Cantaral 1

Micah Cantaral
Aughenbaugh
Honors English 12
February 5, 2014
Fate makes a Hero
n a hole in the groun! there li"e! a hobbit#$%&olkien' &his the o(ening sentence in one
o) the most (o(ular )antasy no"els, The Hobbit# From this sentence *#+#+# &olkien he began to
buil! huge )antasy ,orl! )ille! ,ith hobbits, el"es, ,i-ar!, gree!y !,ar"es killer !ragons, nasty
goblins an! o) course ru!e humans# n this )antasy ,orl!, &olkien tells a tale o) a common
hobbit becomes a hero through long, thrilling a!"enture# &olkien ,rote thrilling, un)orgettable,
a!"entures that ca(ture! the imaginations o) rea!ers young an! ol!# n The Hobbit, &olkien
sho,s that .ilbo/s heroism is (re!estine! rather 0ust luck#
*#+#+# &olkien ,as born *anuary 1, 1122# *#+#+# in .ournemouth, 3nite! 4ing!om#
*#+#+ &olkien/s real name is *ohn +onal! +ea! &olkien# His )ather !ie! ,hen he ,as )our years
ol!, an! his mother !ie! ,hen he ,as t,el"e# He ,ent to 56)or! 3ni"ersity to continue his
e!ucation# 7hen &olkien ,as young he li"e! in (o"erty# At a young age, &olkien learne! many
secon! languages inclu!ing 8atin, 9reek, 9othic, Finnish, 9ermanic, an! 7elsh %&he &olkien
:ociety$'#
n college he ma0ore! in English language, es(ecially mi!!le an! ol! English# A)ter
gra!uating )rom 56)or!, &olkien 0oine! the 3nite! 4ing!om/s army an! ser"e! in 7orl! 7ar #
;uring the ,ar &olkien !e"elo(e! trench )e"er an! ,as sent home# &olkien met C#:# 8e,is/s
Cantaral 2
%his best )rien!' ,hen he became a member o) the &ea Club, .arro"ian :ociety# 7ith C#:# 8e,is
in)luence &olkien became a Christian ,riter# &olkien ,as a (ro)essor at 56)or! teaching ol!
English language, s(eci)ically Angle<:a6on %4roeber 1210'#
&olkien ,as marrie! to E!ith .ratt# 7ith a little in)luence )rom &olkien/s chil!ren,
&olkien ,rote The Hobbit an! later The Lord of The Rings series# &olkien ,as a )oun!ing
member o) nkling %a club )or ,riters'# &olkien !ie! on :e(tember 2, 12=5#
:imilar to many other ,riters, &olkien ,rites books ,ith (ersonal e6(eriences an!
belie)s# &olkiens ,as Christian ,rite an! so his books ,oul! in)luence! by his )aith# Also ,hen
&olkien ,as in A)rica, he ha! ascary encounter ,ith a large, hairy s(i!er ,hich in)luence! an!
hel(e! him ,rite on o) the cha(ters in The Hobbit# 7hen gra!ing an e6am %the e6am (a(er ,as
blank' he ran!omly ,rote n a hole in the groun! there li"e! a hobbit#$ From this sentence
&olkien began to in"estigate ,hat a hobbit ,as# &his ,as the start o) &olkien/s )antasy ,orl! he
create! in his hea!# n his )antasy ,orl! he e"en !e"elo(e! the creatures o,n languages# &he
(rologue o) The Hobbit is a great e6am(le o) the )antasy ,orl! he !e"elo(e!>
&his is a story o) long ago# At that time the languages an! letters ,ere ?uite !i))erent )rom
outs o) to!ay# English is use! to re(resent the languages# .ut t,o (oints maybe note!#%1'
n English the only correct (lural o) !,ar) is !,ar)s, an! the a!0ecti"e is !,ar)ish# n this
story !,ar"es an! !,ar)ish are use!@, but only ,hen s(eaking o) the ancient (eo(le to
,hom &horin 5akenshiel! an! his com(anies belonge!# %2' 5rc is not an English ,or!# )
