J.R.R Tolkien's the Hobbit

Jana

Mrs. Roberts

Writing 2

19 October 2017

A turning point is a point in life when something major happens that changes who a  person was from the start. In J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who uses his instincts to help embark on an excitement filled adventure with many unexpected surprises and unplanned events. Bilbo travels with a crew all the way to the Lonely Mountains. J.R.R. Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor known for his classic In this high fantasy book Tolkien talks about the various turning points and shows the different obstacles that affect the way that Biblo reacts to certain parts of the story. Tolkien did not only write The Hobbit as an entertainment for children, but to also have an opportunity to experiment new ideas and concepts. Although Bilbo starts off terrified and unhappy to go on this unplanned quest, he uses through using his discernment skills to save the dwarfs, to escape Gollum, and to lead the way to Smaug’s lair he develops into a more confident hobbit “ You have nice manners for a thief and a liar” (260). Bilbo is expected to be a thief, but he changes this also to help better himself, and not let others define who he is.

        As Bilbo starts his journey he does not really know what is going on or what to do. Since everything happened so suddenly there is no choice but for him to just go along. This did not end up being an easy decision to make knowing that the hobbit was an introvert and liked to stay in the comfort of his ordinary home. So despite what he is feeling he has to learn to put his emotions to the side to better focus on the task at hand. By doing this he slowly is resolving his inner conflicts, Little does he know he’s growing in courage and self confidence by confronting challenges and dangers. As Bilbo sings on the journey home“ Roads go ever on and on”(269) meaning that there is no limit to exploring and learning new things. So that is why it is great to push yourself out of your comfort zone to accomplish different things that you never thought you could do. This is exactly what Bilbo does. One of the major events that takes place that changes Bilbo’s character is when he saves the dwarves from both the spiders and Gollum. In Mirkwood the dwarves are captured by spiders, which puts all the pressure on Bilbo and his ring to save them from the crisis. “So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings.”(264) Through the strong fear of tempting creatures, by putting his life on the line, Bilbo takes the risk and frees himself first and then causes a distraction for the spiders so that he can rescue the dwarfs. Using sting, his legendary sword, he slices the rest of the crew free from the remains of the spider web. The spiders then flee away. This is one of the few actions that leaves Bilbo feeling invincible. While knowing it was only himself, the sword, and the ring he still puts forth his best. He now knows that even without his ring he can still be twice as strong than he was before. Knowing that this is not the first time he is saving a situation is a major boost in his self confidence and courageousness. Bilbo is now slowly becoming a hero, who has definitely gained more respect from the dwarves and others around him him. “Go away! little boys” shouted Gandalf as he was yelling at the dwarfs. “It isn't birdnesting time. Also naughty little boys that play with fire get punished”(97). Meaning all who try to slow you down and get in your way their time of punishment will come. Just as how karma works in the modern world. Nothing comes without some sort of trial. It is up to the individually to overcome it and stick with what they were intended to do in the first place.

        “ There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something , you certainly usually find something ; if you look, but it is not always quite like something you were after” (54). Proving that what people may end up fighting may be better than what they were searching for in the first place. This relates to Bilbo in many circumstances. There are many things that not only Bilbo but humans also will not give up until they find what the heart desires, and won't stop until gaining what is trying to be found. Everyone needs to realize that you can look forever for something you desire but if it is not God’s time to give it to you it will just seem you are wandering around in circles. This is Bilbo during the story as he searches for valuable items but you have to do more than search sometimes to find what you need.

Another turning point in Bilbo’s journey was him escaping Gollum. Gollum is a small, dark creature who lives alone on an island near the lake. In this type of setting, Gollum cannot interact with any other person. The only person he can talk to is himself, which he does frequently. Assuming that Gollum has poor interaction skills, he tries to play a trick on Bilbo using his magic ring. With Gollum seeing how much bilbo had developed in surviving skills and how much ingenuity he had, this would be an unforgettable mistake. When Gollum figures out Bilbo is in possession of his primary tool this leaves him prone to attack. Gollum tries to get back his ring, but Bilbo uses invisibility to escape both him and the Goblins before Gollum can sniff him out with his senses. Using his instincts, he leaps away into the daylight where he can no longer be captured because light destroys the goblins. Without the help of Gandalf or the dwarves, he knows he has to figure something out quickly. In this turning point Bilbo again displays a grand amount of bravery. He displays an act of fairness by deciding not to kill Gollum knowing he had a dominance that surpassed Gollum's. Through this it is clear how Bilbo develops beyond his hobbit surroundings into someone who can survive danger and take appropriate risks.