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. Repetition exaggerates a feeling of desire and mercy in the beginning of the book. For example, in Chapter 1, describing the dwarves’ singing, the author states that Bilbo “felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him” which implicates that foreign and unknown things are cunning and magical; interfering with Bilbo’s ordinary world. The repetition of the passage brings up past memories to the dwarves, but creates a new opening for the curious hobbit. Additionally, in the next chapter, Bilbo asks for mercy by begging to the trolls, “please don’t cook me, kind sirs! I am a good cook myself, and I cook better than I cook, if you see what I mean” which shows …show more content…
that Bilbo was trying to get out of a tough situation by using his wits. The repetition of “I cook better than I cook,” suggests that Bilbo is good at cooking, but he would not be a good cooked meal himself. Similes are used to establish secrecy and trickery.
For instance, in Chapter 5, the passage describing Gollum, Tolkien states, “Gollum was watching Bilbo now from the distance with his pale eyes like telescopes”, guiding the reader to picture Gollum as a lurid creature in the dark, snooping on someone out of pure interest. The simile compares Gollum’s eyes to telescopes because he had very vigilant eyesight from living in the dark for such a long period of time. Another example of Tolkien’s use of similes takes place when Bilbo successfully tricks Smaug into revealing the dragon’s weak spot to him. Bilbo exclaims, “‘there is a large patch in the hollow of his left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!’”, which portrays that every dragon has some type of vulnerability, which is an equivalent to the Achilles Heel for
humans. Metaphors are used to depict cleverness throughout the story. For instance, during Chapter 8, Tolkien describes how the spiders reacted to Bilbo’s mockery. To the spiders, “‘Attercop’ made them so angry that they lost their wits.” The simile “so angry that the lost their wits” implies that they became so furious with Bilbo that they all went mad and ballistic, doing anything that they could to track him down. In addition to the metaphors used in the Hobbit, the author explains how Bilbo has used the Arkenstone to benefit everyone. Gandalf states “there is news brewing that even the ravens have not heard”, meaning that there is an important event nearing that almost no one will see coming. The metaphor “news brewing” makes the reader think of the news as a potion in a boiling pot that is about to boil over the top. In conclusion, Tolkien uses repetition, similes, and metaphors to clearly state the main theme of the story, which is about one hero that goes on an epic journey.
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.
...to his own possessions and how his journey made him open his eyes up to a deeper meaning of life. The evil in the story were just test, trying to get Bilbo to give up and go back to his life of comfort, but he didn't he went on to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Tolkien wanted to show the reader how we can overcome our flaws in life such as greed, and temptation by stepping out of our comfort zone.
When Roald Dahl used repetition to add to the scare factor in his short story, “Lamb to Slaughter”. Throughout the story he used repetition to emphasize things. Like when he repeats “They always treated her kindly.” and “The two detectives were exceptionally nice to her.” It was to emphasize that they treated her as the victim rather than a suspect. The repetition used made me curious when reading the story. Whenever I saw something repeated, I asked myself ‘Why would they do that?’ I became intrigued and wanted to read more and find out. By repeating, Roald created suspense and anticipation for the reader to get to the climax, prompting the reader to keep reading. In conclusion, repetition definitely made the story scarier.
Bilbo Baggins undergoes a hero’s journey in The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. He departs from his home, is initiated into a more mature mindset, undergoes a road of trials, goes through his innermost cave, and is returned home and reintegrated into society. Bilbo’s journey is also a quest for self identity, because he realizes his place as “quite a little fellow in a wide world” and learns to balance out his respectable Baggins heritage with his adventurous Took background (Tolkien
The Hobbit in the movie ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R Tolkien, the protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, displaying a hero’s journey starting as a weak and cowardly person with no knowledge of the world outside his comfort zone. As a trilogy the movie only follows part of the hero’s journey to the ORDEAL.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” Thorin Oakenshield is constructed as proud yet honest, to show the reader that power can corrupt a good heart. Thorin proves himself through the novel to be proud yet brutally honest, and this characterisation is shown in many situations during “The Hobbit”.
Then one day a wizard by the name of Gandalf comes and gives Bilbo the opportunity to go on an adventure. Bilbo turns his offer down, but the next day thirteen dwarves come to his house. They have meals together and they sleep at Bilbo’s house. Gandalf then convinces him to go on an adventure with them. Bilbo is many things, in the beginning he is flat, static, main, and he is the protagonist.
Once the fictitious thought of slaying dragons and fighting off trolls becomes a reality for Bilbo Baggins, he learns the truth about the importance of being unique in the astounding novel, “The Hobbit” by JRR Tolkien. JRR Tolkien captivates a variety of readers with this story about an introverted hobbit whos lives in a hole in the ground and the open opportunity he chooses for adventure. At the beginning, he believed he wasn't tolerable for this enterprise, but he began to realize he became essential to hs fearful mission. Thirteen dwarves showed at his door and demanded his help, so he left his small town and followed the unknown dwarves. This journey demanded a lot of physical endurance including an abiding fight with trolls. Bilbo endures until the end and he ends as a greater hobbit. In “The Hobbit” by JRR Tolkien, three main sections, the departure, initiation, and the return become clear, and Bilbo Baggins changes tremendously in these sections.
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, one who enjoys peace and quiet, feasts and fireplaces, and the coziness of his home. At the beginning the The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Bilbo could not even imagine going on a tenacious adventure, but by the end he has survived the longest, toughest battle yet. Throughout the novel Bilbo Baggins changes from a prudent, typical hobbit into a courageous, sacrificing adventurer.
In a world with fire breathing dragons, man eating goblins, and giant trolls there was a small little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. In the beginning of the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Bilbo was living in his little hobbit hole. Bilbo was visited by Gandalf the wizard and king under the mountain Thorin Oakenshield and Co. They were there to propose an offering to go on a adventure. Bilbo accepted. During the journey Bilbo turned from a small little hobbit to a brave hero. Through all of the battles and the sadness. Bilbo learned that he had skills that he never knew he had before, for example he had developed the skills of cleverness, wisdom and determination.
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.
Bilbo shows new desires as the adventure goes on. Whether it be just the want to survive or to want something more physical, and time and time again,
The Hobbit is a fantasy fiction book and the author is Tolkien. The main idea is how the hobbit, a small creature named Bilbo who is the main character, changes throughout the different adventures becoming an unlikely hero. In fact the hobbits themselves symbolize the modern middle class and therefore allow the reader to identify with the hobbits. The following paragraphs will describe the setting, the characterization, the theme and symbolism.