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Compare And Contrast Bilbo Baggins And The Hobbit

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Compare and Contrast Essay
When somebody mentions the word, “hero,” we think of someone dressed in shining armour holding a sword, slaying the terrible dragon guarding a hoard of gold. In The Hobbit, there is indeed a heinous dragon guarding a hoard of treasure and a hero who embarks on a journey to defeat said dragon and reclaim his stolen birthright. However, we do not just have one hero. We have two: the traditional and non-traditional hero. There is Bilbo Baggins, a shrewd hobbit who contrasts greatly from the typical hero, and Thorin Oakenshield, a strong-minded dwarf who resembles the traditional hero. By the end of the story, both characters have established that they’re capable of conquering obstacles and adversities with their …show more content…

When he attempted to steal from the trolls’ pockets (#43), he would have most likely been successful if the pocket didn’t talk. His failure was mostly as a result of poor luck. It’s stated on #41 that “…at any rate, hobbits can move quietly in woods, absolutely quietly.” Furthermore, his stealth had roped him and the Company out of dire situations. When the wood-elves had taken the Company hostage, it was Bilbo who snuck in and freed the dwarves from the dungeon (#208). He managed to successfully evade the notice of the elvenking’s guards for over a week (#203), which is no easy feat. The spiders never noticed Bilbo’s presence until he threw stones at them (#182). His small stature, his natural affinity towards stealth, and his ring of invisibility are all factors that contribute to Bilbo’s stealth. Finally, it is Bilbo’s ability to lead that was one of his strongest assets. He was not much of a leader as we began the story, but as we delved deeper, we learned that Bilbo is a leader. “…and they [the dwarves] all trusted Bilbo. Just what Gandalf had said would happen, you see. Perhaps that was part of his reason for going off and leaving.” (#204) This quote demonstrates that Bilbo is a leader. A leader is someone that you can rely on; somebody that you can trust and a person that inspires. “For Thorin had taken heart again hearing how the hobbit had rescued his companions from the spiders, and was determined once more not to ransom himself

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