Heroic Journey Essay
Most heroes in movies or on shows are these strong, bold figures. Do heroes have to be the heroes we imagine today? A hero to me is someone who goes out of there way to help someone or something else. I recently read, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. In the hobbit you get to see the heroic journey shown. The big idea of the heroic journey is that humans need heroes to show the pathways to success. Many books and movies follow the heroic journey. The heroic journey was created by Joseph Campbell who studied the idea of there only being one heroic journey that every hero follows. By comparing The Hobbit to the movie Trolls we will see if Trolls follows the heroic journey as well. Heroes don’t have to be these big, strong figures,
…show more content…
they can be as small as a hobbit or a troll. This is shown through events in the heroic journey including establishing that the hero is ordinary, goes through trials proving worth, and can become a hero in the return. Both Poppy the hero in Trolls and Bilbo the hero in The Hobbit are heroes to me.
They are both heroes to me because they both go out of their way to help others. They both have to go through internal struggles and external. An internal conflict they both had to go through would be overcoming the doubts they had and actually going on the journey. An internal struggle that Poppy had to overcome was when she was ready to give up and be done with the journey. She got upset because she thought she couldn’t save the other trolls. An internal conflict that Bilbo has to overcome would be letting the adventurous side of him take …show more content…
over. Both Poppy and Bilbo were ordinary before they went on this journey. With The Hobbit it was when Bilbo was in his hobbit hole living like a normal hobbit. With Poppy she was just a member of the Troll village. She had some importance because she was the King's’ daughter, but she still didn’t have a very big role in the village. While they’re in the ordinary world they receive the call to adventure. The call for Bilbo would be when the dwarves needed a burglar on the trip and Gandalf thought Bilbo would fit the role for them. The call for Poppy would be when the other trolls are taken and she wants them saved and her dad doesn’t think he is fit to save them so she goes instead. This is the beginning of both heroes journeys. The first step that the heroes have to go through to prove their worth would be crossing the first threshold.
In both The Hobbit and Trolls crossing the first threshold would be when they encountered spiders. They both used supernatural aid to help them get of the situation. Bilbo used his sword as shown in “Insert quote!!!”. Poppy’s supernatural aid would be another troll named Branch who came to her rescue. Another way the heroes prove their worth is when they are going through the road of trials. This is where they face different smaller struggles that they have to overcome before facing the main conflict. An example of one of these struggles for Bilbo would be when he has to get the dwarves out of the Elvenking's dungeon. This is shown through”Insert quote here!!!!”. A struggle for Poppy would be trying to get the other trolls out of the King’s house without getting caught. After the main conflict is resolved they’re shown as a hero through the
return. The Hero is truly shown as a Hero through the return part of the heroic journey. The first step that both heroes encountered would be the refusal of the return. The refusal for Bilbo was shown when he went slowly back to his hobbit hole and stopped in different places. The refusal for Poppy would be when she wants to stay with Bridget and the other bergens. The next step would be Rescue from without for Bilbo this is shown when Gandalf comes back at the end and helps them out. For poppy the rescue from without is when Bridget is helping them all escape from the mean bergens. It is clear that the heroes are finally heroes when they cross the return threshold. For Bilbo this would be when he goes back to his hobbit hole this is shown in “Insert quote here!!!!!”. For poppy it is when she finally returns to the trolls village. The last step that proves that the heroes are truly heroes is the freedom to live. This is shown for Bilbo when the war has ended and he gets his part of the reward. For Poppy and other trolls it would be that they are now friends with the bergens so they don’t have to worry about getting eaten. For poppy herself it would be the happiness she feels after saving her friends and she also becomes queen. I think that Poppy and Bilbo are both heroes in the end of their journey. I also think that both The Hobbit and Trolls follow the heroic journey outline. I never knew that so many stories follow the heroic journey. Trolls and hobbits can become heroes too even if they are just these small creatures.
