The Hobbit: Comparing The Book And Movie

The Hobbit was the first of Tolkien’s story of Middle Earth and was thought as a children’s book. “The Hobbit” explains, the main plot of the storyline is a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins goes on an adventure with thirteen dwarves and a wizard named Gandalf to reclaim the dwarves’ homeland in The Lonely Mountain from an evil fire-breathing dragon named Smaug. On the way the company encounters goblins, giant spiders, trolls, and many other undesirable things. While on the quest, Bilbo finds a magic ring which he steals from a slimy creature corrupted by the ring named Gollum. (95-101). The main characters include Bilbo Baggins (main hero), Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield (leader of the dwarves), Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin (the other 12 dwarves), Elrond (leader of the elves), Goblins (captures the company), Gollum (creature that Bilbo takes the ring from), Wargs (giant evil wolves). Bard (kills Smaug) (“The Hobbit” 95-101). The major themes of The Hobbit include the struggle between Good and Evil, Fate and Chance, Friendship, Death, and Valor (“The Hobbit” 95-101). “The Lord of the Rings was his second major piece of literature and was more sophisticated and considered a more adult trilogy. The Lord of the Rings” states, the major plot of The Lord of the Rings is that a hobbit named Frodo Baggins goes on an adventure to destroy an evil ring

When you think of a hero, is the first character to pop in your head a little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins? In most cases, people think of Superman or Hercules, but in The Hobbit, an unexpected hero emerges and changes the name for all heroes to come. The Hobbit is a novel about Bilbo Baggins and his journey, with thirteen dwarves and a wizard, seeking the treasure stolen by the dragon, Smaug. While on this unexpected journey, Bilbo and his companions overcome many obstacles to eventually get to the treasure and retrieve it. Throughout the story, Bilbo develops into a courageous man, who indeed, is a hero. Richard Tyre wrote an article, “You Can’t Teach Tolkien,” and he explains his theory in which he connects multiple story’s plot with six elements. The Hobbit, is assuredly a prime example of Tyre’s theory because it follows all six steps throughout the story simultaneously. The six elements are; “(1) those who hunt for treasure, (2) must go alone, (3) at night, (4) and when they find it, (5) they must leave some of their blood behind, (6) and the treasure is never what they expected” (Tyre 19). These elements are steps in which a character must take to emerge into a hero in the end. Bilbo Baggins is the hero in The Hobbit, but he doesn’t start off as the hero. He has always had heroic traits but throughout the novel, he pursues those six steps and in the resolution, he is transformed into an actual hero.

Tolkien builds the characters through indirect characterization to provide the readers insight on the character. As Tolkien introduces Bilbo, he helps to build his personality. Bilbo's personality shows through when all the dwarves are entering his house and he wonders "whether they would stay [for] supper" (Tolkien 10). Through this you can tell that

One of the most apparent character archetypes used in this novel is the everyman, a simple, adventure less, commonplace character that is played by Bilbo Baggins. In the beginning of the story, Bilbo is the classic everyman that lives in the Shire, but is soon thrust into a world he does not understand. As the story progresses Bilbo fulfills the role of the hero all while making a full circle back to the beginning and thus completing the Hero’s Journey. Another important figure in The Hobbit is Gandalf, who takes on the role of both the herald and the mentor. Gandalf’s role as the herald is clear as he embarks Bilbo on his adventure in the beginning of the novel. His role as the mentor is a longer and more subtle one as he guides Bilbo through his obstacles while letting Bilbo overcome them himself. His dual role helps support the storyline in building the full circled journey. The shadow role and the threshold guardians create a conflicting force that rivals the protagonists. The shadow is portrayed as Smaug and can be referred to as the antagonist throughout the expanse of the book. Bilbo and the dwarfs entire journey is based on their rivalry against the dragon guarding the homeland of the dwarfs, The Lonely Mountain, as he stands in the way of what they want, "Bilbo was now beginning to feel really uncomfortable. Whenever Smaug's roving eye, seeking for him in the shadows, flashed across him, he trembled, and an accountable desire seized hold of him to rush out and reveal himself and tell all the truth to Smaug. In fact he was in grievous danger of coming under the dragon-spell" (231). The use of this character in the Hero’s Journey is what creates a story and adds the necessary conflict to create the plot and engage the reader with the momentum it builds. Threshold guardians play a similar role in gathering momentum,

As children develop into adults, certain events and time periods stand out as the reason for important changes in their character. J.R.R. Tolkien portrayed the main character of The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, as a child on his trip into adulthood. Throughout The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist, changes from a childlike hobbit to a fully matured hero. J.R.R. Tolkien divides the change in Bilbo's character into the three major part of the book, prior to the quest, during the quest, and after the quest.

These were all characteristics of the main character - Bilbo Baggins. The process of becoming a hero, which Bilbo goes through, begins with a simple knock on his door one morning. Soon Bilbo is recruited, unknowingly and unwillingly, as a burglar into Thorin’s expedition, by the mysterious wizard, Gandalf. Bilbo is soon called to adventure. This was probably the only opportunity a hobbit such as Bilbo would ever get to go on such an expedition, but Bilbo was very reluctant, at first. Bilbo was good hearted, sacrificing and loyal. He would have given up his life for the betterment of others and this is what made him a true hero. At first, he didn’t want any adventure, but then he saw Gandalf’s faith and belief in him, and he decided to go on the adventure. Bilbo, like a real hero, always made sure that he finished the work he set out to do. Without Bilbo, the dwarves would not be able to finish all the tasks that they wanted to finish. Bilbo was also the reason why the dwarves were still alive. Bilbo saved the dwarves from many different disasters. The disasters ranged from the spiders to Smaug. Through good or bad, Bilbo always showed all the characteristics of a real

Going forward, in this essay, topics such as heroism and transformity will be strongly analyzed through quotes directly from the book The Hobbit and opinions formed while reading. Through the book The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien is able to show how a hero isn’t always the typical buff and boots with a cape on his back kind of person. Tolkien shows the reader that a hero is made by the struggles he conquers and isn’t just a perfect character thrown into the beginning of the story.