occurs in one or t,o (laces but is usually translate! goblin%or hobgoblin )or the larger
Cantaral A
kin!s'# 5rc is the hobbits/ )orm o) the name gi"en at the time to these creatures, an! it is
not connecte! at all ,ith our orc, ork, a((lie! to sea<animals o) !ol(hin kin!# +unes ,ere
ol! letters originally use! )or cutting or scratching on ,oo!, stone or metal, an! so ,ere
thin an! angular# At the time o) this tale only the !,ar"es ma!e regular use o) them,
es(ecially )or (ri"ate re(resente! by English runes, ,hich are kno,n no, o) )e, (eo(le#
) the runes or &hror/s ma( are com(are! ,ith the transcri(t a!a(te! to mo!ern English,
can be !isco"ere! an! he abo"e runic title also rea!# 5n the ma( all the normal runes are
)oun!, rune )or B use%,'C nor )or D%the !,ar)<rune may be use! i) re?uire!' t ,ill be
)oun!, ho,e"er, that some single runes stan! )or t,o mo!ern letters> the, ny, ecC other
runes o) the same kin! ,ere also sometimes use!# &he secret !oor ,as marke! ;# From
the si!e a han! (ointe! to this, an! un!er it ,as ,ritten on the ma( the com(ass (oints are
marke! in runes, ,ith East at the to(, as usual in !,ar)<ma(s an! so rea! clock,ise>
E%ast', :%outh', 7%est', E%orth'# %&olkien 1'
He really lo"e! Anglo<:a6on literature %5l! English' es(ecially .eo,ol)# .eo,ol)
!emonstrates heroism an! )ate because Anglo<:a6on/s belie"e they ha! a (re!estine! li)e#
&he story begins ,hen, .ilbo %a hobbit' 0oins thirteen !,ar"es an! a ,i-ar! on an
a!"enture to reclaim the !,ar"es treasure in the 8onely Mountain# &he grou( is ine6(ertly
sto((e! by trolls be)ore they reache! +i"en!ell an! get su((lies )rom the El"in settlement# 8ater
Cantaral 4
on their 0ourney, they are ca(ture! by goblins an! esca(e# &he great eagles sa"e! the grou( )rom
the goblins an! ,args#
&he grou( meets .eorn, an! because o) his kin!ness, he resu((lies them an! sen!s them
in the right !irection# .e)ore making it to 8aketo,n, the grou( e6(eriences many !i))iculties in
Mirk,oo! ,here .ilbo ha! to sa"e the !,ar"es# 8ake &o,n resu((lie! the grou( or their )inal
!estination to the 8onely Mountain# .ilbo chases the !ragon %:maug' out o) the 8onely
Mountain an! :maug is later slain by a 8ake &o,n )olk# &here is a battle ,here the 9reat
Eagles/, El"es/, men/s, !,ar"es/ armies )ight the goblin/s an! ,arg/s armies# &he goblins an!
,args lose the battle an! .ilbo returns home#
n the beginning o) The Hobbit, .ilbo ,as a humble an! sim(le hobbit, ,ho ,as
uncom)ortable about change %going on an a!"enture' an! "ery easy to intimi!ate, by the en! o)
The Hobbit, .ilbo ,as much !i))erent hobbit# .ilbo ,as more ,illing to acce(t change, much
bra"er, ha! a sense o) (ri!e an! ,as not as easily intimi!ate!# &hough the hobbits in the :hire
ha! less res(ect )or him, others like 9an!al), .ar!, El"in king an! the thirteen !,ar"es he
tra"ele! ,ith ha! more res(ect )or him# &he El"es an! men thought him as a bra"e, cunning,
(eace<maker an! the !,ar"es he tra"ele! ,ith highly res(ecte! him an! care! )or him since he
hel(e! or rescue! them countless times# 4no,ing all this ,oul! .ilbo be classi)ie! as a hero#
Also a mere Hal)ling ,oul! not become a hero ,as by luck o) the !ra, but ,oul! be (re!estine!
