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The Hobbit Book Report -2005-

2005-11-08T20:22:11-05:00

The Hobbit Book Report By Shaeydyh Setting: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien is in an arrangement of a world of imagination of the hobbits, elves, dwarves, men and dragons, however the world is very similar to ours which it has many differences. It takes place in fantastic the imaginary means ground of the world in one moment "a long time ago" where the use of the swords, the axes, and the amour still in an extravagant way of fighting and is still heard of. Characters: Characters in the story are the well developed and develop more and more as the story reveals itself. Bilbo Baggins, has the quiet, food-affectionate hobbit smokes soundly out of his pipe when Gandalf the wizard, subtly invites the hobbit to go on an adventure and Bilbo shoos it in addition to saying to him to come for the tea tomorrow (hoping it would not show up). This is where it all starts; an unexpected part of thirteen dwarves and Gandalf, Bilbo is overwhelmed by the end of the day and oversleeps for an appointment he never knew about at the bywater. But when he arrives there he finds them all laid out to leave and ready to take with them! So that was the beginning of the adventure of Bilbo Baggins. All the time Bilbo wished that he was eating bacon with a singing kettle in the background of his content and cozy hobbit-hole. The remainder of the lot, the dwarves, who were to become irritated of the sound of the hobbit complaining about lack of food and they said things like "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar.” Their thoughts changes mightily after a certain incident where he escapes from an inhabited mine by orcs under a mountain and a magic ring he finds (not that he told them). But, Thorin, son of Thror, son of Thrain never respected the hobbit much since he was never put to good used, at least until he transformed into a magnificent thief and got the party out of a dew terrible dilemmas one involving giant spiders and the other wood-elves. And then by sneaking into the dragon Smaug’s tunnels and stealing one of his possessions and then talking to the dragon with his magic ring on trying to out-clever him. Summary: Bilbo is taken on an unexpected adventure with thirteen dwarves to conquer a dragon named Smaug and take the treasure

The Hobbit

2004-09-06T23:12:51-04:00

The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins lives a quiet, peaceful life in his comfortable hole at Bag End. Bilbo lives in a hole because he is a hobbit—one of a race of small, plump people about half the size of humans, with furry toes and a great love of good food and drink. Bilbo is quite content at Bag End, near the bustling hobbit village of Hobbiton, but one day his comfort is shattered by the arrival of the old wizard Gandalf, who persuades Bilbo to set out on an adventure with a group of thirteen militant dwarves. The dwarves are embarking on a great quest to reclaim their treasure from the marauding dragon Smaug, and Bilbo is to act as their “burglar.” The dwarves are very skeptical about Gandalf’s choice for a burglar, and Bilbo is terrified to leave his comfortable life to seek adventure. But Gandalf assures both Bilbo and the dwarves that there is more to the little hobbit than meets the eye. Shortly after the group sets out, three hungry trolls capture all of them except for Gandalf. Gandalf tricks the trolls into remaining outside when the sun comes up, and the sunlight turns the nocturnal trolls to stone. The group finds a great cache of weapons in the trolls’ camp. Gandalf and the dwarf lord Thorin take magic swords, and Bilbo takes a small sword of his own. The group rests at the elfish stronghold of Rivendell, where they receive advice from the great elf lord Elrond, then sets out to cross the Misty Mountains. When they find shelter in a cave during a snowstorm, a group of goblins who live in the caverns beneath the mountain take them prisoner. Gandalf leads the dwarves to a passage out of the mountain, but they accidentally leave behind Bilbo. Wandering through the tunnels, Bilbo finds a strange golden ring lying on the ground. He takes the ring and puts it in his pocket. Soon he encounters Gollum, a hissing, whining creature who lives in a pool in the caverns and hunts fish and goblins. Gollum wants to eat Bilbo, and the two have a contest of riddles to determine Bilbo’s fate. Bilbo wins by asking

