I have always loved to read. I love to escape from the drama and stress of real life by opening a book and getting sucked into a world drastically different from my own and stepping into a character’s shoes. This love made me want to create these stories on my own; I want to take my own ideas and create a world as vivid as the ones in my favorite books. My love for unreal worlds pulled me to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He spent years weaving together different myths, languages, and traditions of all of the different races of people and creatures in his stories, and I wanted to be able to create a lore like that in my own books. Tolkien was one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, and he almost …show more content…
However, Tolkien almost singlehandedly changed the minds of critics who thought this way when he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Through the depth and intensity of his fantasy, Tolkien changed the world’s perspective on the genre, clearing the way for future authors to write respected fantasy. Like all successful authors, he has a story of inspiration. As an Old English professor at Oxford, Tolkien would help read the School Certificate papers. One day, he turned to a page of one of the papers, and he found, “One of the candidates had mercifully left one of the pages with no writing on it (which is the best thing that can possibly happen to an examiner) and I wrote on it: ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit” (Willett 5-6). Naturally, as a creative person, Tolkien wanted to find out what a hobbit was, and the seed that would grow into The Hobbit was born. Like a lot of authors, Tolkien didn’t write his story all at once; he took breaks. His first attempt didn’t even get past the first chapter! A few years later, he got all the way to the death of Smaug, but then he dropped it again. He would occasionally send it to friends, and one day, a former student of his asked for it, and she mentioned it to a member of the publishing staff at George Allen …show more content…
He used his personal experiences in his fiction, giving everyone who read his books a look into his past, and into the past of our world. Tolkien showed to those paying attention that his books were not just frivolous fantasy. If you look to his war experiences, you notice that Bilbo in The Hobbit, like Tolkien, was torn from his peaceful home and tossed into unfamiliar and dangerous new surroundings. In The Lord of the Rings, the way Sauron ravages Middle-earth is strikingly similar to that of Hitler in World War II (J.R.R. Tolkien). When reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, one would hopefully notice that The Lord of the Rings is much darker than its predecessor. However, The Hobbit can take on a deeper meaning when one considers that through Bilbo, we are connected to Tolkien’s personal experiences and emotions during war; it’s not just a silly children’s book. When The Lord of the Rings is connected to World War II as well, one may realize that all of Tolkien’s work is rooted in our world’s history, despite being fantasy (J.R.R. Tolkien). All of his books now have a much deeper meaning. Now, even in the twenty-first century, Tolkien’s work is still a favorite among all ages; maybe it’s because of its deeper meaning, or maybe it’s just the depth and mystery in his writing. Either way, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have now sold over tens of millions of copies; they are classics (J.R.R.
The Hobbit written by JRR Tolkien is a fantasy novel that follows the quest of sensible hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the thirteen dwarves to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from isolated surroundings into more threatening territory. Throughout the novel Bilbo changes dramatically, he develops a greater understanding of the world around him, he gains a sense of adventure and he also develops a desire to live a comfortable life without the thought of others. Throughout the novel Bilbo changes remarkably, one of the most remarkable changes he makes was his greater understanding of the world around him.
The Hobbit is an award winning novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. The book relates a lot to Tolkien’s life and supports modern values. Tolkien hated war. He and his friends went to war and although Tolkien made it out alive, few of his friends did.
J. R. R. Tolkien created a book with magic, fantasy, and wonder. He created a fiction based story with belief. In the beginning of the story, Bilbo Baggins was a tired, clumsy hobbit. He faced many challenges and also became victorious. The hobbit made friends with the 13 dwarves, a wizard and many more magical creatures. They went on a journey to gain, land, riches, and to kill the scary beast Smaug. Eventually, Bilbo had to go home, but he went home with a smile on his face knowing he became something he never thought he could be.
The Non fictitious World of J.R.R Tolkien When it comes to nonfiction, facts and tell-tale events take hold of the book, leaving nothing but cold hard realities. Whether it is because of the gritty truths that many face or repetitive information presented on a page by page basis, what steers most people away is the lack of imagination. That is exactly why I chose to read Master of Middle-Earth, the fiction of the ever-creative master of nonfiction himself, J.R.R. Tolkien. This book gave me the grand idea of how to get around the dreadful terrors of fiction by finding one about the written fantasies of The Lord of the Rings and to a lesser, but still marvelous extent, The Hobbit.
Tolkien a literary icon set the standards of what a fantasy is in his essay On Fairy Stories assessing what he believes a story must contain to make it a true “fairy story”. Tolkien never references The Hobbit which he published two years prior. The Hobbit is Tolkien’s first novel based in a fictitious land known as Middle Earth and is about a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and his unexpected journey with a band of dwarfs and a wizard. Tolkien must have believed his novel The Hobbit to be a fairy story by the standards he set in his essay and there is sufficient evidence to say that he did.