to become a hero#
&olkien ,as intereste! an! taught the ol! English language# 5l! English ,as use! by the
Anglo<:a6ons, an! the Anglo<:a6ons (asse! stories !o,n )rom generation to generation#
.eo,ul) is one o) these stories# &he story .eo,ul) in)luence! &olkien to ,rite his no"els
Cantaral 5
similar to the Anglo<:a6on culture an! stories# The Hobbit is no !i))erent, the book
!emonstrates heroism, through .ilbo# &he ,hole book sho,s .ilbo/s !e"elo(ment )rom a
common (erson to a great an! noble hero# &his ,as not the only theme &olkien a!o(te! )rom
the Anglo<:a6on culture# &he Anglo<:a6ons belie"e! their li)e ,as (re!estine!# ) an Anglo<
:a6on ,as (re!estine! to be a criminal there ,as nothing that in!i"i!ual coul! !o to change it#
Fate cannot be controlle!, multi(lie! or altere!# .ilbo is (re!estine! to become a heroC this
!estiny (ersua!es .ilbo to go on this a!"enture# t ,as )ate that (ut .ilbo in all his situations in
this story# Fate is like a (u--le, as an in!i"i!ual/s li)e goes on an! !isco"er ne, things, more
(ieces o) the (u--le start coming together an! at the en! o) the in!i"i!uals li)e, the (u--le is a
beauti)ul (icture#
&he )irst e6am(le o) )ate .ilbo/s in)luencing him is ,hen he !eci!es to 0oin the thirteen
!,ar"es an! 9an!al) on the a!"enture to the 8onely Mountain, thus sho,ing his bra"ery by
lea"ing his sa)e, com)y home to en!ure many !angers that he is "ery a,are o) )or a thrill o)
a!"enture# .ilbo/s !ecision ,as more base! on his )amily lineage# His mother ,as a &ook#
&olkien !escribes ho, hobbits are not "ery a!"enturous# &ooks ha"e a !esire to e6(lore the
,orl!# &his is ,hy he ,as (icke! by 9an!al)# 9an!al) nee!e! a hobbit because their scent is
un)amiliar to a !ragon, an! ha"e great stealth# 9an!al) kne, the &ooks ,ell, he ,as )rien!s ,ith
.ilbo/s gran!)ather, an! kne, their uncommon nature to e6(lore an! kne, that only the hobbits
o) the &ook )amily ,oul! be ,illing to go# &his is another goo! e6am(le o) )ate because
9an!al) is a "ery ,ise ,i-ar! an! chooses the right (erson )or the task# 7ith .ilbo being kin o)
the &ook it ,as ob"iously a (er)ect match )or the 0ob %o) being a burglar'#
;uring the a!"enture, .ilbo/s )irst !angerous encounter ,ith trolls, .ilbo (ro"es that he
can sneak aroun! an! be unnotice!# A)ter the trolls are turne! to stone, he )in! a short s,or!, or
Cantaral F
!agger that he kee(s it in his coat )or it to remain un!etecte! )rom enemies# &his s,or!, sting,$
(ro"es "ery use)ul later on his a!"enture# n +i"en!ell, the grou(e! sto(s an! resu((lies an!
rests# &hey also !isco"er there are moon letters on the ma( to the secret (assage to get into the
8onely Mountain# ronically )or moon runes to be rea!, the moon o) ,hich they ,ere ,ritten on
must be shiny that night %,hich it ,as'# &he ruins sai! on ;urin/s ;ay a keyhole ,ill a((ear#
&his is another time in the story ,here )ate is in"ol"e!# n one o) the ca"e in the Mist Mountains
.ilbo ,as ha"ing trouble slee(ing an! ke(t ,aking u( )rom nightmares# At that time .ilbo
notices the ca"e is a tra( an! yells, causing 9an!al) to !isa((ear an! later sa"e them )rom being
kille! by the 9oblins# Fate (lays a (art in sha(ing .ilbo/s Character# .ilbo coul! not slee( so
he may notice an! ,arn about the tra( so 9an!al) coul! esca(e an! later sa"e them, so .ilbo
,oul! )all into the !arkness an! )in! the ring# A)ter )alling into !arkness, .ilbo stumbles u(on a
ring# &his is a magic ring that makes the ,earer in"isible# .ilbo uses :ting as a lam( or a
)lashlight to gui!e the ,ay through the !ark tunnels until he gets to the en! o) the tunnels# &here
he meets a creature name! 9ollum# 9ollum is a scary, multi<(ersonality, an! !rea!)ul creature
,ith an obsession o) that magic ring# A)ter a )e, moments o) interaction bet,een the t,o
characters 9ollum acci!ently sho,s .ilbo the ,ay out o) the tunnels# nstea! o) killing 9ollum,
.ilbo !eci!es to s(are his li)e# &his sho, one o) the best e6am(les o) )ate because o) 9ollum/s
in)luence later in this Lord of the Rings series but un)ortunately it !oes no tie into this story#
7hen .ilbo returns to the thirteen !,ar"es an! 9an!al), there is a ne, )oun!e! res(ect )or
.ilbo# Con)i!ences ,as increasing throughout the grou(, the !,ar"es truste! .ilbo/s burglary
skill an! .ilbo ha! a magical ring to (art the )a"or more in his o!!s# &hat night, the grou( gets
tra((e! in the trees by ,args an! goblins, but in the nick o) time the 9reat Eagle came an! sa"e!