Hobbit Thesis on Different Mind Sets

2002-10-08T14:00:00-04:00

~Different mind sets, types of people, and coloring all symbolize and have great influence on folklore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Folklore are tales that are carried on and passed down throughout the generations of many civilizations. (Landrum). Many things contribute to the art of creating these stories, but human beings are dealt two of the greatest tools for this: an imagination and the need to teach vital life lessons. Different mind sets, types of people, and coloring all symbolize and have great influence on folklore. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Bilbo is content in his hobbit-hole. Took, Bilbo’s mother’s maiden name, is a name that contains a great sense of adventure and holds courage close to the heart, whereas his name of Baggins shows no desire for adventure. This proposes serious conflict between his two inner sides of Baggins and Took. Bilbo shows heavy provincialism towards new situations before leaving on his adventure. (Harding). Throughout the making and acceptance of folklore, two types of mind sets are needed. Human beings have been given a bicameral and a unicameral mind. The bicameral mind is used to invent life-sustaining tools such as language, numbers and the wheel. Bilbo has to make use of his bicameral mind that J.R.R. Tolkien has bestowed upon his character to help him survive this quest. His bicameral mind allows him to be able to to trick Gallum and the dragon, Smaug. Just like in that of Jack and the Beanstalk, when Jack tricks the harp into coming with him before she has the chance to realize what has just occurred. (Eliot). J.R.R. Tolkien uses the unicameral mind to help Bilbo make important decisions. The unicameral mind is one that portrays consciousness. Bilbo goes through many changes while he is on this adventure. Each change that occurs greatly affects Bilbo. He transforms from his father’s Baggins characteristics to his mother’s Took characteristics very swiftly. (Neves). His bicameral mind gives him the gift of quick wit, which allows him life-saving trickery, whereas his unicameral mind gives him the upper hand on facing challenges that aid him in finding his true person. (Burns). Many different types of people are portrayed in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. A folktale concerns people - either royalty or common folk - or animals who act or speak like people. Bilbo acts more like a person than any other character in this story, which is clearly displayed

The Hobbit Book Report

2002-08-21T14:00:00-04:00

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is set in a fantasy world that has differences, as well as similarities, to our own world. The story takes place in the imaginary world of Middle-earth in the Third Age of it's history. It's a land and time of Elves, Dwarves and Dragons

Characters

Hobbits are similar to people, though more shy and half the size of a man. Most have thick hair on their feet, round bellies, and a taste for a comfortable, peaceful life. The Hobbit chronicles the journey of these creatures. Bilbo Baggins: is the main character of the story. He is a hobbit who prefers domesticity to adventure, but he soon finds himself caught up in the escapades of Gandalf, the wizard, and a group of dwarves. Bilbo is hardly the raw material of a hero, but as the story progresses he develops into a clever and brave hero. Throughout the novel, he longs for his home but he is able to perform his duties as a member of the group. Finding the ring that makes him invisible is certainly the greatest tactical advantage that he gains in the story. Gandalf: The Wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. He is well versed in magic spells and often calls upon them to save his comrades. Gandalf is a friend of Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took, and he contrives the gathering of Bilbo and the dwarves that initiates the adventure. He has plenty of wisdom, magical skills (usually fireworks) and useful contacts with individuals like Beorn and the Lord of the Eagles. Thorin Oakenshield: is the leader of the dwarves that accompany Bilbo to the cave of Smaug. Like most dwarves, he is focused on wealth, political ascendancy and historical lineage. He carries an old sword and he is heir to the throne established in Smaug's mountain. Unfortunately, Thorin's negative tendencies reveal themselves in his power-hungry maneuvers at the novel's end. Smaug: is the major villain of the story. He is a dragon that has terrorized several towns and, within his mountain, he guards a massive horde of treasure. Part of this treasure belongs to the dwarves and so they intend to reclaim it. Smaug dies in battle against the villagers of Esgaroth, when a warrior named Bard shoots an arrow through his unshielded breast

Summary

The Hobbit is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who lives in Hobbiton. He enjoys a

The Hobbit Book Report

2002-08-21T14:00:00-04:00

Setting

The story occurs in the imaginary world—Middle-earth—created by the author, it is appropriate since creatures that are found in the book (e.g., goblins and dwarves) do not exist in our world. Since the story happens in many places over Middle-earth the author gives a deep description only in places where important things to the plot happen but in other places he gives a more general description. Most places make the reader have a picture in his brain of them; the author uses the appropriate words and gives good descriptions. It takes the story about a year to occur. It starts at the spring and ends in about the same time the year after. Parts of the story take place in every time of the day (and night). The mood is of fantasy world, where everything (like magic and huge treasures) can appear and happen.

