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The Hobbit Essay Bilbo Baggins

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The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is centered on Bilbo Baggins, the classical hero who starts out as an average hobbit in an immense world, goes on an adventure and begins find his special gifts that are unique to him, and returns to his old way of life having been changed forever. Bilbo Baggins is a very respectable hobbit living in the Shire. He is just a tiny speck in the vast expanse of Middle Earth and what lies beyond. By a rule, hobbits are to strive for respect from their fellow hobbits. Consequently, it is extremely rare and looked down upon for a hobbit such as Bilbo to venture out of his comfortable hobbit hole and embark on an "adventure". In Bilbo's own words, adventures are "nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!" So like a classical hero, Bilbo starts out as an everyman denying any sort of adventures that come his way. However he may deny it, his Tookish side, or the more adventurous side of his ancestry, is ever present within Bilbo. The dwarves, also on this adventure along with Bilbo, can't see any use in bringing him along, but Gandalf the wizard assures them that Bilbo has greatness within him and they will one day thank him for bringing him. As he says himself while talking to the dwarves, "I brought him, and I don't bring things that are of no use. If we can only find him again, you will thank me …show more content…

Bilbo is no stranger to this quest. He is torn between his Took side and his more respectable side. He struggles to find his place in the lawless world of adventure that he has embarked on. When the company encounters the trolls, Bilbo tries to prove his worth by stealing something from the trolls. When this goes wrong and he is discovered, the dwarves try to find him and they also are captured by the trolls. While trying to prove himself, Bilbo just about turned the whole company (except Gandalf) into a troll's

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