and bleed, but other times it’s covered with a soft green moss that lifts your steps and revives your spirits. Through the last 17 years of my life, I have traveled that path and endured every step. I have gone into the dark abyss of the trough and have found in it the most precious grace of light. As I have gotten older I have come to recognize that the scary and shaky steps of my path have indeed been “fearsome blessings” (Buechner, 92).
Sometimes religion can be a necessity for comfort. Over time, we may already possess our very own identities and then develop different ones after a tragedy. In order to easily move on from a plight, some sort of comfort or security is needed, whether its time, family, friends, a sport, or religion. In the novel, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, one can clearly see the viewpoint of how Gogol’s life over time has evolved from American to Bengali. With the comfort of his Bengali life he’s able to push through the tragedy of his father’s death. However, apart from when Gogol needs his family and culture for comfort, he is simply a true American.
Empathy is one of the great mysteries of life. Why do people feel empathy? Do others deserve empathy? Is feeling empathy a strength or weakness? These questions may forever go unanswered, or they may not even have an answer. Even if they are answered, they may only be speculation. One author shows his take on the matter with one of his books. In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien uses Gollum and Thorin to show that people do deserve empathy, no matter how horrible they may be.
is common knowledge that the druids had nothing to do with these rings. The Druids
Heroes are present in many of the films produced today and these heroes generally follow both Campbell’s “Hero’s journey” and “Heroic Archetypes”. Some of Campbell’s tenets for a hero are that he must be called to a quest, he will face trials and tribulations, face temptation, complete a task, and eventually return home. The hero must also fit an archetype and its quest, fear, dragon, task, and virtue. Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is in fact one of the aforementioned heroes. Bilbo Baggins has always wanted an adventure and one day he is called on a quest to win back the Dwarfish kingdom of Erebor from the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo had not realized at the time of his departure that he was a hero and at first he even refused to go on the quest. Bilbo fits many of the tenets of the departure, initiation, and return of Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” along with one of his archetypes. Joseph Campbell defines a hero as “someone who has given his life to something bigger than himself” and this is what Bilbo Baggins has done by accepting his quest to aid the Dwarves on their journey to the Lonely Mountain.
Has anyone ever shown bravery in your life? Bravery is someone who’s not afraid to step up to the challenge, Like in the book The Hobbit Bilbo shows that quite a few times, and an article about a cop saving his partner. Bravery is someone who has courage and is not afraid of something others might be afraid of , anyone can be brave and it can happen when you least expect it.
Throughout history, it has been noted that when an individual is isolated from civilization, various psychological effects take a toll on that person’s well-being. Sigmund Freud, an Austrian psychologist, believed that when a person is isolated from civilization, a darker “savage” side naturally takes over (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. pag). William Golding shared this belief and used it as inspiration to write one of his most well-known novels, Lord of the Flies. Freud’s findings on the human mind led him to believe there are three main parts: The id, the ego, and the super-ego (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. pag). Jack, Ralph, Simon, and Piggy are not only the main characters in Golding’s Lord of the Flies, but also embody the id, ego, and super-ego characteristics of Freudian psychology.
According to The return of The Kings, “known as The Lord of the Rings, was so immediately successful that a new, larger printing was required, and soon another, still larger printing became necessary. The Hobbit, under wartime pressure of paper shortages, went out of print in 1942, and its subsequent popularity largely derives from the success of The Lord of the Rings” (Kroeber). According to The return of The Kings, The Lord of The rings was successful because people read it and liked it. JOHN RONALD REUEL TOLKIEN (always called Ronald by his family) was born on 3 January 1892, at Bloemfontein, South Africa, where his father Arthur had taken a position with the Bank of Africa (Firchow). The Tolkien family had been prosperous piano manufacturers, but the business had failed. Mabel Suffield, Arthur’s wife, was the daughter of a once successful drapery manufacturer in Birmingham, England, who had gone bankrupt and survived by selling disinfectant to shopkeepers around the city. According to the Background, Sauron always sought pleasure in whoever has interest in the ring and whoever had possession of the ring was called the ring Barer. Sauron is a giant eyeball sitting on top of a tower. From there, he watches every move anyone takes but he is mainly looking for the ring bearer. Once Sauron finally obtained possession of the ring, he then transformed into his omnipotent transformation meaning he makes all that is afraid of fear, fear him. He was then so powerful to the point that no man can defeat him only women. The first of Tolkien’s four children was born in November 1917. After the Armistice Tolkien joined the staff of the Oxford English Dictionary, and in 1920 he was appointed Reader in English Language at Leeds University, whe...
One character that categorically comes to mind as responding to iniquity during the novel is Bilbo Baggins. The Hobbit, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, is a novel about Bilbo’s journey of self-discovery as he conquers challenges never faced before. Baggins search for injustice and problem solving helps the story evolve in the novel, as well as displays heroic efforts that no one expected from him in the beginning. Consequently, his substantial courageous actions, countless sacrifices, and unquestionable allegiance to the dwarves create a sense of justice that plays a vital role in the unity of characters in the novel.
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.
In “A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality” John Perry conveys conversations between a philosopher and her two friends a few nights before she dies. We then come to how the dying philosopher is trying to have everyone convince her that she will survive even after her body dies. In this John Perry claims that there are three ways of deliberating personal identity: bodily identity, psychological continuity and immaterial soul. The essay then describes the different types of identity and how they can use them to prove to the perishing philosopher that she can still remain alive. I will argue that the only way we can distinguish personal identity is through psychological continuity and how we can determine a person based on their memories and experiences. From this we can go into discussion about some terms that will be used throughout this paper.
When I first came to the character of Frodo Baggins, the first thing that came upon my mind was that he would have the determination to resist the temptations of evil and portray great characteristics but instead he was presented as becoming more attached to the ring than his allies that try to help him succeed in his quest. Frodo is described as a curious little hobbit wanting to discover the outside and have the knowledge to what comes upon him. Frodo’s goodness, wisdom, and generally peculiar character might make him seem one dimensional if he were not frequently doubtful and being faced with obstacles that he feels unable to conquer. Over the course of the novel The Lord of the Rings, Frodo seems to be more than just strong psychologically than the other hobbits, but his sense of sadness surrounds him throughout the impact of mind control by Sauron and the fact that his act of generosity with others brings him a lot of good
Coming of age does not happen without change, Change does not happen without conflict. The Alice in Wonderland books by Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass; and Calvino, Invisible Cities are books that focus on the transformation of the individual and metamorphoses of the collective. This essay will specifically focus on identity and symbolism. Both novels allow us to enter a world of fantasy through distortion and alternate worlds. Thus allowing the reader to determine the underline rational to what is being hidden within the text
Identity is believed to be the foundation of individuality. It defines who we are and who we choose to be and how we are thought of by others we deal with. Each and every one of us makes personal choices and decisions throughout our lives that define our character and us as a person in general. In the story of “The Hobbit”, this is no different. Personal choices define each of the characters identity. Each character in the story displays characteristics of both the past and their present situations. The identity of each character is what makes each of them an individual and it determines who they are and who others in the story see them as.
To distinguish a Halo ring, it shows a large center stone setting surrounded by smaller stones. They come in a variety of shapes as well as various cuts such as round, cushion, princess, and pear. The stones can the same type or be a combination of gems sometimes giving the ring a floral look. Usually, the center stone is enhanced