Major Characters

Bilbo Baggins: is the main character of the story. He is a hobbit who prefers domesticity to adventure, but he soon finds himself caught up in the escapades of Gandalf, the wizard, and a group of dwarves. Bilbo is hardly the raw material of a hero, but as the story progresses he develops into a clever and brave hero. Throughout the novel, he longs for his home but he is able to perform his duties as a member of the group. Finding the ring that makes him invisible is certainly the greatest tactical advantage that he gains in the story. Gandalf: The Wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. He is well versed in magic spells and often calls upon them to save his comrades. Gandalf is a friend of Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took, and he contrives the gathering of Bilbo and the dwarves that initiates the adventure. He has plenty of wisdom, magical skills (usually fireworks) and useful contacts with individuals like Beorn and the Lord of the Eagles. Thorin Oakenshield: is the leader of the dwarves that accompany Bilbo to the cave of Smaug. Like most dwarves, he is focused on wealth, political ascendancy and historical lineage. He carries an old sword and he is heir to the throne established in Smaug's mountain. Unfortunately, Thorin's negative tendencies reveal themselves in his power-hungry maneuvers at the novel's end. Smaug: is the major villain of the story. He is a dragon that has terrorized several towns and, within his mountain, he guards a massive horde

The Hobbit - Book Report

2001-02-21T13:00:00-05:00

“The hobbit,” a story of adventure and danger is a prime example of a romantic plot, and fantasy genre. What makes this story such a great example of a romantic plot? One, the unlikely hero, Mr. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit that is dragged on an adventure he doesn’t wish to take. Second, there is a great quest with a reward at its end. Third the great teacher figure, Gandalf is a wizard that helps Bilbo to become the great hero he is destined to be. And lastly the dragon figure, in this story the dragon figure, happened to be a dragon but there are also many miniature dragon figures through out the tale. The story begins with our soon to be hero Bilbo Baggins he’s smoking his pipe and is quite proud of the smoke rings he is managing to make. As Bilbo smokes his pipe, Gandalf stops by to have a talk with Bilbo. He informs Bilbo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Although Bilbo is tempted to accept the offer, he declines. Before Gandalf leaves Bilbo decides to invite him for tea the next morning. Dwarves show up at his door instead, one at a time, inviting them selves in until there’s thirteen in all. Bilbo isn’t quite sure of what to make of this, but Gandalf shows up and soon it becomes apparent to Bilbo that he has been chosen by Gandalf to be the thief in an adventure to retrieve some stolen dwarf gold from a dragon named Smaug. He’s kind of a whiny baby to start out with (He forgot a handkerchief and was freaking out) But he decided to prove him self very early in the story, he tried to pick pocket from a Troll. He failed but you get a glimpse of the hero he is to become. The quest begins when the group meets at the Green Dragon Inn. From there they venture into the Lone-lands. As heavy rains begin to fall, Bilbo notices that Gandalf is missing. This is something that is later on considered to be normal because Gandalf comes and goes throughout the duration of the trip. All through the quest Bilbo ends up saving the party from many dangerous situations. This is something that at first Bilbo finds hard to believe because he has very low self-esteem. The group always

