Who Is Bilbo Baggins's Perception Of The New World?

Discovery is one of literatures’ most classic motifs, with characters and personas leading themselves to new worlds, and renewing perceptions of themselves and others in the process. Three texts that highlight these outcomes are the poems ‘Mending Wall’ and ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ by Robert Frost, and the novel ‘The Hobbit’ by J.R.R. Tolkien. Within, personas, protagonists and authors explore and discover new worlds both literally and metaphorically, as well as discovering a new perception of themselves and others. Or in some circumstances rejecting the new world entirely as a result of the discovery.

In the poem ‘Mending Wall’, Frost portrays two neighbours working together to fix a wall, despite being at odds with each other.
In J.R.R Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’, the protagonist Bilbo Baggins embarks on a journey of discovery through the world outside his insular home that leads to a renewed perception of himself and others at the conclusion of the story. Much like in ‘Mending Wall’, Baggins is a member of an insular community, where traditions are strongly held, “We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures”. This ongoing thought process is similar to the opposing neighbour, leading to Bilbo’s rejection of the world outside his home of the Shire. Similarly to ‘Stopping by Woods…’ Bilbo faces a chance to leave, “As they sang the Hobbit fell in love… He wished to see the great mountains…pine-trees and waterfalls…caves…and wear a sword instead of a walking stick”, to forfeit his obligations and explore the world beyond the hill. After his realisation he takes that first step, a symbolic action of defiance against the traditional world that leads him into the new world as a result. After his triumphant journey, Bilbo returns to the Shire with a renewed perception of himself and others. “You are not the Hobbit you once were”, Gandalf comments. It symbolic that his house and furnishings are under auction when returns home; that there is an end to the old Bilbo. Instead, he is now appreciative of adventure and the world, including others, resulting from his journey of