Recent Reads - The Hobbit

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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Well, who isn't familiar with the classic story of Bilbo Baggins and how the wizard Gandalf got him to join a company of dwarves on an epic adventure to win back the dwarves' gold? It's a story that most students know, thanks to the movie, but it turns out not many students have read the book. This was the novel our high school literature class read to end the year, and it's a perfect choice to illustrate the Hero's Journey plot.

We meet the hobbit, Bilbo, in his comfortable home - a hobbit-hole - and his quiet, comfortable life. Until Gandalf the wizard selects Bilbo as the burglar needed to accompany Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves on a mission to The Lonely Mountain to reclaim their gold from the dragon Smaug. No wonder Bilbo initially refuses the Call to Adventure! Of course he does go on this Hero's Journey after all, with Gandalf as the mentor and the dwarves as traveling companions.

They soon encounter hardships - trolls and goblins, dark and dangerous caves, and mysterious forests. Bilbo matches wits with the creature Gollum and gains a reward - a magic ring that turns the wearer invisible. This ring proves invaluable when the dwarves are captured by the wood-elves, as Bilbo's luck and cleverness combine to keep him from being captured. He is able to free his friends and they continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain. 

Bilbo faces the dragon Smaug and manages to do some burgling, but when Thorin sees the treasure, he is soon overcome by the dragon-sickness which puts the entire company in danger once again. Smaug takes out his anger on the village of Lake Town, but is killed by one of the men. The men of Lake Town and the wood-elves come up to the mountain to claim what they think is their fair share of the dragon's hoard, and Thorin's greed leads to a tense standoff before Bilbo once again saves the day.

In addition to the Hero's Journey elements to the plot, The Hobbit also provided excellent examples of motifs, figurative language, and an empathetic lead in Bilbo himself. An entertaining and exciting classic that appeals to all ages, and never disappoints.

I read this novel and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We learned about the hero's journey plot and how Bilbo's adventures followed that pattern. We also discussed Tolkien's use of elements reminiscent of epic tales. 

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

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