The Hobbit - The Motivation of Lust

2000-12-25T13:00:00-05:00

Anyone who had something of great value stolen from him would try to get it back. Even if that person had to go to high risks to reclaim what was theirs. In the book The Hobbit, a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, a wizard named Gandalf, and thirteen dwarves have to get back their lost treasure that a character named Smaug stole. To reclaim their treasure they have to travel a long distance to the Lonely Mountain where Smaug is hiding . Throughout their journey they encounter many life-hindering experiences. Dangers and obstacles pop up everywhere. The reason why this group goes to such great lengths to get their treasure is because of one reason, which is their motivation of lust. Lust created the conflict in this story. The conflict is the most important literary element because it directly affects everyone in the story. There are many conflicts, but the main one is between the dwarves and their lust for their lost treasure that Smaug has stolen. This conflict creates the basis for the story. Plus, there were conflicts added on because of this main conflict. Their journey to the Lonley Mountain consisted of one conflict after another. Even though the conflicts on their journey are not as important as the main conflict, they are what make this book interesting. Tolkien's choice of the main conflict is not the most creative. It is based upon the traditional story of "going out and taking back what is yours." If I had to choose something I didn't like about the book, it would be this simple plot. It is a good thing he added such adventurous conflicts to this story, otherwise it would not be a good piece of literature. Through the conflicts in this story, the author has a lesson for the reader. The lesson is if one wants something bad enough, he must be ready to suffer the consequences. To claim the treasure the group has to go through a lot. Some examples of this are being abducted by an army of goblins, being captured by giant spiders, and being captured by woodland elves. If a person has a goal for himself, he too will have to go through hard times. The only way the group succeeded is by having lust and pride drive them on. A person with a goal must also have something to drive him towards his goal. Lust is

The Hobbit

2000-03-03T13:00:00-05:00

As the book, The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien begins to conclude, Thorin Oakenshield sees the goodness in Bilbo Baggins and apprehends the most significant parts of life. Since the beginning, Thorin’s principle objective is to become the King under the Mountain and to have all the gold and treasure. While Thorin is on his deathbed he tells Bilbo, "There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." Unlike the dwarfs, Bilbo cherishes friendship and merriment over gold and wealth. He shows this by placing his life in danger numerous times by escaping ferocious goblins and killing giant spiders to save Thorin and the other dwarfs. Bilbo cares more about others than himself, and Thorin notices how fortunate they are to have such a wise individual as a friend. Because of the goodness in Bilbo, he declines the treasure. It is offered to him since a promise was made in the beginning for him to receive and equal portion of the riches. He refuses the treasure because he feels that the most precious possession he has is the friendship with the dwarfs and others that he encounters along the way. Also, Bilbo enjoys near death experiences and thrills that accompany the quest for the mountain. Although, from Bilbo’s words, he makes it seem as if the only reason he does not take the treasure home is that his pony will only carry two chests. Bilbo also thinks he did enough harm and becomes weary. He just wants to be back in his hobbit-hole. What use would Bilbo have for the whole treasure? Bilbo was content without the riches which is why he declines the treasure. Thorin changes drastically by the end of the book. Now, Thorin’s quest is now fulfilled since he returned the mountain to the dwarfs reign. For many years, a dragon, Smaug, took over the mountain until when Thorin and his company claim the mountain again. Another part of his quest was to have the Heart of the Mountain, the Arkenstone. He accomplished that when it was laid upon his breast by Bard, a friend, and Bard exclaimed, "There it lay till the Mountain falls!" His death was necessary for the theme of the

The Hobbit

2000-03-03T13:00:00-05:00

Bilbo’s noblest moment in The Hobbit, a fantasy book by J. R. R. Tolkien, is when he gives up the Arkenstone, a precious jewel. He is commended by some for his graciousness of giving away such a treasure, for everyone was rushing to try to get it for themselves. Yet, Bilbo gave the stone to the Elvenking and went against of his friends to attempt to protect lives. This is especially noble since no one else could have achieved this action and been trusted. It revealed supreme generosity from Bilbo. Bilbo feels that it is essential to settle all the disputes which is why he concludes that giving up the Arkenstone would be the best alternative. A war was beginning because the elves and men wanted their fair share of the treasure since they killed Smaug, the dragon who stole the fortune from the dwarfs hundreds of years ago. Maybe, the elves and men could bargain with the Arkenstone which is the heart of Thorin. Thorin treasures it above anything else in the world, and all other riches do not even compare to the Arkenstone. Bilbo figures that this may be the only performance that could save lives, and he wants to achieve that objective. Even though the stone does not rightly belong to him, Bilbo gives away the stone away out of the goodness of his heart. Consequently, Bilbo has many justifications for presenting the Elvenking with the Arkenstone. Since Bilbo was so gracious for giving up the Arkenstone, no other character would have been able to do that achievement. One part that had an immense role is the Elvenking having trust in Bilbo. If a dwarf would have wanted to give the elves something, most likely, they would not have trusted the dwarf. This is because the dwarfs were the ones who were not giving them their share of the riches. Bilbo has and advantage for not being like the dwarfs. So, the elves had more faith in Bilbo for being a hobbit. Probably, the dwarfs would have been greedy and kept the Arkenstone for their own anyway. All they want is the riches, and they do not care about anyone but themselves. In fact, when they were in the tunnels with the goblins, the dwarfs did not even notice when Bilbo became lost, and they were about to go on without him. Also, they always relied on Bilbo to

