The Hobbit: Book Review
“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Published 21st September 1937 by J.R.R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien), The Hobbit is a fantasy book set in “middle-earth” a fantasyland Tolkien has created. Protagonist Bilbo Baggins, becomes an unlikely heroic figure in this book which Tolkien has done by following the path of Joseph Campbell's Monomyth: The Hero's Journey.
The Hero's Journey starts to explain where the hero lives calling it “the ordinary world. The starting of The Hobbit, begins to describe bilbo's
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In the typical sequence of the ‘Hero’s Journey’, the Call to Adventure, is a stage in which the Hero, in our case Bilbo, is disrupted in his Ordinary World and is faced with a challenge. This Call to Adventure is given by both Gandalf and Thorin. After Bilbo’s first encounter with Gandalf, his world is set askew. Dwarf after dwarf arrive at his house, thus further driving Bilbo outside of normalcy, however it is Thorin who officially tells Bilbo of the journey ahead. Although in the typical Hero’s Arc, it is necessary for the Hero to accept this call, however Bilbo does not. It is only his drive for adventure from the Tooks that spurs him to accept. Sometimes, according to the Hero’s Arc, a Hero may need “two conflicting calls” to spur and answer. This is true for Bilbo. He must choose between the Baggins in him and stay in the Shire in order to remain respected among his fellow hobbits or to leave with Gandalf and Thorin’s company in order to fulfill his Tookish thirst for adventure. This is the stage that Bilbo later questions due to uncomfortable situations down the road. This is the point that Bilbo wishes he can go back
In the beginning, Bilbo is very abject to go on this adventure. “Don’t be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!” He said to himself, “Thinking of dragons and all that outlandish nonsense...”
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.
The Hobbit, Bilbo went with Gandalf. He was brave because he was part Turk. He wanted to find out if their was any Turk still left in him, He realized his strength, he was kind even though they came to his house without asking and tore up his house. Gandalf saw something in Bilbo and no one else saw potential in him. He wanted to show them that he was strong and that he was not only a Baggins, but a Turk as well. That's why he signed the
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.
Every hero goes through certain stages in their valorous journey. Some stages are more important in a hero’s journey compared to others. In The Hobbit, the most important stage of the hero’s journey is stage 6, tests/challenges. This is because the hero, Bilbo (a friendly hobbit), learns how to make decisions based on his mistakes and work individually, he learns new tactics and strategies and he earns possessions and answers after accomplishing them. Bilbo learns to make his own decisions when he sees trolls ahead in their way and he must decide whether to warn the dwarves or steal from the trolls. We see Bilbo learn new tactics and strategies when he must win a riddle-contest against Gollum. Bilbo earns an answer when he plans and outsmarts
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.
At the beginning of The Hobbit, Bilbo was sensible and when it came to his actions he was cautious, as well as being wise in thought. “We are plain quiet folk, and I have no use for adventures” (4). This was Bilbo's response when Gandalf mentioned going on the adventure with him. The idea of going outside of the Shire scared him. Gandalf basically
Hobbits do not typically like to be adventurous, and Bilbo is no different. He likes being safe, warm, and supplied with handkerchiefs at all times.
Bilbo assumes that he is an inadequate companion for the adventure, and that idea is apparent as he and the dwarves equally doubt his skills that Gandalf is so confident about. " 'I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for you...There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself. '" (Tolkien 33) The dwarves allow Bilbo to join their company, but they do not completely take Gandalf 's word and have a difficult time becoming accustomed to the hobbit. The party describes him during the journey as being "more trouble than use so far" and wished Gandalf had "chosen someone with more sense" (119). However, once they realize that in spite of how traumatic a situation is for Bilbo, he still finds a way to help them when they can 't defend themselves, and because of that they accept him as a friend and stay loyal to him until the end of the quest and the
Bilbo begins his long journey with the dwarves, who at the time were still skeptical of Bilbo’s abilities. The dwarves didn’t see why they needed such a small incompetent hobbit with them along their journey. Gandalf tells them to stop complaining and to trust that there is more to Bilbo than meets the eye (Tolkien 6). Bilbo soon shows his courage and heroism for the first time in the story when they run into their first obstacle, three large trolls huddled around a campfire. Bilbo, who was once a shy, non-adventurous type, begins to develop into a hero as he tries to steal one of the trolls’ money purses. This is a dramatic scene in the novel because it was Bilbo’s very first act outside his comfort zone. It was this...
One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby. Joseph Campbell calls the initial phase of a hero’s development the “Call to Adventure.” The call is the in... ...
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,
By the end of the story Bilbo has changed on his journey from innocence to experience. Even though