Bilbo Maturation In The Hobbit

People often refuse to help their neighbor because of their narcissistic apathy and consequently make the world an unpleasant place. Yet, in every generation exists a human, or hobbit, willing to face their own personal discomfort, correct their shyness and immaturity, and serve others to make the world a virtuous place. Bilbo Baggins grows into this role by helping his friends regain their home from the clutches of an evil dragon named Smaug. In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien proves Bilbo undergoes a maturation through his new ability to assert himself in a group setting, his rejection of material goods, and his acquisition of self-confidence as the journey progresses, which proves the novel demonstrates an example of a bildungsroman. Bilbo gains a new ability throughout the journey to assert himself in a group setting, conveying his beliefs to Gandalf and the dwarves. For example, Bilbo, insulted after the dwarves call him a grocer, stands up for himself by saying, “Tell me what you want done and I will try it, if I have to walk from her to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert” (Tolkien 19). By saying he wants to “fight the wild Were-worms,” Bilbo proclaims his hunger to embark on an adventure and discover his purpose, showing how Bilbo proves the dwarves’ original view of him wrong. Bilbo firmly expresses his beliefs and thus demonstrates the change from his past life as a lazy, complacent hobbit. In addition, Bilbo scolds the dwarves when they fail to execute their fair share of work: “You had better slap your arms and rub your legs and try and help me get the others out while there is a chance!” (179). The word “chance” reveals the urgency of Bilbo and his friends’ situation in Lake-town, proving how Bilbo has become more aware of his surroundings rather than relaxing idly in his hobbit-hole. Considering this, Bilbo exhibits a change from the relaxed and carefree hobbit to one with a responsible and accountable character. Bilbo not only lets go of his timidity in expressing himself, but he begins to change his views on the things this world offers. Bilbo begins to reject the material goods of the past, signaling a …show more content…
For instance, Bilbo understands how material goods can take over his life after the adventure: “He [Bilbo] would only take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the other with gold, such as one strong pony could carry” (266). By taking only “small chests,” Bilbo has shown how he pursues after the goals and dreams important to him through minimalizing his material possessions. Thus, Bilbo satisfies his hunger for the spiritual and adventurous gifts of life by reducing his material possessions. Additionally, Bilbo shows his rejection of material things during his burglary of Smaug: “Already he was a very different hobbit from the one that had run out without a pocket-handkerchief from Bag-End long ago” (196). The “pocket-handkerchief” represents Bilbo’s attachment to material goods, which he moves past as the journey progresses. Bilbo thus reveals another nature of himself that hungers for the spirit of adventure and not for material goods. In addition to growing out of his bad virtues such as greed, Bilbo also gains a new virtue of self-confidence allowing him to fully