The Hobbit Book Review

1999-12-14T13:00:00-05:00

The main character of the book is Mr. Bilbo Baggins. He is the Hobbit who led the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon named Smaug. Bilbo is middle aged and resides in a clean, warm burrow dug into the side of a hill. In the beginning of the story Bilbo is a very weak character. He is easily frightened, and very shy. One of his strengths though, is that he is of the mythical race called Hobbits. Hobbits are known for their skills in thievery and spying. There are two main characteristics of Hobbits that separate them from normal humans. One, Hobbits are very small. They only grow to reach the height of about three feet if they are lucky. Secondly, they have large feet that are covered at the tops by thick hair. This hair is used to keep the hobbit’s feet warm because they do not wear boots. Another characteristic of hobbits is that they normally don’t wish for any excitement or adventure. They thrive on repetition and dull activities such as gardening. Hobbits also love to eat. Bilbo’s favorite foods are: cake, bacon, sausage, eggs, wine, bread and any other fattening things that can be thought of. Some other important characters are as follows. Gandalf, he is the wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. Thorin Oakenshield is son of the king of the dwarves who were driven from the Lonely Mountain. Smaug is the dragon of the Lonely Mountain who hordes the treasure he stole. Gollum is a slimy creature that was born a Hobbit but had the ring too long; this is the character that Bilbo steals the ring from. Bard is the archer that kills Smaug. Bilbo is the main character of the story and also the narrator. The main conflict of the story line is Bilbo vs. Himself. Bilbo has to overcome his fears of dragons and other creatures in order to carry out his part of the mission. Another conflict is the whole party vs. Smaug. The party of dwarves along with Bilbo and Gandalf, have to be able to destroy the dragon in order to claim their so deserved treasure. Bilbo completes this task by finding the dragon’s weak spot and relaying the location to an archer in Lake Town. Both of these conflicts are won by the end of the story. The

The Hobbit: Book Review

1999-11-25T13:00:00-05:00

Introduction The book I read and analyzed was “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkein. I shall discuss the plot and character development, setting, author’s style and my opinions about it. Plot Development There are too many characters in the story and so it is hard to follow and know each one of them. (There are many dwarves and it’s confusing.)In the beginning there is an introduction where the author tells a bit about what is a hobbit and the hobbit’s (Bilbo) family. It is not very complicated and the author makes it easy to understand. This introduction gives the general background, which makes the story easier to understand, for the plot and its development. The plot development in the middle is not complicated and easy to follow. It can even be summarized in a few sentences. The ending is expected since the author gives hints about it. As in the introduction when he says that the hobbit would gain something, this means that he will not die. Then, the reader is not kept in suspense and does not expect to see what happens at the end. The last climax (or what is supposed to be the climax) takes a long time to occur (the last fight—good (men, elves, dwarves & eagles) vs. evil (wargs & goblins)) and this reduces its effectiveness. After the climax there is the long return home. It is quite boring since there is nothing to expect to and the reader knows that the hobbit would get home safely. In my opinion it should have been shorter. Character Development The creation of the characters is done by their dialogues and monologues, actions and things noted by the narrator (the author in this case) himself. An example for dialogue: “All the same, I should like it all plain and clear, also I should like to know about risks, out-of-pocket expenses...” (by Bilbo, page 22, it shows that he is not ready to jump into things so quickly). An example for a monologue: “Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself...” (by Thorin, page 210, it shows Thorin’s style). A good example for action is when Thorin blocked the Gate in the mountain that shows the reader that the treasure is important to Thorin and he rather die than giving it away. An example for notes by the author: “You are familiar with Thorin’s style on important occasions...” (page 210) the author talks

