Self Discovery In The Hobbit

Literature plays an important role in the shaping of society, reinforcing cultural norms and values. Because of this, the meaning of enduring tales such as The Hobbit can change with time, being molded in new ways to fit what society now accepts. In every society, the world over, there are those who see the world differently from those in the mainstream. Whether for better or for worse, the wiring of their brain is skewed and this gives them a different outlook, a new way or reading a text or viewing a film. The paper will explore the importance of the focus on adventure and self-discovery in The Hobbit for sufferers of mental illness and how modern society may have affected the understanding of this tale.
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

novel, followed by a presentation of the changes made in the movie adaptation of the novel and how that, in conjunction with modern notions of friendship, bravery, and other important themes of The Hobbit, have changed the accepted interpretation of the story. Finally, going off of that interpretation, we can begin to understand how The Hobbit-as the novel and current cultural phenomenon it has become-can be influential to sufferers of depression.
The paper will, of course, feature excerpts from The Hobbit, both the novels and the movies. References will be made to The Lord of the Rings movies, but will likely not include the novels. Scholarly support of the thesis will be drawn from “Opening the Closed Mind: The Effect of Exposure to Literature on the Need for Closure” by Maja Djikica, Keith Oatleya and Mihnea C. Moldoveanua; “Improving Emotional Competence Through Mediated Reading: Short Term Effects of a Children's Literature Program” by Enrique Riquelmea and Ignacio Monterob; Theory of Mind and Literature by Paula Leverage; as well as other works to be selected later.

Sitting in a crowded, dimly lit theatre is where most people get their introduction to J.R.R Tolkien’s magical world of Elves, wizards, hobbits, dwarves, and so much more. Their journey with one of the modern masters of the epic either began with the breathtaking, edge of your seat adventure of The Lord of the Rings, or Peter Jackson’s stylized retelling of the much more subdued Hobbit. Whatever the case, it is hard not to find oneself sucked into the land and the lore that make up Middle Earth. From the die hard to the hardly interested, everyone feels some connection with it.
The younger reader, who often does not swim in the mainstream, can see themselves in Bilbo’s place, the hobbit who is not quite “hobbity” enough.

He is too small to be man or even dwarf. He is even smaller than that, even less important. Even the notion of having a familial trait in the blood that compels one to certain actions is familiar. It exists in today’s society and is seen every time someone tells a person that they walk or move just like their mother or father. But the setting of The Shire as an idyllic countryside is incredibly important as well. It welcomes the reader in. From the very beginning, the reader feels at peace with the surroundings and this sucks them into the world of Middle Earth. Now, they are in Bilbo’s shoes (even though he does not wear any). The reader is now established as a stranger in this land, much like the lands beyond The Shire are strange to

Bilbo.
The Hobbit opens in a hole, a hobbit hole. “Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole,” but a hole under the hill none the less, which Tolkien tells us is a rather nice dwelling place (Tolkien 1). In fact, in this first paragraph, the word Tolkien uses to describe the hobbit hole is “comfort” (Tolkien 1). Tolkien studied the English language in depth and could produce great magic with words. He undoubtedly chose each one carefully. The word comfort is a very weighted word for many and for all who speak the English language, it has many meanings. Comfort can be a noun, like the comforts of home. Comfort can be an adjective, as in the case of the comfortable sofa. Comfort can also be a verb, meaning to comfort someone. Certainly, when one thinks of being comforted, they often think of a friend or loved one wrapping their arms around them to envelop them and assure them that all will be well. This gives new meaning to the “perfectly round door” and rounded hallways of Bilbo’s hobbit hole (Tolkien 1).
The hobbit hole, as stated, sits in a hill. In Tolkien’s own depictions of Bag-End, the hobbit hole is enveloped in soft, welcoming grass. Even in the movies, it appears to be draped with a fuzzy green blanket that gives the viewer the feelings of a sunny, moderate climate that never changes. The Shire feels like paradise. The rounded structure of Bilbo’s home helps to build the sense of comfort. Everything about the bare bones of the structure is coming back on itself, like two arms reaching around in a hug. The soft corners and slightly skewed nature of the frames in the movies’-both in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings-depiction of the hobbit hole further builds on this. The hobbit hole is a place of comfort for Bilbo. It has belonged to his family and now to him and is where he finds himself most at peace.
A hobbit hole in the modern age is often a term used to affectionately refer to the place where one retreats. This can be a room or even just a pillow in the corner. This modern definition of the words means the reader automatically feels a connection with the dwelling, seeing it as quaint and cozy in their mind. For the sufferer of depression, a “hobbit hole” is important in two ways: it helps them by giving them a place to sort out their troubles, but it also holds them back by being a place to hide. The hole in Bag-End serves the same purposes for Bilbo. He has escaped his troubles, the Took side of him, for many years here. He lives happily among his maps, tea, and books. The narrator says “that means comfort” (Tolkien 1), meaning this place is home. When trouble comes knocking, however, Bilbo does not run away. He loathes them at first, pretends not to care. This is a feeling we all experience, but at the end of the day, he wants desperately to go with them. Our adventure beings when Bilbo leaves his comfort zone, with the helpful support of Gandalf. In the first chapter, he teaches us to go where life pulls us, even if it is a little out of the norm.
Now that Tolkien has lured us in with the beautiful imagery of the Shire and presented to us this “avatar” of Bilbo, the hobbit, we find ourselves set for adventure. We learn many more lessons from Bilbo relating to the handling of everyday life and depression, but this is one of the most important, to leave the hobbit hole. Life begins beyond the comfort zone and one has to dive into that. Even when the rain begins and Bilbo realizes that adventures are not all May weather and sunshine, he perseveres. He chases his dream, no more sitting around. He will no longer stare at maps and wonder what is out there. The reader can no longer sit inside and stare at Facebook. Life is beyond the hobbit hole. And so, the journey, however unexpected, has now begun.