them#
Cantaral =
&he grou( then meets an ancient man name .eorn# He ha((ily resu((lie! the grou( an!
sent them on their magical (ath in Mirk,oo!# .eorn later hel(s )ight in the battle later in the
story# Mirk,oo! is ,here .ilbo really starts to sho, his herism# 5ut o) star"ation the grou(
le)t the magic (ath an! ,ere ca(ture! by giant s(i!ers# :omeho, .ilbo ,as barely tie! u( ,ith
the s(i!er/s ,eb, an! he breaks )ree an! kills the s(i!er# .ilbo locate! ,here the s(i!ers ,ere
kee(ing the !,ar"es an! using his ,itness he lure! the s(i!ers a,ay )rom the !,ar"es# .ilbo
killing many s(i!ers )rees the !,ar"es an! esca(e )rom the s(i!ers# :oon a)ter the ,oo! El"es
ca(ture! the !,ar"es an! locke! them u(# For ,eeks .ilbo sneake! aroun! the El"es
settlement, learning about it a trying to )in! a ,ay to )ree the !,ar"es an! esca(e# 5ne !ay
.ilbo )oun! ,here an! ho, the el"es trans(ort their goo!s# .y sheer )ate ca(tion o) the el"es
an! the butler o) the El"en king, ,ere trying a ne, ,ine ,hich (ut them to slee(# .ilbo ?uickly
snags the keys )rom the ca(tain an! )rees the !,ar"es an! stu))s them in barrel an! ri!es them to
8ake &o,n# Fate must ha"e (laye! a role in this cha(ter )or ,e other men trie! the ,ine they
!i! not go to slee(#
&he !,ar"es/ began to res(ect .ilbo )or sa"ing them t,ice e"en though they ,ere stuck
in a barrel )or a )e, !ays# .ilbo became a lea!er to the !,ar"es# &he grou( hea! )or their )inal
!estination, 8onely Mountain# 5nce getting to the 8onely Mountain, they ,e ,iry )or the
!ragon %:maug' an! ?uietly began their search )or the key hole# 5n ;urin/s !ay the keyhole
a((ears an! the bra"e .ilbo ,ent in the tunnel an! sa, :maug an! took a gol!en cu(# &his
angere! :maug, so he )le, aroun! the mountain searching )or them# &aking charge .ilbo
hurrie! the !,ar"es into the tunnel# Get again .ilbo "entures back into the chamber in ,hich
:maug lay to )in! a :maug/s ,eakness# :maug chatte! ,ith .ilbo an! then attacks 8ake &o,n
)or re"enge# .e)ore .ilbo hurries the !,ar"es back into the tunnel, he tells them about :maug/s
Cantaral 1
,eakness# An ancient bir! %the bir! can s(eak their language' o"erhear! .ilbo talk about
:maug/s ,eakness# 7hile :maug is attacking 8ake &o,n the bir! tells a man name! .ar!
:maug/s ,eakness an! .ar! kills :maug# 7hile in the chamber ,here all the treasure is, .ilbo
)in!s the arkenstone %&horin treasures this gem most all' an! (uts it in his 0acket#
&he El"es o) Mirk,oo! an! the men o) 8ake &o,n assembles their armies an! march to
the 8onely Mountain# &horin sen! ,or! to him cousin %4ing o) the ron Hill' to sen! him an
army# .ilbo thinks a ,aste to kill so many (eo(le )or gol! so he goes behin! &horin/s back an!
