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The Hobbit: Bilbo As A Hero

Decent Essays

There are many ways to define a hero, from Henry Miller’s definition above, to their story arc. Some are better than others. Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of “The Hobbit” is not a traditional hero when the book opens. He is a thoroughly respectable Hobbit, nearing middle age, who had done nothing out of the ordinary in his life. By the end, however, he has become a seasoned adventurer, having fought goblins, massive spiders, and a Dragon. He wore a sword, and had seen (part of) a battle the likes of which hadn’t been seen in three millennia. He didn’t start a hero, but was he one by the end? Through the plot of the story, it can be seen that Bilbo was a hero. Bilbo’s story mostly follows the traditional arc for a hero. Many stories …show more content…

In the first few pages of “the Hobbit” a brief history of Hobbits is given, specifically of the two families Bilbo is from: the Bagginses, and the Tooks. About the books, it says, “...once in awhile members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures.” and later, “Bilbo,... although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his makeup from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up...”. This clearly foreshadows an adventure to come. This theme of Bilbo’s “bookishness” carries throughout, and even continues into ‘Lord of the Rings’, where Frodo, who has even more Took in him, goes on an even greater …show more content…

At the start, Bilbo is so frighted at the mere thought of going on this quest that he faints. He is frightened by the thought of leaving behind the comforts of home, and by the fear of dying on the journey. However, by the next chapter or two, his “bookishness” reveals itself, and he rushes to join the company. He still worries about his handkerchiefs, but he is starting to become more open to change and adventure. By the end of the book, he is stronger, courageous. He doesn't seek danger, but neither does he shrink from it as he did when he began his

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