The Hobbit

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are undoubtedly defining works in the genre of high fantasy. Many of the creatures (such as Orcs and “halflings”) and objects found in his books have entered popular culture and can be found in novels, music, and games. The Hobbit, as a children’s novel, is the more easily read of his books. It’s much more concise and less concerned with the history and stories of every character, place, and object.

It definitely follows the path of the Hero’s Journey. Bilbo, although fully adult, is innocent and childlike compared to the other characters, and he is entirely unwilling to go on a journey. He has to be pushed into it. At the start of his journey, he is not of much use, and relies mostly on the aid of others. However, he grows as a character and finds his own strengths eventually. He proves his quick wittedness against Gollum when they compete with riddles, and it is Bilbo who finds out the secret to the dragon Smaug’s weakness. He also attempts to reconcile the Dwarves, Elves, and Men, although he nearly makes the situation worse. At the end, as with the Hero’s Journey, he returns home, but entirely transformed. He is no longer the same timid hobbit he began as; he is fully matured as a character.