Thye Hobbit Analitical Essay

Symbolism in The Hobbit
As famous German author, Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, once said, “Character develops itself in the stream of life” (Goethe 1). Most people do not stay the same over the course of their life. Personal experiences create growth in one’s character. These experiences can create a feeling of triumph or self-confidence which can be enough to change someone over time. This can be applied to reality or fiction. In The Hobbit, character change serves as the vocal point of the novel. J.K.K Tolkien portrays character change through symbolism. She uses symbolic settings and characters to portray character change and growth throughout the story. In J.K.K Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit, a life changing journey symbolizes Bilbo Baggins’s transformation to self-actualization.
Tolkien is a master of using setting to symbolize phases in life. The dangerous forest, Mirkwood, symbolizes life’s most difficult times where there seems to be no end in sight. Mirkwood is a dangerous forest that has been rarely traveled and very few dare to enter. There is only one path in order to make it to the other side of the forest in one piece. The wise wizard Gandalf warns them, “Stick to the forest-track, keep your spirits up, hope for the best, and with a tremendous slice of luck you may come out one day and see the Long Marshes lying below you” (Tolkien 129). An aura of fear sets in, which is a very similar to the feeling one gets before the must undergo some hard times. Tolkien suggests that in life’s most difficult moments, one must

Wright 2 keep their head high and follow the path to prosperity. However, when one deviates from the path to prosperity, unforeseen challenges may arise.
Unfortunately for Bilbo and his companions, they strayed from the path to prosperity which led them to being held captive by the wood elves in their castle. Luckily, Bilbo was able to use his magic ring to become invisible and avoid being captured. After a few weeks he came up with a plan and rescued his friends. Getting captured by the wood elves shows the horrible consequences that may occur should you deviate from your set path. However, with cunning, strong will, and self-confidence, one can get back on the path to prosperity. Bilbo Baggins faces this exact situation, and as J.K.K Tolkien points out, “Bilbo discovered a very interesting thing: the great gates were not the only entrance to the caves. A stream flowed under part of the lowest regions of the palace, and joined the Forest River some way further to the east, beyond the steep slope out of which the main mouth opened”(Tolkien162). Bilbo learned to use his resources and intuition to help his friends. However, Tolkien still indicates that most people who deviate from the path to prosperity do not make it back, since they would have all been goners if it wasn’t for Bilbo’s magic ring.
Along with symbolic settings, Tolkien uses symbolic characters to shape Bilbo’s personality. This first character to really shape Bilbo’s personality is Gandalf. Gandalf is a wizard who seems to know more about what is going on than the readers as well as the main characters do. He symbolizes a mother or father who wants things done their way. By choosing "Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes” (Tolkien 25) This quote alone suggests that he has some authority over Bilbo and the dwarves, just like a parent would have authority over their kids. He
Wright 3 is there at the beginning of the journey, much like parents are there at the beginning of a child’s life. Moreover, he lets Bilbo’s group continue on their adventure by themselves after a while, similar to what a parent would do as the child grows up. However, he is always there to help the group when in need. Also, he shows Bilbo how much he can get out of simply looking at his surroundings as well as read between the lines and thinking outside the box. Many consider him to be Bilbo’s Shining light, or “Angel in disguise”. Bilbo learns to live life with an opened mind and an open heart from Gandalf.
Unlike Gandalf, Thorin Oakenshield portrays the downfall of those with greed. Although Thorin is a heroic figure, he is obsessed with precious metals and gems due to his dwarfish nature. His character symbolizes both how greedy people will not make it very far in life. Even after the group had had found enough treasure to last them all for generations, he refused to share any with people from a nearby village who helped them defeat the dragon who guarded it. He selfishly asserts, “To the treasure of my people, no man has a claim” (Tolkien 241). Unfortunately this created a stalemate between the two sides and it ended up hurting them both in the war that follows. This war led to the death of Thorin Oakenshield, which symbolizes how one must treat others like they want to be treated in order to reach self-actualization. Bilbo is reassured by Thorin’s death that a simple life can be fulfilling. Fortunately, Thorin realizes this too late and his demise was a result. Along with setting and characters, symbolic personal experiences ale used to put Bilbo’s transformation into a hero into perspective. The first of these moments is when Bilbo rescued his friends from giant spiders. Although all of his companions had been captured, Bilbo used
