“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart” -Hercules. In the book The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins had to make many decisions, which could be considered to be heroic, but he isn’t necessarily considered to be a hero because of his physical strength. What does it mean to be a hero? In the book Beowulf, many considered Beowulf to be a hero because of his strong, and prideful personality, and his large, and mighty size. Bilbo on the other hand was quiet and generous, and he was also only three feet tall, which made people question his bravery, and strength. Bilbo’s heroic qualities couldn’t always be easily notices, but were definitely always there. Through many of his experiences his bravery, kindness,
Bilbo was brave, but not aggressively so. He was loyal, but that did not mean he never had doubts. Bilbo Baggins, of Bag End was an honorable Hobbit. He was also the greatest hero of them all, although he may not seem like it.
“Heroes represent the best of ourselves, respecting that we are human beings. A hero can be anyone from Gandhi to your classroom teacher, anyone who can show courage when faced with a problem. A hero is someone who is willing to help others in his or her best capacity (Martin).” Respectively, anyone can be a hero but heroes are classified as people with aspects including Faith, loyalty, modesty, courtesy, honor, and bravery. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts of fine qualities.” Bilbo and Sir Gawain have many aspects of a hero and they face similar experiences but their experiences also differ in many ways. Bilbo and Gawain’s stories compare and contrast in many ways including their background or experience, their approach, and their resolution but both heroes return back to their origin feeling heroic.
When watching movies or reading books, you may notice a pattern or similarity in the stories. This is called an archetype. The hero’s journey is one example. Authors have different ways of expressing their thoughts in their hero’s journey. The Hobbit is about the journey of Bilbo Baggins and 13 dwarves who journey to get their treasure back. I Am Malala is a nonfiction novel about a girl who fought for her beliefs and as a result, suffered through a big crisis. There are similarities and differences between the way the authors of these two novels portray the hero’s journey.
“Do not tempt me! I dare not take it, not even to keep it safe, unused.” (95) This statement sets the tone for the remainder of the book, The Fellowship of The Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien. In this story the keeper of the ring has a great responsibility to keep it safe, while also dealing with the consequences of its custody. The possession of the ring brings with it a change in behavior, a mental change, and the presence of evil. The ring is controlling and all-powerful.
What is a hero? What must one do to qualify for the honor of having such a title? A man named Joseph Campbell wrote a book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces, with the idea that there is a road on which most heroes in most stories travel on their way to becoming a hero. This is called The Hero’s Journey. From leaving the comfort of The Shire to helping defeat a dragon and returning home with the treasure Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of these heroes.
Bilbo’s beliefs throughout his life before his great adventure were fairly narrow-minded. He believed that having an extravagant home with the approval of his neighbors was extremely important. Doing anything out of the ordinary was unexpected out of Mr. Bilbo Baggins as he was very predictable in all his actions. As mentioned in the book, you could tell what a Baggins would say even before he answered your question. I believe that Bilbo always had the same beliefs throughout the book, but that some came out clearer in different situations. For example, in the case of Thorin withholding all the treasure from everybody else, Bilbo knew that the right thing to do was to negotiate peacefully with the other parties. So, he went behind the dwarves’
Joseph Campbell, a renowned mythologist and professor studied mythology and traditional stories. He defined a hero as “someone who has given his or her life for something bigger than oneself.” His creation of the Hero’s Journey structured the storyline for so many stories to come, including The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel follows the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, an ordinary hobbit turned hero. Gandalf, a wizard forces Bilbo on an adventure to regain treasure with thirteen dwarves. The company faces many challenges while Gandalf aids them. Eventually, Bilbo becomes forced to take charge and lead the company to the mountain. The experiences Bilbo encounters throughout his journey define and shape him into the hero he becomes.
There are many places on earth and across the universe that are unknown. In the book the Hobbit Bilbo faces the terrain of the Misty Mountains which is unknown to him. I've been to many places in my life where I have been unaware to where I am. There are many ways to cope or get through these unknown areas.
After Bilbo returned home, his companions felt respect for him, but the other Hobbits were a little leery to him, considered him as "crazy". Maybe it's because Bilbo saw the characters, events, about which they could not have a clue. Fortunately, the Hobbit did not mind about it. He remained
Every book has its hero, mentor, and guardian, but not just every book has Bilbo Baggins as their hero or The Great Gandalf as its mentor. When reading such an emotionally moving book it’s difficult to not fall hard for the characters. Most define their hero as the knight in shining armor, but Mr. Baggins prevails as much more than that. Some may consider he or she’s mentor as old and wise, however they would be incorrect in this instance, for Gandalf remains much more than just old and wise. The trolls are perceived as the guardians of the threshold, but they serve a bigger purpose. If one continues to take a step back and look at the big picture one will realize that all these characters serve a purpose of making the best selling book,
In The Hobbit by J. R. Tolkien, Bilbo Baggins lives a comfortable adventure free life, but he soon learns the meaning of the Bible verse, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) A good example of how comfortable Bilbo was is when he says,
What happens when one day a cloaked figure asks you to join a group of heavily bearded men in search for treasure in a dragon’s lair? Bilbo is fortunate enough to experience such a peculiar invitation, but the Baggins side of him is quick in refusal. Yet off he still goes from his warm and fuzzy hobbit hole in the Shire to the desolate land of Dain, where he learns to prove his worth amongst his hot-tempered Dwarf companions. Along the way, allies are made, secrets kept and human desires put into play, eventually culminating in the concluding battles where Bilbo plays a pivotal role in the management of order in the fellowship. The Hobbit mirrors the world during the time
Bilbo Baggins plays life unfair--he has more than then he deserves or at least more than most hobbits, and definitely more than what's needed if he knew what's good for himself. Why should he look fifty when he turned one hundred, and why should he have all the riches in
Would you be able to step out of your comfort zone for the sake of adventure and a promise of treasure? This was the predicament Bilbo Baggins is unexpectedly presented with one sunny afternoon. Thirteen dwarves appear at his door and put forward their offer. Bilbo is a little apprehensive at first but soon comes to the realization that in his ordinary life of a Hobbit in the Shire he will never get another opportunity like this again. When reading The Hobbit, being able to step out of your comfort zone is a major key. J. R. R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit is a novel that is not only showing a heroic quest, but is a fantasy and satire. It is written in the third person, almost exclusively from Bilbo, the protagonist's