The world we live in is full of heroes that are different shapes and sizes that people don't remember who they are a month after they do something. The story The Hobbit may make you think of a half sized person as an no everyday hero, but his actions will touch your heart and make you think that it's really possible to change the world around you no matter what size you are. The half sized person in this story by J.R.R. Tolkien is named Bilbo and his race is known as hobbits. In his distant homeland called the Shire, he was summoned by a wizard named Gandalf who requested he join them on a quest for treasure. This quest was probably the

Bilbo Baggins changes a lot in the novel The Hobbit. In the beginning he is a small peaceful Hobbit who lives in Hobbiton. He loves to keep things in order, and hates things that are disorganized. “Please be careful,” and “Please don’t trouble. I can manage” (Tolkein, 12). Then one day a wizard by the name of Gandalf comes and gives Bilbo the opportunity to go on an adventure. Bilbo turns his offer down, but the next day thirteen dwarves come to his house. They have meals together and they sleep at Bilbo’s house. Gandalf then convinces him to go on an adventure with them. Bilbo is many things, in the very begging he is flat, static, main, and he is the protagonist. By the end of the story he is round, dynamic, main, and he is still the

How can an author write a story which appeals to a present day audience? Richard H. Tyre published an article in 1978 that gives an answer to this very question. Tyre explains how most kids today choose to read books like the Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings series, and even The Wizard of Oz. An existing theory that Tyre came up with explains that each of these books, along with many others, have one thing in common: 6 plot elements. Not only do these stories contain the same 6 elements but those elements are in the same order! Tyre states that “(1) those who hunt for treasure, (2) must go alone, (3) at night, (4) and when they find it, (5) they must leave some of their blood behind, (6) and the treasure is never what they expected.” (Tyre 2). J.R.R. Tolkien is the author of The Hobbit. The Hobbit revolves around one hobbit in particular named Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo embarks on a journey with 14 others to recover a treasure that is guarded by a dragon. Along the way Bilbo faces many challenges that range from running into huge trolls, to taking part in fierce battles. Due to it’s main character hunting for treasure, facing most of the dangers alone, battling during the wee hours of the night, eventually finding the treasure, after sweating/crying/and enduring injuries, just to have the treasure revealed to him as not what he expected, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is undoubtedly a perfect example of Tyre’s 6 plot elements.

For example the book states “Ponies take some catching I believe after a long start, and so do burglars. He added as a parting shot as he darted back through the tunnel.” (Tolkien 227) Bilbo is very witty and cunning with smaug in this dialogue and throughout the scene and is becoming a hero. Also, as a start he took a gold cup and made it out of the tunnel alive as the hero. In the movie however Peter Jackson shows Bilbo as timid and scared. Also, in the movie bilbo didn't escape himself, the dwarves came in and saved Bilbo and Bilbo became a side character for the rest of the scene. Bilbo is a non-hero and almost the weak link in this scene in the movie. When the dwarves came in they overshadowed Bilbo and made him a side character instead of the triumphant hero he was in the book. This part of the scene was ineffective in the movie because it didn't show Bilbo for who he was in the

Bilbo Baggins is the protagonist of The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins has curly brown hair and thick leathery feet. He was fat in the stomach and was half the height of an adult. He likes having multiple meals a day, and snacks. Bilbo also had long clever fingers. Bilbo is a very respectable individual. He enjoyed staying at home, Bilbo doing something unexpected was unheard of. Before the adventure, he thought highly of his neighbor's opinion about him. When Gandalf chose Bilbo the other dwarves thought that he was unfit for the job. The dwarves did not

Bilbo Baggins is one of the main characters of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Being a main character in a story, especially an adventure story, typically comes with some pretty hefty responsibilities. More often than not, the main character is also the hero. A hero is defined as “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities,” and these are not necessarily qualities readily attributed to Bilbo Baggins (oxforddictionaries.com). This essay will look at three ways in which Bilbo contrasts the traditional characteristics of a hero and what transformations he ends up making to fit the mold more closely. It will examine his lineage, his strength, and his attitude as well as the changes he makes throughout the story.

Although the movies are a beautiful remake of the original book, there a quite a few distinct differences between the two. These differences can be very simple: like the fact that Gollum only has six teeth in the book and nine in the movie, or very complex: like the fact that whole new characters were added to the movie that were not originally in the book. The elves Legolas, Tauriel, and Galadriel played very prominent roles in the book in helping the dwarves and hobbit on their journey, yet they ceased to exist in the original text. Another substantial difference between the book and movies is that in the book, the dwarves and hobbit weren’t aware of Smaug leaving (or being killed for that matter) until they were alerted of this news by the crows. However, in the movie, a pretty large battle took place between the dwarves and Smaug. As far as smaller differences go, in the book the keyhole to get into Smaug’s chamber was lit by the sunset, whereas in the movie the keyhole was lit by the light of the moon; the movie showed Bard’s children and the book didn’t; and in the book it talks of Gandalf throwing pinecones lit with fires of many color, but in the book they were all one color; and the movie featured an attack

The other characters of the story are Gandalf the wizard, Smaug the dragon, Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fili, Kili, Oin, and Gloin, the