The Necessity of Villains

            In these books the nature of the adversary's are comparable in the fact that they are both portrayed as villains for one reason or another, but Tolken and Stevenson go about it in completely different manners. Long John Silver is the one main villain in Treasure Island. He is the ships cook, who comes off to be very trusting and charismatic. Silver is a very complex character, hiding his true intentions from Squire Trelawnay, and most of the other crew. Nonetheless, Silver is without question the most vital and charismatic character in the novel. The thing that makes him stand out from most villains is that his friendliness and politeness never seem fake or manipulative. The relationship between Silver and Jim seems sincere from the very beginning. Though Jim is just the cabin boy, Silver speaks to him fondly; toward the end of the trip, he remarks that Jim reminds him of himself when he was young and handsome. Silver's character gets respect from the others and has some positive qualities, unlike any of the villains in The Hobbit. They are all seen as pure danger. From the Trolls, Gollum and Spiders to the great dragon Smaug, all were dangerous and were nothing more than a battle to defeat. .
             Tolken and Stevenson both put a great emphasis on the growth of the Hero's character throughout the quest. The growth of both heroes" comes through encountering and dealing with the adversary. Bilbo Baggins, the main character of The Hobbit, goes through a gradual development from a cautious homebody, to a brave and confident hero. Of his many life changing tasks he saves them all from the goblins by shouting for Gandalf, he rescues them from spiders and wood elves in Mirkwood, he finds the way into the mountain, he leads them to the treasure, he discovers Smaug's weak spot, and he attempts to put a stop to Thorin's greed and to bring peace to the feuding dwarves, elves, and humans.