He went from being a reluctant hero to an epic hero just from a few slight changes. Bilbo was almost forced out the door to begin his journey with the dwarves by Gandalf. He did not want to go on the journey and certainly did not feel the need to be a hero, although he reluctantly ended up being one in the book. In the movie, on the other hand, he had many opportunities to become the hero and he took these opportunities, becoming an epic hero. While change can greatly impact some things, it can also take away from important pieces of the
George Washington. Aragorn. Beowulf. Captain America. Martin Luther. Han Solo. Wright Brothers. History, books, and movies are full of these types of characters. Whether they led our country to victory or saved a galaxy far far away, these people can be defined as heroes. A hero could be defined as someone who is cunning, shows justice and mercy, and has the courage to take on many challenges. In J. R. R. Tolkien’s renowned book The Hobbit, he fills the pages with many heroes. There is Thorin, King under the mountain, who has come to reclaim his home. There is Bard, a bowman, who kills the chiefest and greatest dragon Smaug. There are the mighty eagles, who rescue the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf moments before their death. And there is also
For example, Bilbo fits the role of the hero, because he sacrificed and helped all the characters along the journey. Stated in the amazing book, The Hobbit, the author wrote, “It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous thing that happened afterwards were are nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait” (Tolkien, J.R.R., The Hobbit, page #233). Bilbo had basically sacrificed himself, so all of the other characters and himself could get through the journey safely. Their hero, Bilbo became braver each and every day while he tried to help and support them. Written in the fantastic book, The Hobbit, the author has written, “‘I have no idea at the moment-if you mean about removing the treasure. That obviously depends entirely on Smaug. Getting rid of dragons is not all in my line, but I will do my best to think about it. Personally I have no hopes at all, and wish I was safe back at home’” (Tolkien, J.R.R., The Hobbit, page
The dictionary defines hero in mythology and legend as, "a man who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and born of divine or royal blood. He is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life." In addition, I believe a hero is one to be looked up to and emulated. What is interesting about epic heroes is that their great deeds and exploits all have to do with defeating themselves, so with help from the gods they can truly become heroic. They can only defeat themselves with the help of the gods.
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.
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself,” quoted by Joseph Campbell, a very famous American mythologist, writer, and lecturer. Campbell is correct when his definition of a hero, but there is more aspects to heroes we don’t know about. For instance, heroes make difficult decisions to help others and to make a positive change in people's’ lives. Sacrifice is an essential component to the development of heroes since they must sacrifice things such as comfort to be defined as a hero in the eyes of others. In order to become a hero, personal sacrifices are necessary because he or she pledges to put others before themselves. Also, heroes are the ones held accountable for everyone in a dire situation and have society’s expectations weighing on their back. Personal sacrifice can be seen with Bilbo Baggins, when he sacrifices his relationships with the dwarves to remain at peace with the Lakemen and wood elves. In addition,
Varying from time, location and person, what it takes to be considered a hero has remained for the most part unanimous and throughout time has been represented in multiple ways. Most present in dated writing, a hero 's image and pride make up a big portion of most heroes. Their heroes aren’t so humble and they aspire to keep their title of "hero". On the contrary, most heroes in literature today are quite modest and don 't expect to be viewed as or considered heroes (more often than not they themselves do not classify with being heroes). As is the case for Beowulf and Katniss Everdeen, both different and yet also similar in terms of action, motives and thought (their personality being what really separates the two). Perhaps the biggest part of how a hero is treated and acts depends on what their society is like. Throughout time, the overall qualities of a hero have remained very similar. What has changed, is
Before one can be considered a true hero, they must complete a series of eleven steps that put them up to the test. More simply, they must start with departure, then initiation, and finally return home. Harry Potter in Harry Potter the Sorcerer's Stone, courageously completes all of these steps and is therefore considered a hero. He strong-willingly embarks on a journey that challenges his limits and tests his bravery. Without any support from his family, and being the despised child, he defeats his enemy, Voldemort. To push through the worst challenges, and starting from nothing is what makes a true hero. As Joseph Campbell stated, “You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there is a way or path, it is someone
A hero, as stated before, selflessly thinks about others’ well beings before his or her own. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who was enlisted to help the dwarves retrieve Thorin’s family treasure, does the same thing when he decides to take matters into his own hands, and end the fight between Thorin, the lake men, and the woodelves. Bilbo decides to give the Arkenstone, a p...
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.
Societies construct heroes that represent and embody the ideals of those who create them and read about them. Their is a stark contrast between the hero in the time of Beowulf and Hamlet’s creation and heroes created in modern times. Current literature, movies, and television portray a different kind of hero from those created in 1000 AD to 1600 AD. A hero is defined as someone who is "admired for achievements and noble qualities"," shows great courage", and in historical texts such as Beowulf and Hamlet is a "legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability" or an "illustrious warrior" (Merriam-Webster). Despite the popular belief that the time for heroes has passed away, based on the needs of society, today's
The term “Hero” has been in our civilization for centuries. On the surface, a hero is a person of honor, integrity, and the will to fight for what he or she believes in. Nearly every story that is told is centered around a character who in one way or another is a hero. They are a person whom the common people are supposed to strive to be; but does this icon truly exist?
...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.
Baltasar Gracian advised us all “Aspire rather to be a hero than merely appear one.” Being a hero is not defined by the number of people saved or by how extravagantly it is done, but rather by the nature of one’s heart. One character could save an entire town from a horrendous monster and another could simply save a friend from being shamed by his family, but both of these people would fall under the same category: a hero. Both Beowulf from Beowulf and Hassan from “The Kite Runner” exemplify what a hero truly is through their acts of courage, loyalty and selflessness.
When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa.