“I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes. There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself.” – Gandalf (The Hobbit, Ch. 1) Heroism, adventure, and development are key points when reading J. R. R. Tolkien’s, The Hobbit. Painfully naïve and content, Bilbo Baggins had the life-changing opportunity to advance from his comfort zone and into the mysterious and unknown world. Whether petrified or fighting for his life, Bilbo continued to persevere with courage throughout his journey of reclamation creating a hero characteristic within him. Bilbo Baggins fulfills the subjective definition of a hero. Peacefully …show more content…
Even though Bilbo was persuaded, he still chose to link up with thirteen hooligans on a miserable and triumphant journey. When fighting for his life in the pitch black (later on in the book), Bilbo bravely killed a horrendous over-sized spider, earning the name Sting and accumulating confidence. Before the combat started just as he lifted his sword, Bilbo unexpectedly became courageous. “Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or of anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its sheath. “I will give you a name,” he said to it, “and I shall call you Sting.” – The Hobbit, Ch. 8, pg. 156. Overflowing with joy and relief, he realizes the modification within himself, leading to more actions of courage, such as slaying a dragon. When Bilbo first began the expedition, he was shy, fearful, and annoyed, but after explicit events occurred, transformation and development emerged within Bilbo. Due to Bilbo’s modification, a hero was
Bilbo Baggins finds another side of himself he is the one leading the group of dwarves. In chapter 8 Mr. Bilbo Baggins shows real bravery by been able to set himself and the dwarves free from the spiders. In chapter 9 Mr. Bilbo Baggins shows intelligence by been able to devise a plan to set the dwarves free from the wood elves prison. In chapter 12 it is Mr. Bilbo Baggins alone that goes into Smaug dragon’s lair and he is also able to find Smaug’s vulnerable spot. In chapter 16 Mr. Bilbo Baggins is willing to give up his share of the wealth to bring peace to the humans, dwarves, and
The next step is test, allies, and enemies, which means the hero would be tested and facing his enemies and test. In the novel Bilbo Baggins’s allies would be the thirteen dwarves and Gandalf, during this stage of the story Bilbo’s enemies would be the giant spider in the forest, and the dragon Smaug (143). Bilbo when facing his test and enemies he uses his ring to outsmart escape and save his allies and friends. Bilbo is changing his characteristics throughout the story, he now should be a lot braver and smarter, because in the beginning he was just a coward that did not want any changes in his life and not willing to commit to the adventure that he was invited compared to the beginning of the story, he now should be making the preparations needed to approach the inmost cave that leads to the journey's heart, or central ordeal. Which should be the time when Bilbo was talking to the dragon before the fight, and took the arkenstone from all the treasures and golds.
Even though this part of the hero’s journey was portrayed pretty similarly, there is still a bit of a difference. They both used their instincts, but Bilbo was influenced a bit by the dwarves. His Took side had shown while the dwarves were contemplating whether he was fit for the adventure or not. This made him want to prove himself to them. Instincts aren’t normally the cause of the call to adventure, but for some reason, these two very different novels are similar this way.
When people go places and step out of their comfort zones, sometimes they come back a different person. In The Hobbit, Bilbo is an ordinary hobbit, but after his adventure, it is apparent that Bilbo is now a hero. Three events that occur that show this transformation are when Bilbo jumps over Gollum, when Bilbo slays a spider, and when Bilbo travels to the Elvenking and Bard in order to make peace. The moment Bilbo leaps over Gollum demonstrates to the reader how Bilbo is beginning to go from hobbit to hero.
In the novel, The Hobbit by J.J. Tolkien, Bilbo Baggins as a character grows tremendously. He goes from caring about nothing besides his cakes and tea, to opening up to a whole different world outside of the Shire. As the book begins, Bilbo is put to the task of reclaiming a place known as the Lonely Mountain by a wizard named Gandalf, after such request Bilbo states “Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you”(Tolkien 4) and ultimately shows his cowardness. Throughout this journey, Bilbo changes for the best.
