The Hobbit

I just finished the Hobbit and it was amazing! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy fiction. Since I used this book as my book report book, I figured my post will be based upon my book report.

The Hobbit is a well-told tale of a journey to retrieve gold and slay a dragon

named Smaug who protects the treasure. Bilbo Baggins, a petite hobbit, embarked on this wildly exciting adventure with thirteen other dwarves by the names of Thorin, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Balin, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. In addition, Gandalf, a wise wizard, accompanied and guided them for much of their journey. Each of these fascinating explorers contributed skills and helped along the road. Throughout the story, Mr. Baggins must fight tirelessly against goblins, spiders, elves, Gollum, and against himself. This fighting includes a well-balanced mix of internal struggles and plenty of external battles. Though not without deaths, the fifteen explorers win many of these conflicts and grow from acquaintances to family. Unfortunately, Gandalph had to depart with the dwarves and the hobbit at the edge of Mirkwood. For your information, Mirkwood is a dark and mysterious forest between Beorn’s Palace and the Lonely Mountain.

This fantasy world is chalked full of fanciful places, battles, mysteries, and treks. In Bilbo’s first battle, he uses an elvish dagger to kill a murderous spider. He, thereafter, names this weapon “Sting,” after its first opponent. Later on in the story, Bilbo steals Gollum’s treasured and beloved invisibility ring, which has the capability of turning its wearer invisible. This ring and “Sting” both assist Mr. Baggins in later battles. The author, J.R.R Tolkein, is also very proficient when it comes to incorporating his own poetry into his work. For example the dwarves sing many songs around the campfire, one of which being:

“ The wind went from West to East;

All movement in the forest ceased

But a shrill and harsh across the marsh

Its whistling voices were released…”

This quote provides an eerie mood towards the reader. Although the author’s tone is light and jovial with the lyrical dwarves, the reader is prone to wonder questions such as, “ Who is whistling, and why are they so harsh?” This mysterious feeling enhances the book even further. The dwarves, hobbit, and wizard formed an amazing community and spirit throughout their personal adventures. The journey of a lifetime, running through Elrond, the Misty Mountains, Old Ford, Great River of Wilderland, Mirkwood, River Running, Lonely Mountain, and the Dragon’s Keep, is a nail- biting fantasy that is a fascinating and electrifying epic.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkein, or more commonly known as J.R.R. Tolkein, uses a variety of literary devices to keep his readers on the edge of their seats. Among these include elaborate descriptions of the fire-breathing dragon. The author says, “ I was a red light steadily getting redder and redder. Also it was now undoubtedly hot in the tunnel.” The symbolism Tolkein uses by describing the strong glow of red coming from the vaguely made out dragon can symbolize death and fear. If you continue reading, the author uses imagery to emphasize the greatness of the hobbit’s anxiety. The hot tunnel can represent the fire coming from the dragon and heat induced by fear in the hobbit’s heart. As you have seen, he also likes to utilize poetry in his works. Tolkein is a prolific author using abundant literary techniques. On top of this, he sustains a well-thought-out plot and theme throughout the storyline. The theme of this book could be, “ Greed comes at a large cost, but if you have a large enough combination of wits, skill,and luck you may reap a benefit more important than gold: friendship.” In J.R.R. Tolkein’s telling of The Hobbit, he exhibits incredible literary expertise while maintaining a strong and central plot. When reading, you can observe how Tolkein deftly makes every event circle back to one another. This particular book is breathtaking, and if I were to rate the book, it would receive five stars out of five! I deeply encourage anyone who enjoys plot-twists or fantasy to read The Hobbit. Thank you for reading today's post, and have a fantastic day. I encourage anyone reading this: READ THIS BOOK! 📖