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Recommended: The hobbit thesis
Clare Elizabeth Bedford
ENG 2D1
Mr. Dundas
Thursday May 8th, 2014
Challenging and Time-Honoured Themes Found in Fantasy Literature and Specifically
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!” (Tolkien)
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.
One of the most evident messages projected to the reader is to use your positive traits for the greater good of the group. The species of Goblins, Wargs, Elves, Dwarves and Trolls are comprised of fundamental physical, psychological and moral differences as well as similarities. For example, all Goblins are morally evil, and all Elves are morally virtuous. This distinction is manifested with the respected race’s harmony with nature. The morally “good” races are shown as in harmony with nature, whereas the “evil” races are shown in disaccord with their surroundings, ergo the eagles’ decision to help the Elves rather than the Goblins.
The race of Elves are largely inspired by catholic beliefs, representing the Men in Eden who had not yet “fall...
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... As the quest progresses, Bilbo discovers more and more about himself, as do the people around him. “The real life of men is of that mythical and heroic quality…And man as a whole, Man pitted against the universe, have we seen him at all till we see that he is like a hero in a fairy tale?” (C. S. Lewis). That it is important to find one’s self is an ongoing theme portrayed throughout the entirety of the novel, as proven. This theme is a clear example of an exigent as well as ageless message, contributing to the splendor of fantasy writing.
In closing, the genre of fantasy is just as important and as thought provoking as any other form of literature we have due to it’s time honored and challenging underlying messages 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 yourself in life.
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.
Stories with a hero’s journey can serve as an escape from everyday life, which is why these kind of stories are so popular and why they resonate so deeply with readers. In everyday life, people develop routines. The reason readers like these kinds of stories is the same reason why most people go on vacation: to destress, explore, and take a break from these mundane routines. The same goes for books with tales of fantastical lands and mystery. The opportunity to experience a whole new fantasy world with every book is an adventure in itself. Not only do the magical worlds add to the
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
Imagine yourself in a pre-industrial world full of mystery and magic. Imagine a world full of monsters, demons, and danger, as well as a world full of friends, fairies, good wizards, and adventure. In doing so you have just taken your first step onto a vast world created by author and scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Tolkien became fascinated by language at an early age during his schooling, in particularly, the languages of Northern Europe, both ancient and modern. This affinity for language did not only lead to his profession, but also his private hobby, the invention of languages. His broad knowledge eventually led to the development of his opinions about Myth and the importance of stories. All these various perspectives: language, the heroic tradition, and Myth, as well as deeply-held beliefs in Catholic Christianity work together in all of his works. The main elements of Tolkien’s works are Good versus Evil, characters of Christian and anti-Christian origin, and the power of imagination.
Firchow, Peter Edgerly. "The Politics of Fantasy: The Hobbit and Fascism." The Midwest Quarterly 50.1 (2008): 15+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Finally, as the novel is coming to an end, it is apparent how much Bilbo Baggins has changed throughout The Hobbit. In the introduction of the book, Tolkien displays Bilbo as a fearful creature afraid to follow his Took roots. As the book continues, Bilbo sees things that change him and make him a stronger hobbit than the old Bilbo. By the end of the book, Mr. Baggins finally gained his well earned respect and found out that being an adventurer is not an awful thing to be. So, it seems as if the theme of change in The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien was shown through Bilbo’s character.
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.
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
...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.
It is shown that this story can convey a strong message that all readers should know. That when you believe in yourself that you could accomplish things that were only in your wildest dreams. Bilbo Baggins had been the one to overcome his fear of changing his daily life and become the hero that he should be known for. Even though he starts off as the most non-courageous person in the world into a great hero. He goes one to defeat spiders, goblins, and outsmarts doby into getting the ring.
The Hobo (Hobbit) Chapter 20 As King under the mountain, Dain was constantly hearing more heroic duties Bilbo had fulfilled with the help of his magical ring. Overtime Dain grew very fond of Bilbo, but also very wicked and jealous of this ring. He desired for it, he craved for it; he was desperate for it. So he hosted a grand feast hoping that the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, would come over so he could get ahold of his magical ring somehow. After sending the invitations to everyone, Dain thought of ways to bribe Bilbo into handing over the ring.
Thesis: In the novel The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien projects his subconscious, either willingly or on purpose, to develop the basis on which he builds the foundation of the hobbit and may other books he has written. TS: Tolkien’s subconscious shines in the many characters he implements into his novels, he possess the ability able to create names out of thin air all wile able to base those characters on real people such as himself or those around him. FB: Ex1:Tolkien has been viewed himself as the type of people he writes as seen whe tolkien himself was quoted saying "I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size). I like gardens, trees and non mechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking;
According to Tolkien, fiction is not a pointless escape from reality, but a distinct arrival into reality. Tolkien believes that one’s imagination is an onset of truth and that concepts are and were formed from abstraction, which is why there is truth in fantasy and our perceptions of a secondary world. Tolkien’s “On Faerie Stories” illustrates what he believes are the three key elements in fantasy: Recovery, Escape and Consolation. Several authors have adopted his elements into their writings to create powerful, mythical stories such as, Katherine Paterson in Bridge to Terabithia where man enters into a unique, mystical land to find comfort in all that transcends fact and reality.
The most famous work in the epic fantasy genre is The Lord of the Rings, written by J. R. R. Tolkien over the course of ten years and published in 1954. Over the last few decades, there has been a lot of controversy over whether or not a story in this genre could be considered a valuable literary work. It was suggested that fantasy was clichéd and too unrealistic to be in touch with the daily life. However, when one reads between the lines, one can find a different interpretation within the same story; an interpretation that might not be as clichéd and farfetched as one might think. While it is often claimed that literary works in the genre fantasy cannot have any literary value, the The Lord of the Rings-trilogy contains the beautiful, the true and the good (Flood) and therefore is original, is historical or ethical relevant and has human truth value, which are necessary qualities for a literary work to be valuable.
A fantasy is an imaginary world where all things imaginable can be brought to life. J.R.R Tolkien portrayed fantasy through his use of skilled craftsmanship and a vivid imagination, which was presented in each piece of literature he wrote. In Tolkien's two stories The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings we see the theme of fantasy brought to life through three essential elements, heroism, magic and retribution. Heroism is shown through the character's courage and bravery in situations where conflict arises and this enables them to be seen in a new light. Magic is a form of extraordinary power seemingly through a supernatural force; it is used in a combination of combat and mystical items to aid the companions on their journey. Retribution is paid to the evil forces for the wrongs society had to endure while they were allowed to dominate. This system allows opportunity for physical and mental development in the characters and the aspect of fantasy to come to life.