The Hobbit
By
J.R.
Tolkien
Tamara Faust
The Hobbit is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who lives in a hole in a hill. He enjoys a quiet life but it is interrupted by a surprise visit by the wizard Gandalf. Gandalf comes with a company of dwarves led by Thorin. They were searching to recover a lost treasure that was being guarded by a dragon named Smaug, at the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf decided Bilbo would be helpful to the team as a burglar.On the journey, Bilbo and the dwarves encounter all sorts of villains and obstacles.
While passing thru Elven country Bilbo and the dwarves stay at the house of Elrond, an old friend of Gandalf. During their journey they run into Trolls, Goblins and Giant Spiders. Bilbo does several things that help rescue the group. In these travels though, Bilbo has gone by a creature called Gollum, and gained a ring that makes him invisible when he puts it on. Gollum was once a hobbitlike creature, but when Bilbo meets him he has become a "small, slimy creature" with long webby feet, who lives in the heart of the mountain, paddling his boat on a lake. His most prized possession is his ring, which can make him invisible.
He's obsessed with this ring, calling it by the name he uses for himself: "my precious." Bilbo finds the ring escaping being killed by Gollum.This ring helps in battling the Giant Spiders and getting the dwarves out of the Elven King's prison. But the ring is especially needed when the group arrives at Smaug's mountain. Because Bilbo is the burglar he must go into the dragon Smaug's lair and steal a cup. While there he finds the hollow of Smaug's left breast is not plated with his red-gold armor.
When Bard, from lake town, strikes this spot, Smaug falls dead, his body crushing the city of Esgaroth. The survivors seek Bard as their new king but Bard declines the offer, as he intends to establish his own city.
Because the treasure is no longer being guarded several groups wanted it. Thorin wants the Arkenstone because it is an heirloom and he threatens to take revenge on whoever has prevented him from getting it.
Bilbo decides that he will leave the mountain and offer the Arkenstone to Bard; then, Bard can offer the Arkenstone to Thorin in exchange for a fair portion of the treasure. When the battle begins, it includes men, elves and dwarves. They attack one another until Gandalf tells them the goblins, bats, wolves and wargs are coming. The armies join up becoming known as the "Battle of Five Armies." The Goblins and Wild Wolves battle against the Elves, Men and Dwarves.
It is only with the arrival of the Eagles, that army of good win.
After recovering, Bilbo makes his way back home. As Bilbo says, "So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending." Gandalf and Bilbo pass through Rivendell and eventually make their way to Hobbiton. It is summer and Bilbo is disappointed to learn that he is legally dead.
Greedy cousins, are selling his property because he is "Presumed Dead." They are more than a little unhappy at his arrival. Bilbo, son of Belladonna Took, "for ever after he remained an elf-friend, and had the honor of dwarves, wizards, and all such folk as ever passed that way.Many of the characters are different and the same. The trolls fought a lot and were greedy, the dwarves had short tempers and fought a lot.
In the end, the men, dwarves and elves were the same in fighting for good.
Bilbo was a character you felt sorry for because he was so small and facing many dangers. Yet as the story goes on you start admiring his courage and ideas for getting out of his fixes. Gollum you felt sorry for as he was a poor twisted creature and yet you didn't like him because of the evil that showed in how he treated Bilbo. Gandolf was admired as a great wizard and leader.
Thorin seems greedy , and full of self importance as the last king under Lonely Mountain. Yet he proves later to be heroic and a good leader with courage in battle. Smaug is a typical dragon that is tricky and jealously guards his treasure.
The story is written from an outside view such as a narrator or third person. Usually from Bilbo's eyes as he is the main character. He speaks like he is telling a story to children.
The author wants us to know that there are people who will help us when in need and that even though you may be small and feel like you can't do anything, that you really can be a hero. The story seems to be about evil versus good but also Bilbo having the face his fears. Good is stronger tan evil. That can relate to what we face now. This theme is timeless as it has been in the past as well as those who will face it in the future.
The author having been apart of the fighting in World War I has a realistic view of what a great battle would be like with several armies.
He taught languages at Oxford as a professor and created the elven language.