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have been beloved works among many generations of readers since they were first published. The author of these two books, J.R.R. Tolkien is just as interesting a man as many of the characters he created in the world of Middle-Earth. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Africa to a banker manager and his wife in 1892 and had only one sibling, Hilary, who was less than two years younger (Wikipedia). When he was young both of his parents died (one from rheumatic fever, the other from diabetes) and he and his brother were raised by a Catholic priest in Birmingham (Wikipedia). Tolkien was involved in World War One and Two, first as a serviceman, then as a cryptographer (Wikipedia). Indeed he was very
Similarly, Lewis’ colleague at Oxford, J.R.R. Tolkien also defended Fantasy, or as he called it, “fairy-stories.” Tolkien was known for his fantastic works that included The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and an assortment of companion books to the series. He was also well known for his criticism of Beowulf, “The Monsters and the Critics.” His Fantasy series have had broad implications on the fantasy genre as a whole since publication, influencing the current generation of writers with the firm grasp of history
Since the publication of The Hobbit in 1937, critical readers have argued over whether the book is a fantasy, a fairy tale, a fable, a romance, an epic, or a novel. Classifying the book is one way of explaining its strengths and weaknesses and understanding the immense appeal it has held for many decades. The Hobbit seems to be about much more than its surface narrative, but Tolkien was adamant that it was not an allegory and said he much preferred history, whether real or invented, to allegory. The book is not a novel in the tradition of the great realistic novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; it is much closer to the idea of a romance, a genre that accommodates the improbable and even the supernatural. It is probably most accurate
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s personal life impacted his extremely vivid novels immensely. His background knowledge, such as basic facts made him who he is today, having in effect on his writing. As well as his more popular writing such as, “The Lord of the Rings” which has those lost in his life and current historical events at that time, playing a large part into the many details to the story. Finally, the incredible novel, “the hobbit” having him contributing to his childhood and family. Tolkien is known for the incredible talent for the exquisite adult fairy tale novels he had created.
The Hobbit, written by John R. R. Tolkien, is a fantasy novel published on September 21, 1937. It was written as a prelude to the famous series, The Lord of the Rings, written seventeen years later. The Hobbit introduces the reader to an incredibly immersive fantasy world, that enriches the reader into its epic storyline. The story takes place in a land called Middle-earth, a land filled with enchanting surprises and magical wonders. It was the perfect playground for Tolkien to develop his main character Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo Baggins was a small hobbit, who unaware in the beginning would become a large role in the plot. It is through this character that Tolkien implemented the theme of heroism into the story. Bilbo’s
Throughout the story line of The Hobbit, Tolkien links his fantasy world of middle earth with the reader's world. He uses his imagination to draw his reader into middle earth and allows them to glimpse his view of the evil that he witnessed living and serving in the time of WWI. Tolkien does this to show that not all technological advancements are for the common good.
The Lord of The Rings, a widely read trilogy of books adapted for the screen in a trilogy of popular movies, takes place in the Land of Middle Earth. Some fans of the series do not realize that Middle Earth was no abstract concept in the mind of its creator, J. R. R. Tolkien. On the contrary, he developed an intricate language, mythology, and history for his country. After his death, his son Christopher helped gather and publish some of these works for the enjoyment of people around the world. A detailed history of Middle Earth became available four years after the death of Tolkien, called The Silmarillion.
When J.R.R tolkien set his himself down to write the hobbit. He was attempting to create a fantasy that addressed the fundamental needs as he saw them of humanity. He wrote about these needs and his purpose in an essay called “J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories” However before I attempt to indulge into Tolkien's work and the underlying factors that influenced him. We must understand that within in his essay addressing fairy tales Tolkien defines fairy stories as “A tale about fairies, or generally a fairy legend; with developed senses,” I will not go into depth on this definition as i feel it is not very important in the grand scheme of things, however i do feel it is important to understand what i will
There are certain books that have the ability to shift the reader’s perception of the world permanently. These are the classics: Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, the list goes on. Each of these books carries qualities that have withstood the test of time, that resonate with the readers even today. One of book that has not yet received its status as a classic is J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. However, its powerful messages, deep meaning, and appeal to a wide audience make it a book that every student in the Honors Program should read.
The inspiring novel, The Hobbit, written by J. R. R. Tolkien, definitely deserves the right to be considered a timeless classic. Tolkien uses the main character, Bilbo Baggins, a well respected hobbit, to explain how fast one’s life can change. Mr. Baggins doesn’t believe he will go on an adventure through Middle-Earth the day Gandalf comes to Bag End to tell him so. Nor does he think the many races he only heard of in stories, will face him in the mountain pass. As the expedition takes the reader through the marvelous sights, the author drags them through the horrid forest of Mirkwood and traps them in the Elvenking’s dungeon. Tolkien’s excellent word choice enhances the novel further, indicating that it is a tale told long after the journey finishes. Through the use of dwarves, Tolkien describes the fact that all races show their true colors at one point or another, but it does not define them to be the same as all the others of that race. Mr. Tolkien beautifully intertwines the underlying messages and powerful statements in the wild settings and creative characters.