In the story “The Hobbit” Bilbo can be seen as the hero when he sacrifices his family’s name to be a part of the quest to get Thorin's gold back Bilbo's first approach is his attempt on stealing the trolls’ treasure. He later is met by the goblins, Gollum, elves, and spiders. Each fear he faces develops Bilbo as a hero, getting him ready for his greatest quest, stealing the treasure from Smaug.. Another example of Bilbo putting others before himself is the treasure he willing to give in order to bring peace to the men, elves, and dwarves. Last, but not least, Bilbo is willing to sacrifice his life for a cause bigger than himself.
“Don’t be afraid to change. You may lose something good but you may gain something better.” In the Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien presents an unlikely hero, a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Another important character in the novel is Gandalf, a wizard and an old family friend, forces Bilbo to come out of his comfort zone onto a journey to recover the dwarves name and gold from the evil dragon, Smaug. Bilbo fulfills the archetypal hero’s journey by starting of an in ordinary world ,facing Ordeal, Death, and Rebirth, and The Road Back while illustrating the theme of innovation.
Bilbo’s Transformation/Maturation Some people say that people never change, while others believe that if given the chance, they will. In this case, J.R.R. Tolkien gives the character Bilbo Baggins the chance to change dramatically in his book The Hobbit. Bilbo undergoes many significant changes in his personality as a result of engaging in Gandalf's journey with the dwarves. The most important transformations include Bilbo going from cowardly to brave, from being ridiculed to respected and from being helpless to resourceful.
Change is something that is hard for most people to accomplish. Change can mean going out of your comfort zone to fulfill something that has the delusion of being absolutely mental. Bilbo goes through a dramatic change in The Hobbit from being the unadventurous, dull hobbit to being the unshrinking, adventurous hero. He does this when he finds the ring, when he frees the dwarves from the giant spider’s webs, and when he helps the dwarves escape from the Wood Elves.
Bilbo, however, possessed none of those qualities, he was in fact, a Hobbit. A Little Hobbit living in a comfortable hole, in The Shire. Hobbits never went on adventures, it was not done. However, this hobbit did, and all it took was a party and a bit of prompting from a wize wizard. He had begun his journey as a regular Hobbit,
Along the way, they overcome many obstacles that threaten their lives and put their trust for one another to the test. Bilbo learns that there is more to him than he realizes and through hard work and dedication, he can accomplish almost anything. Overcoming these problems and learning more about himself helped Bilbo change from an ordinary, self-doubting hobbit into a clever, courage-filled, loyal hero. In the beginning, Bilbo has no desire to go on an adventure of any kind, but he quickly learns about the cleverness he obtains when he is forced to make quick decisions.
Bilbo Baggins is not exactly what one would consider an outgoing person. He enjoys quiet peaceful days. Adventure is an unnecessary disturbance as most hobbits believe, and therefore unthinkable. Bilbo’s mother was the daughter of a Took, a family frowned upon by
The journey that Bilbo endures transforms him into a hero. Bilbo encounters many tests and trials throughout the story which reveal character. These courageous actions display the heroic character of Bilbo. Throughout The Hobbit, Bilbo displays the universal message that anyone can develop into a hero. Even the smallest and seemingly weakest creatures and people can become as great as Bilbo.
The elation felt by the hobbit afterwards is one of great significance. Somehow, the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark…made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach”(170). Bilbo’s first triumph forces him to recognize the strength he commands. The change is further displayed when he names his sword Sting, alluding to the heroism incited in him by the entrapping wretchedness.
“‘After all he is my friend,” said the wizard, “and not a bad little chap.’” (159). In chapter eight, when Bilbo uses his sword to free himself from the spider web, he is described as feeling differently about himself, an indication that he is growing in self-awareness. At this point, he names his sword, as many legendary heroes have done, and it is clear that he is developing qualities of heroism and leadership.