The Hobbit: Overview & Review

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

CHARACTER INTRODUCTION

BILBO BAGGINS: The Hobbit who led the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon Smaug. He found the One Ring in Gollum's cave

GANDALF: The Wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. He is well versed in magic spells and often calls upon them to save his comrades.

THORIN OAKENSHIELD: Son of the King of Dwarves who were driven from the Lonel y Mountain by Smaug. With the aid of Gandalf and Bilbo he seeks regain his trea sure and the throne. When Smaug died he truly became King under the Mountain, t hough he was killed in combat in the battle of five Armies.

SMAUG: The dragon of the Lonely Mountain who hordes the treasure he stole from the dwarves of Dale.

GOLLUM: He is perfect example of the evil powers of the One Ring. He was born a Hobbit but had the ring too long. It made him into a slimey little creature who only lives to possess the ring.

BARD: The archer who killed Smaug. He shot the dragon in the one spot it had no protection. The towns people later considered him a hero. What the people didn't know it was Bilbo who discovered the weak spot in the dragon's iron scales.

BEORN: An enemy of orcs, he becomes friends with Bilbo and Gandalf. He has th e ability to change forms from human to bear. It is he who determines the outco me of the battle of five Armies. STORY SUMMARY The book begins with Bilbo Baggins enjoying a pipe after breakfast. Th is is one of his favorite pleasures and he feels quite content in doing so. He is middle-aged, and resides in a clean warm burrow in the ground. One morning Gandalf, a wizard stops by to chat with Bilbo. He informs Bilbo that he is looking for someone to go on an adventure with him. Although Bilbo is tempted he declines, but not before inviting Gandalf for tea the next morning. The next day Bilbo hears his doorbell and he recalls inviting Gandalf for tea, but instead of the wizard at the door, there is a group of dwarves... thirteen in all. Thorin son of the dwarf king starts to outline a plan on how to regain the tr easure stolen by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is shocked to realize these plans involve him! He then realizes that Gandalf has tricked him by inscribing

The Hobbit

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

This is a story about a Hobbit whose name is Bilbo Baggins. One morning thirteen Dwarfs and Gandalf The Wandering Wizard appeared at Bilbo's door. The Dwarfs wanted Bilbo to help them conquer a dragon named Smaug, who had taken over their land. When Bilbo woke up the next morning, they started out on a journey towards Lonely Mountain. Then, a thunder storm came upon them and they found a dry cave and slept there for the night. Bilbo was awakened by a scraping sound, then he saw the stone wall open. The group was captured by Goblins. They found themselves in a large cavern in the mountain. The Goblin scowled at them. Then Thorin stepped forward and explained to him that they did not mean to trespass. Gandolf appeared at the door and freed the group from the goblins. The group ran ahead and Bilbo was lost behind them. Bilbo found an underwater lake and a ring on an island in the lake. He found out that the ring made him invisible. In the lake also lived a creature named Gollum. Gollum was a creature that ate other people. Gollum approached Bilbo and Bilbo told him he desired to find a way out. They then played a riddle game and if Bilbo won, he lived and if he lost, he would die. Bilbo won the riddle game but Gollum still wanted to eat him, But then Bilbo accidentally slipped the ring on his finger and became invisible, so he escaped. He met with the group again and walked with them for a few days. Gandolf left the group a few days later. The ring Bilbo had helped the group through two more circumstances along the journey. The group made it to the base of Lonely Mountain. They then climbed the mountain and found a secret entrance to the inside, where Smaug was. Thorin and the Dwarfs stayed outside. Bilbo went down a hallway and came upon Smaug. He then slipped on the ring he had found earlier and became invisible. Smaug awoke when Bilbo tried to steal a gold cup. Smaug knew that the Hobbit was there because he heard him. Smaug told Bilbo that nothing could pierce his scales. But when Bilbo searched Smaug's body he found a scale was missing in one spot. So Bilbo grabbed the cup and ran out of the mountain. Smaug followed Bilbo and started burning the city. Meanwhile,

