Bilbos transformation in the h
Bilbos transformation in the hBilbo's Transformation in the Novel The Hobbit
Some people say that people never change, while others believe that if given the chance, they will. In this case, J.R.R. Tolkien gives the character Bilbo Baggins the chance to change dramatically in his book The Hobbit. Bilbo undergoes many significant changes in his personality as a result of engaging in Gandalf's journey with the dwarves. The most important transformations include Bilbo going from cowardly to brave, from being ridiculed to respected and from being helpless to resourceful.
At the beginning of the story, Bilbo seems very cowardly, but soon proves that he is indeed brave. Bilbo is very tied up in his very boring, monotonous life and he really does not want to go on the adventure that he is being hauled into: "Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning! But please come to tea - any time you like! Why not tomorrow? Come tomorrow! Good-bye" (p. 6)! Bilbo does not really like the idea of an adventure and tries to rush Gandalf off in hope that he might forget that he even asked him to go. Hobbits are not considered to be very adventurous creatures, and bravery certainly does not come to mind when thinking about Bilbo Baggins sitting in his nice warm little Hobbit hole at the beginning of the story. The first sign of bravery is when the great spider tries to tie him up and Bilbo fights him off with his little sword:
The spider lay dead beside him, and his sword-blade was stained black. Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty stomach, as he wiped his sword on the grass and put it back into its empty sheath. (p. 155)
Bilbo does not have anyone to back him up or tell him what to do when the huge black spider tries to tie him up. The attack of the spider is like a spark hitting him, and all of the sudden he knows without thinking, what to do. At this point in the story, Bilbo realizes that he does have courage within himself, giving him more confidence to carry on in a more brave and courageous manner. Bilbo shows even more bravery by being the one with enough courage to go and check out Smaug in the first place:
Then the hobbit slipped on his ring, warned by the echoes to take more than a hobbit's care to make no sound, he crept noiselessly down, down into the dark. He was trembling with fear, but his little face was set...
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