The Hobbit is a book that shows even the most unlikely person or hobbit, can turn out to be a true hero. In Tolkien's fantasy world portrayed in The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins evolves into the archetypal hero; he is "innocent" at the beginning of his journey; he assumes responsibility in Mirkwood; and finally is viewed as a true hero in the adventures of the Lonely Mountain.
When Bilbo sets out on his perilous journey he encounters and overcomes many obstacles. Bilbo's natural disposition is peaceful and quiet (Tolkien Intro). His disposition has molded him into a peaceful and quite boring character. His outlook on life makes the reader feel compassion and to some extent pity him because of his virtuousness. At the onset of Bilbo's journey he is innocent and you sympathize with him because he is just a poor helpless hobbit when he is thrown into a world of adventures that he does not want to partake in (Tolkien 16-17). Bilbo is considered a respectable hobbit and that is what he prides himself on. Furthermore, he does not want to intentionally loose his dignity by partaking in mischievous adventures that would ruin his reputation. Nevertheless, Bilbo is asked to join Thorin and Company because Gandalf feels that he would be a positive addition to the company. But what always held Bilbo back in his numerous adventures were his morals (Tolkien 87). Bilbo constantly reminded himself of home and told himself that he did not need to be with his new company of friends. Bilbo feared that his new friends were going to get him into trouble, and he was correct.
While traveling through Mirkwood, Bilbo assumes his responsibility and finally feels like part of the company. Bilbo is helpful in many situations because he is always the one who can get out of captivity while the others stay bound in it (Tolkien 161-162). Bilbo possesses a lot of luck during his journey, which is helpful because he has assumed the responsibility of keeping the company safe.