Hobbit Essay

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is set in a fantasy world that has differences, as well as similarities, to our own world. The author has created the novel's world, Middle Earth, not only by using imagination, but by also adding details from the modern world. Realistic elements in the book enable readers to relate to the setting, yet have the ability to "imagine" exciting events and organisms not found on Earth. The majority of differences between Middle Earth and today's world are found in objects and the actions of characters that can not be carried out or created in our world. The most abundant example of this in The Hobbit is the presence of magic. Gandalf, the wizard, is able to help the adventurers out of a number of dangerous situations by using his magical powers to harm their enemies. He set Wargs afire while he was trapped in a tree and created a bolt of lightening to kill many of the Goblins who had surrounded the group in a cave. The magical ring, which was a key to helping the group succeed in the book, allowed he who was wearing it to become invisible to others. Also, there was a black stream in Mirkwood that made he who drank out of it suddenly very drowsy and forgetful of previous events. All of these examples of happenings and objects found in Middle Earth are physically impossible in a world such as ours. Several of the organisms in the book are not known to exist on Earth. Hobbits, of course, are fictional characters, as are dwarves, elves, goblins, and trolls. Many species of animals are able to vocally communicate with humans and dwarves in the novel, which is not possible on our planet. Beorn, a human who is able to morph into other creatures at an instant, is an excellent example of such fiction. The dragon, Smaug, is the main adversary of the fourteen adventurers and is a type of creature that has long been used in fantasy writing. Although most of the characters' species are merely creations of the author, they all exhibit a sense of realism that causes them to seem almost human. There is a vast difference between Middle Earth and the modern world, but there are also several similarities. In Middle Earth, there live humans, and hobbits, which are very much similar to miniature people. The language spoken and food

The Hobbit

1999-01-22T13:00:00-05:00

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit. Now, what is a hobbit, you ask? Well, "Hobbits are little people, smaller than" dwarves. They love peace and quiet and good tilled earth." A respectable race, hobbits lived for serenity. Bilbo himself enjoyed sitting outside, smoking his wooden pipe. Now if a dilemma hadn't reared its ugly hear, Baggins would probably still be at his house, his worst fear only dealing with messy housekeeping. Such, however is not the case. Gandalf, the Great Wizard himself, and thirteen dwarves (their names were Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin, for those of you who are adept in remembering names) burst into his life, pulling the hobbit out of his quiet home, and sending him in an adventure filled with dangers, dragons, gold, and most certainly unpeaceful realms. As hobbits will do, Bilbo found himself on enchanted paths, wishing he had never gone. He hoped to indeed live up to Gandalf's standard of him, since he was the one who chose him to journey into the desolate lands of Smaug, a golden-red dragon who had stolen hoards of gold and silver wrought by the dwarves/ But. what was the use of a Hobbit in the journey Bilb had answered his own question, when he summoned the courage to save the dwarves from perils along the way, such as goblins, giant spiders, and elven dugeons. He did this all with the help of a Ring, enchanted to make the wearer invisible. "Bless my soul, a hobbit CAN be useful!" But usefulness in itself does not a task complete. There was still the fact that the dwarf's gold had not been claimed, and Smaug still lay in the heart of the mountain. The band of travelers had crossed much terrain, hills, mountains, swamps, and gloomy forests, including the dark Mirkwood itself. Within these settings, conflicts with the other races were allowed, and the travels caused hardships of famine, lost direction, and plain uneasiness. Along the way, Bilbo had encountered a magic ring, which he stole from a monster known as "Gullom," who had no better thought than to"eat up poor Baggins. Escaping, however, and catching up with the adventurous party, the dwarves finally made it to the Lonely Mountain. "We shall claim all the wealth for the dwarves!" Thorin stated. When the party, however met up and disturbed Smaug himself, the