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Bilbo's Identity In The Hobbit

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identity as a hobbit, and as such, seems reluctant to go beyond his comfortable existence in Bag-End. However, by the end of the novel, Bilbo finds out more about his identity through the quest than what is comfortable but shallow existence as a hobbit provided him. As Tolkien writes, “You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!” ‘Thank goodness!’ said Bilbo laughing” (276). Whereas before, Bilbo was content with life as he thought the world revolved around him, but now he sees that he actually has a place in the world that goes beyond merely existing as a hobbit. He is able to find out more about himself and is able to better relate to others once he moves out of this narrow frame of mind. In the beginning of the novel, Bilbo lives a very sheltered and empty existence as a hobbit, as he values short-term security over long-term satisfaction with his identity. Starting out, Bilbo owes his identity to being a hobbit, aside from a small bit of his Took …show more content…

This process demands that Bilbo be tested and face challenges out in the world to rid himself of the greed that stems from his self-enclosure. In order to do this, Gandalf sends him on the quest to defeat Smaug; Smaug is akin to Bilbo in that he is enclosed and greedy when it comes to his hoard. Therefore, by killing Smaug and his greed, Bilbo can realize that he can kill the worst part of himself and that he is not merely defined by those characteristics that he distinctly shares with the other hobbits. He has to transcend his greed, which is why Gandalf assigns him to be the burglar; he has to steal from Smaug, the complacent and greedy burgher. In doing so, Bilbo realizes that he himself has been a burgher, content to live a sheltered life and unaware that he has a distinctly heroic individual

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