Summary of The Hobbit

A hobbit named Bilbo Baggins reluctantly joins a dwarven quest to steal back the dwarven treasure from the dragon Smaug. Initially overwhelmed by the traveling conditions alone, Bilbo gains independence as he “wins” a magic ring that can turn him invisible and is twice forced into the role of rescuer of the dwarves. Finally arriving at Smaug’s lair, Bilbo is inadvertently thrown into a harrowing conversation with the dragon himself that results in an attack on the nearby town. Although Smaug is defeated, the conflict only escalates as elves and humans come looking for compensation, only to be flatly denied by the dwarven leader, Thorin. Struggling with his longing for home, his loyalty to his friends, and his distaste for violence, Bilbo must make a gambit with the Heart of the Mountain and see whether it makes any difference in the end.

What You Will Love About The Hobbit

• The extraordinary fantasy and adventure mixed with universal themes
• The relatable characteristics of the protagonist, Bilbo Baggins

Potential Struggles With The Hobbit

• The dense, descriptive passages
• Understanding Tolkien’s complex mythology

Learning Objectives for The Hobbit

Students will be able to:

• Differentiate among Bilbo, Thorin, and Bard as heroic figures, highlighting both their strengths and weaknesses.
• Elucidate Tolkien’s use of fantasy in response to war, socioeconomic divide, and industrialization.
• Offer examples of narrative omniscience and how they influence the tone in different ways.
• Discuss the role of nature and family in influencing character behavior.
• Recall Bilbo’s home, identifying which of its characteristic traits are praised or criticized by the narration.

Literary Elements in The Hobbit

• Flashback
• Foreshadowing
• Metaphor
• Narrative Omniscience
• Setting
• Symbolism

Major Themes in The Hobbit

Community — Individual leaders are shown to be at least partially motivated by the needs of their larger community. The vices of individuals, like pride and greed, have devastating effects on entire groups, and the lines demarcating one community from another are renegotiated in response to a crisis.

Power — In response to the dangers faced during their travels, the protagonists must rely on wits, stealth, and other means of accomplishing their goals. Furthermore, the main protagonist defies conventional heroic stereotypes not only in being considerably placid but also in his choice of whether or not and how to exercise what power he possesses.

Nature — Many of the characters’ personalities are determined by species or by familial traits. Furthermore, those species or characters more attuned to the physical environment are generally shown as less likely to engage in rash or wasteful behaviors.