Wright 4 courage and bravery unlike any he has ever shown before this point. He attacks and kills countless spiders and is able to rescue his friends. Bilbo even thinks to himself, "Somehow the killing of a giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of a wizard or the dwarves or anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins” (Tolkien 155). Bilbo demonstrated a great deal of bravery which helped him gain self-confidence. It takes moments like these to encourage Bilbo to take huge leaps in order to reach self-actualization on his journey. As mentioned earlier, Bilbo rescues his companions from the dangerous wood elves. This was done at huge risk to Bilbo’s life. He snuck around the castle with the chance of being caught at any time. However, he had come to realize that as an adventurer, he had the skills, wits, and bravery needed to save his friends. Once again, the wood elves castle symbolizes what can happen should you deviate from the path to prosperity, but it also symbolizes humongous growth in Bilbo both as a hero as well as reaching self-actualization. For Bilbo saved his friends when it looked as if it was no longer possible. As Thorin Oakenshield suggests after being rescued, "Well! Here we are!...And I suppose we ought to thank our stars and Mr. Baggins” (Tolkien 178). This is the second time in only a few days that Bilbo has been honored by his companions. It proves that Bilbo is no longer just a simple Hobbit, but a great hero as well.
Over the course of Bilbo’s adventure, or journey, Bilbo gains all of the character traits that enable him to reach self-actualization. The first of which is his newfound skill of leadership. The transformation that Bilbo undergoes from the start of the novel to the finish cannot be understated. At the start of the novel, Bilbo went on the journey unwillingly, but by the end, he
Wright 5 was the group’s true leader. In the words of J.K.K Tolkien, “the dwarves accepted the offer eagerly. Already they had come to respect little Bilbo. Now he had become the real leader in their adventure. He had begun to have ideas and plans of his own” (Tolkien 195). Bilbo had gained the respect and admiration of his companions by his symbolic rescues, as well as his courage and bravery. The way that Bilbo became the leader of the group can also be looked at as part of the journey of life. He started at the bottom in his group, much like one would start at the bottom of a company, and he worked his way up through his achievements. Tolkien expertly symbolizes Bilbo’s rise to greatness.
Along with leadership, Bilbo gains self-confidence as well. At the start of the novel, Bilbo was known as a very timid or shy hobbit. By the end, Bilbo’s character epitomized self-confidence. He symbolically gained self-confidence after he killed the giant spiders, rescued his friends, and approached the deadly dragon Smaug by himself. When he goes into Smaugs cave by himself, Tolkien shows us the marvelous change he undergoes. The dwarves are filled with such admire towards Bilbo that they proclaim, “In fact, they praised him so much that Bilbo began to feel there really was something of a bold adventurer about himself after all” (Tolkien 153). By gaining self-confidence, Bilbo is able to grow and gain his many other character traits that lead him to the end of his journey to self-actualization.
Finally, the most important thing that Bilbo needed in order to reach self-actualization was already his from the beginning of the novel. This is to enjoy the simple things in life and don’t get caught up in material items. Throughout the entire journey, Bilbo kept his love of good food, music, and a simple lifestyle. In fact, Thorin Oakenshield’s final words were, “If more of
Wright 6 us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world” (Tolkien 262). It is at this point that Bilbo reaches self-actualization. He knows that it takes more than money and gems to live a fulfilling life. It takes a love to wake up every day and enjoy the simple things that life has to offer. There is major symbolism shown here. Tolkien is trying to portray his beliefs that the greatest things in life are the simple things. This is the moment that Bilbo has reached prosperity by staying on his path, as well as remembering the joy of the simple things in life.
Bilbo Baggins symbolic journey to self-actualization serves as the most important storyline in J.K.K Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit. Her use of symbolism to show Bilbo’s epic journey through life and his reach of self-actualization is extra ordinary. He shows transformation through setting, characters, and conflict. Bilbo Gains the necessary traits needed to become a true hero. This can be related to many people in a modern society. Bilbo also reaches the end of his adventure which symbolizes the journey through life. Most people are going to go through struggles and hardships, but they will come out stronger and greater than before. Everyone will reach a point of self-actualization just like Bilbo.

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Works Cited
Tolkein, J.R.R. The Hobbit. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973. Print

Cited: Tolkein, J.R.R. The Hobbit. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973. Print