The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Goodreads: The Hobbit

Series: prequel to The Lord of the Rings

Published: 1937

Source: Purchased

Summary: Bilbo Baggins lives a quiet existence in his home under the hill, studiously avoiding anything that sounds remotely like an adventure.  When the wizard Gandalf enlists him on a quest to retrieve the long-lost gold of a band of dwarves, however, Bilbo suddenly finds himself longing to explore the world.  He faces goblins, wolves, spiders, and even the prisons of the Elven King, but nothing can prepare him for his encounter with the great dragon Smaug. The prequel to The Lord of the Rings.

Review: In many ways, The Hobbit resists categorization.  It presents itself as a children’s book, yet exhibits a writing style more sophisticated than readers are accustomed to seeing in such stories.  It seems to follow in the footsteps of the traditional questing stories, yet breaks from the mold at the last moment, turning into a commentary on greed, the lust for power, and war.  It works as a prequel for The Lord of the Rings, but diverges so greatly in style and content that many fans of Frodo’s adventure find themselves unable to connect with Bilbo’s, and vice versa.  Quite simply, it defies genres and expectations, creating a new vision for what fantasy should be and do.

From the very beginning, The Hobbit announces its intent to do something a little different.  Its hero possesses no extraordinary qualities—he lacks strength, speed, military prowess, and exceptional intelligence.  Readers might excuse this, but he also seems to lack something even more important—heart.  Young protagonists often set out on quests with little to prepare them, but they usually have some sort of naïve courage to sustain them or some dream that keeps them going.  Bilbo’s greatest dream is to be left in peace so he can have second breakfast.

Despite all of this, I think all readers recognize that Bilbo is the very Hobbit for the job—and not simply because he happens to be the titular character.  Contrary to all reason, his very ordinariness enables him to endure an arduous journey full of danger.  It gives him a frame of reference that the Dwarves lack, so that he can put things in perspective and accomplish things no one else can.  With no pride to cloud his vision, he is able to put together a rescue plan of which the Dwarves would have never dreamed simply because such an escape requires them to lose their dignity for a time.  With no dragon lust upon him, he is able to value lives above gold.  Time and again, Bilbo proves his usefulness by doing one thing: focusing on the preservation of people above all else.

Bilbo’s concerns for the welfare of others can seem positively mundane when compared to the concerns of others.  The Dwarves seek revenge for the deaths of their fathers, the men of Dale seek recompense for their lost livelihood, and the King of the Wood-Elves seeks for more beautiful things to add to his own collection.  These characters may also consider the lives of their followers, but there always seems to be some sort of calculation involved—essentially they are asking themselves how much gold is a life worth.  Maybe readers will accept this.  After all, things like honor and revenge seem proper and fitting matters for lords to contemplate.  Bilbo, however, quietly, deconstructs such notions by his actions.  For him, the answer is clear: no amount of gold will ever make up for the loss of a life.  He can see this precisely because of who is and where he comes from—a place where they value food and cheer above gold and jewels.

Gandalf may have enlisted Bilbo as a burglar, but Bilbo's "luck" clearly did not preserve him through so many adventures merely so he could steal a cup.  Bilbo's presence was required for so much more--to serve as an example for others.  By being "ordinary," Bilbo shows he, like the rest of us, is really extraordinary.