Tuesday, April 1, 2008

"The Hobbit" Different Topics Throughout the Book...


Now, I want to discuss about the "Hobbit" since we are currently learning about it in class. I am so excited that we are reading this book in Children's literature because I loved "The Lord of the Rings." Because of owning all three of the movies and having wonderful friends who have read all the books and to ask them questions about it. So when I came to reading the "Hobbit," I was mildly surprised by all the characters and significant detail that I already knew from the "Lord of the Rings" series.

I wanted to discuss about certain topics within "The Hobbit" that I find interesting that we have not yet discussed in class. I wanted to research more about the subject and found the following: Greed is certainly a major role throughout the book (which I kind of figured due to the ring). First, although the dwarves try to claim that their journey is to reclaim their heritage, their real motivation is greed. They have spent over a hundred years in the mines working, not trying to reclaim their heritage. They are not interested until a wizard confronts them with a map and a key. The journey is for gold and treasure. At first, Bilbo is not impressed by their greed, but the idea of treasure becomes attractive to him, and it is one of the major reasons for his significant change of heart.

Luck is another role that is proclaimed throughout the book. The first thing that Bilbo finds when he wakes from his fall is the ring. Without this ring, the tale might have been very different. When he is playing the riddle game with Gollum, he just happens to yell for time when 'time' is the correct answer to Gollum's question. Because Gollum thinks that Bilbo knows more than he actually does, Bilbo is able to follow the creature through the tunnel and rejoin his friends.

Magic is the second to last significance that is portrayed. The swords that Gandalf and Thorin took from the cave of the trolls are magic in a certain way. Since they were crafted by elves, they have distinct personalities and names. They also glow slightly in the dark. The map to Lonely Mountain is also magical. It is inscribed with letters that show themselves only in the light of the moon at a certain time of year. Elrond reads these words to the travelers. Without these instructions, they may never have gained entrance to the mountain.

Lastly, metamorphosis. In the forest, Bilbo begins to assume the role of leader more frequently. It is his keen sight and advice that gets them over the river of forgetfulness. When he wakes and kills the spider, it is truly a milestone in his development. He is brave and daring. He attacks all the spiders and leads them away. After he frees his friends, when bravery will not defeat the spiders, he tricks them and taunts them. Without Bilbo, the dwarves would surely have died in the forest.

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