2. Who was Bilbo Baggins at the
start of the Hobbit?
timid
comfortable
complacent
3. When Gandalf talks him into
going on the adventure with
the dwarves what happens?
Bilbo becomes so frightened that he faints.
4. But what does Gandalf say
about him?
“Let’s have no more argument. I have chosen
Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for
all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar he
is, or will be when the time comes. There is a lot
more in him than you guess, and a deal more
than he has any idea of himself. You may
(possibly) all live to thank me yet.” - Gandalf
5. Bilbo possesses hidden
reserves of inner strength
What are they?
Bilbo prevails in the face of danger and
adversity, justifying Gandalf’s early claim that
there is more to the little hobbit than meets
the eye.
Students answer:
6. How did you do?
Confronting the trolls
escaping with Gollum’s ring
slaying the spider
rescuing the dwarves in Mirkwood
As he builds confidence and
resourcefulness, Bilbo emerges as a true
hero.
7. Major turning point for
Bilbo-
. “Somehow the killing of this giant spider, all alone
by himself in the dark . . . 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 sheath. ‘I will give you a name,’
he said to it, ‘and I shall call you Sting.’ ”
- Bilbo Baggins
8. Making of a hero
From this point forward, Bilbo shows that he is
capable of taking the initiative and acting in
the best interest of the group rather than his
own self-interest, as his ability to ignore his
hunger shows.
He upstages Thorin Oakenshield as a leader
and establishes himself as a hero.
9. Making of a hero
Defeating a the spider gives Bilbo a taste of the
confidence that he has not previously
enjoyed, making him feel
“much fiercer and bolder in spite of an empty
stomach.”
10. The differences among Tolkien’s imaginary
races are a major focus of the
novel, particularly in its second half.
Elves
Dwarves
Trolls
Goblins
11. How are the characters different
from one another
physically, psychologically, and
morally?
All goblins are evil
All elves are good
Trolls are stupid
Wizards are crafty
12. Difference in races
The good races are portrayed as being in
harmony with nature
While the evil races are depicted as being at
odds with nature
Examples:
The eagles’ decision to help the dwarves
against the goblins.
Beorn joining forces with the dwarves
13. Looking forward
Notice ways in the upcoming chapters of how
Bilbo Baggins becomes a hero (leader)
Look for differences in the races of the
characters that we will be meeting.
