The Hobbit – An Unexpected Adventure

Reading the Hobbit felt like a warm hug. The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a well-to-do hobbit who wants nothing to do with adventures. “Adventures only make you late for dinner”, he once said. But one day, his whole world changes when the wizard Gandalf and his company of dwarves come knocking on Bilbo’s door. Gandalf, along with Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves, invite Bilbo to a quest to help the dwarves reclaim their home under the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo, feeling reluctant at first, eventually agrees. He is whisked away on an adventure that forces him to leave behind all the comforts of the Shire and the life he once knew.

While reading this book, I thought to myself, “Bilbo and I would be great friends!” He and I would invite each other for elevenses and enjoy a cup of tea with a slice of seed cake. We would laugh about Gandalf’s quest and bid him well. I, like Bilbo, enjoy the comfort of my own home and frankly, doing anything out of the routine absolutely terrifies me. However, this story is not quite as how I’m imagining it. We see a hobbit who dared to say yes and join Thorin Oakenshield’s quest. In doing so, Bilbo grows from a shy little hobbit into a hero. My favourite aspect of this book is that at its core, it is a story about facing and overcoming our fears. An idea that I so rarely relate to but that always inspires me. The Hobbit is more than just a comforting tale, it is a story of growth and fellowship. To me, this book forces us to look beyond our comfort zone and to take risks. That in doing so, we’ll discover something new about ourselves, make new friends or perhaps, we’ll just come out of it with a good story to tell. Either way, life is more interesting with a cup of tea and a little bit of an adventure.

If you are looking for the perfect Fall book to cozy up with by the fire, the Hobbit will not disappoint you. It is a book filled with magical creatures and loving characters (and not-so-loving ones) that will stay with you forever. This certainly is the perfect book for anyone who enjoys fantasy and a great epic adventure. Happy Reading!

6 thoughts on “The Hobbit – An Unexpected Adventure

  1. I absolutely love the Hobbit! It’s full of adventure and fantasy. Plus its a great way to escape the cold winters and visit one of my favourite destination spots… middle earth!

    • I totally agree! It’s one of my favourite pieces! The movie was well-adapted as well! Bilbo Baggins is definitely an all time favourite character of mine. I love how he’s really wary of adventure and leaving his home in the beginning, but once he gets on the road he surprised me every turn of the way.

  2. The Hobbit is such an amazing tale of adventure and wonder. Something of interest. Tolkien was raised in South Africa for much of his life before later moving back to England. I often wonder he had scenes of the African country side when writing the the Hobbit and LOTR. An interesting difference since the imagery we often associate with these books is that of New Zealand due to the movies. Definitely and interesting topic to think about.

    • The hobbit was on of my favourite books to read during my independent study in high school. It is so descriptive and well written it really captivates your imagination. I love the way you summarized the themes of the book, definitely will be using this in my future classes.

  3. Reading The Hobbit truly does feel like a warm hug. There is something so immersive about Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, which is exactly what I find myself needing during these cold winter months. I think it’s a great piece of literature to draw students into the fantasy world, to grow an appreciation for the meticulous, detail-oriented world Tolkien builds.

  4. I have not read this book, but reading your blog (and all the comments) I will definitely be reading this soon. I especially agree with you – that life is more interesting with a cup of tea! Looking forward to the adventure that this book will bring and also to learn more about facing and overcoming our fears. Thanks for the awesome snapshot!

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