A Hobbit's Journey

For this week, I read the “Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien. There are many aspects in the Hobbit that reflect many elements of the classic hero’s journey. I found it interesting how some details in the book were not present in the movie adaptation.

The hero’s journey is introduced through the eyes of Bilbo Baggins, the story’s protagonist, in his homeland, The Shire. The journey begins by describing the hero’s lifestyle and his main flaws. Unlike most protagonists, Bilbo is portrayed as an antisocial and withdrawn hobbit where he prefers to be in his own comfort zone away from the other hobbits.

Bilbo was content with his current life until he received a visit from a very well-known wizard, Gandalf. This sudden visit altered his whole life; a group of Dwarves started to appear in Bilbo’s home. The intrusion of the dwarves placed Bilbo out off his comfort zone. Later on, he learned the reason for their visit; the dwarves wanted to recruit him as their “burglar” for their journey towards the Lonely Mountain. The purpose of this journey was for Bilbo to follow the dwarves to reclaim their land by sneaking into the mountain and taking back the dwarves’ sacred stone from the dragon. Bilbo rejected the mission multiple times, until he was finally convinced to join them. He decided to leave his comfort area in order to learn more from the outside world. Bilbo’s adventure follows the elements of a classic hero’s journey where he first had an ordinary life, but after the arrival of Gandalf and the dwarves, he was called to an adventure.

As the story progressed, there are signs of Bilbo’s character development where he went through some behavior changes. He started to reform his bad habits in order to adapt to any conflict the party might encounter. He also used his wittiness to help the group from many sticky situations. Bilbo’s growths and acquired new skills emphasize on the element of a classic hero’s journey.

Throughout the journey, Bilbo also managed to acquire two magical items that had helped him throughout his adventure. The first item, Sting is an elven short sword that glows whenever any orcs are approaching. This sword had the ability to alert the group of danger. The second item is a magical ring that allows Bilbo to turn invisible whenever he puts it on. The presence of these two items helped Bilbo and the dwarves defeat and overcome challenges throughout the classic journey of a hero.

At the end, Bilbo was able to reclaim the dwarves land and return home. The entire journey had shaped and transformed Bilbo into a hero. Bilbo returns to the Shire, but with a different attitude than the one he had before his journey which made his life in the Shire more enjoyable. To conclude, the change in Bilbo’s character reflects the elements of a classic hero’s journey where he transformed from an antisocial, withdrawn hobbit into a heroic protagonist. He is no longer the same person he was before he left.