On the Road to Heroism
On the Road to Heroism J.R.R Tolkein’s The Hobbit is the imaginative tale of Bilbo Baggins, a typical hobbit, who sets out on a quest to recover lost treasure, yet his journey turns into a “search for maturity and wholeness” and an unforgettable adventure that will change his life (Mathews 1) . It all starts the day Gandalf, approaches Bilbo and invites him on an adventure along with thirteen other dwarves. They seek the recapture of their long lost treasure which is hidden in the Lonely Mountain, gaurded by Smaug, a Perilous dragon, and many, many miles away. These conditions discourage Bilbo from going, but Gandalf and the dwarves persuade him to come along as their burglar. Although reluctant to leave his cozy, safe hobbit hole at first, Bilbo does so and thereby inspires people to learn to “face life rather than withdraw from it”(2), instead to find the fearless, mature hero buried deep inside. Bilbo displays his bravery and cunning for the first time when he stumbles upon Gollum, a sickly fish-like creature with pale yellow eyes, who challenges him to a riddle game which Bilbo must win to save his own life.