The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

JRR Tolkien brings forth a revolutionary story about an incredible fantasy world with its own conflicts as well as an unlikely hero. The Hobbit was not the first, but it was one of the most influential fantasy fictions. It sets the basic and most popular fantasy tropes such as good vs evil, a hero that goes on a quest, and magic.

The Hobbit also perfectly defines the “heroic journey” that takes place in most fantasy literature. Bilbo begins in his comfortable little house where he is content with a modest lifestyle. Then trouble brews and the unwilling hero is forced into a conflict. Bilbo tells Gandalf repeatedly he is uninterested, but at the last second, decides to go.  He is afraid and uncomfortable, but over time Bilbo’s confidence grows, especially at the turning point in his character: finding the ring. This is a major character development in Bilbo because it gives him an advantage and makes him feel a lot less vulnerable. In the heroic journey, the character finding their true potential is vital to the story progression. With this advantage, Bilbo gets bolder and takes risks to help his friends. However, Bilbo is able to keep himself hidden and out of the way of most danger because he is invisible. This connects his original personality to his new change in attitude: he is still afraid but he knows he is able to make a difference.      

After the turning point, we see the action and tension grow until the climax happens. Luckily for Bilbo, he misses out on the climax because he is conveniently knocked out. When he wakes up and is told what had happened, he races over to Thorin on his deathbed and they make their final goodbyes- which I would say is the actual peak of tension because its very emotional and its sort of like the reader is saying goodbye to the story.

After all is said and done, Bilbo takes what he can carry from the rewards a new hobbit: he has been on an adventure and he has made a difference and helped the dwarves. Now he is on his way home after such a heroic journey, which brings us full circle. Bilbo is home and back to his old life, there is normality and peace. The heroic journey is complete.