gi"es the Arkenstone to the el"es an! men )or black mail )or .ilbo/s share# &his ,as "ery
courageous to stay u( to a close )rien! an! say that they are ,rong# &he el"es an! men think
"ery highly an! noble o) .ilbo# &he three armies here o) a goblin an! ,arg armies is coming, so
they become alliances an! )ight the goblins an! ,args# &he 9reat Eagles come in later in the
battle an! turn the ti!e# .ilbo ha! sur"i"e! the battle an! )oun! out they ha! ,on the battle but
&horin, Fili, an! 4ili !ie!# .ilbo then returns home# At the en! o) the book 9an!al) an! .ilbo
!iscuss )ate
&hen the (ro(hecies o) the ol! songs ha"e turne! out to be true, a)ter a )ashionH/:ays
.ilbo I5) courseH/ sai! 9an!al)# IAn! ,hy shoul! not they (ro"e trueJ :urely you !on/t
really su((ose, !o you, that all your a!"entures an! esca(es ,ere manage! by mere luck,
0ust )or your sole bene)its# %&olkien A1='
All o) this coul! not ha"e ha((ene! by chance, it must ha"e been )ate# t ,as not by luck
that .ilbo )oun! :ting ,hich he nee!e! to use to see to the goblin/s tunnels, slay his )oes an!
e"en )in! the ring# &he ring hel(e! .ilbo a great !eal# He use! the ring trick 9ollum to lea!
sho, him the ,ay out o) the goblin/s tunnels, esca(e )rom the goblin stronghol!, trick an! )ight
Cantaral 2
the s(i!ers, )ree the !,ar"es )rom the el"es, an! hi!e )rom :maug# Eot only !i! these items hel(
him in these situations, but the situations hel(e! him to become a hero# t ,as "ery
uncom)ortable to lea"ing home, eat less )oo!, be ,ithout shelter, (re(are! an! strengthene!
.ilbo )or the troubles to come# Es(ecially ,hen the grou( ,as tra"eling through Mirk,oo!, the
,hole grou( ha! to ration the )oo!, slee( ,ithout )ire an! eyes staring at them# .ilbo/s )irst
encounter ,ith the trolls sho,e! him ,hat it ,as really like to be en!angere!# A)ter that e"ery
similar encounter ,as more !angerous an! scary but .ilbo han!le! it better an! better each time#
t ,as like each !angerous encounter ,as (lace! in that or!er to so that .ilbo coul! han!le it
more ,ith ease# &hough .ilbo/s bra"ery comes out earlier in the book, his heroism !oes not#
His bra"ery starts 0ust as he 0oins the !,ar"es on the a!"enture but his heroism starts ,hen he
sa"es the !,ar"es )rom the s(i!ers# From that (oint the !,ar"es res(ect him more an! more
a)ter e"ery encounter .ilbo sa"es them )rom an! also the more o) the lea!er the grou( he
becomes# .ilbo ,as the one ,ho to )orce! them into hi!ing ,hen :maug ,as searching )or
them# His last heroic thing .ilbo !i! ,as gi"ing the Arkenstone to the men an! el"es# .ilbo
,ent against his )rien! to sa"e many li"es, e"en ,hen he kne, he might ha"e been kille! or lose
his re(etition )rom his )rien!s# 7hat makes .ilbo a heroJ He is a hero )or risking his li)e )or
others an! his sel)less an! humble act o) gi"ing u( his (art o) the treasure so many li"es are to be
sa"e!# At the en! o) the book 9an!al)/s ?uotes 0usti)ies that, that a!"enture an! all the little
things that ha((ene! on the a!"enture ,as (re!estine!#
A)ter rea!ing o"er this essay an! maybe the book, an in!i"i!ual ,ill kno, .ilbo ,as
(re!estine! to become a hero# 7hen he ,as ner"ously !eci!ing i) he shoul! go on an a!"enture,
his )ate all rea!y chosen an! seale!# Hearing the )acts about *#+#+# &olkien/s li)e an! e6am(les
)rom The Hobbit ,ritten is this essay (ro"es to an in!i"i!ual .ilbo ,as boun! to go on this
Cantaral 10
a!"enture an! become a hero# &he same ,ay &olkien en!e! The Hobbit this essay shall en! the
same ,ay :urely you !on/t !isbelie"e the (ro(hecies, because you a han! in bringing them
about yoursel)J Gou !on/t really su((ose, !o you, that all your a!"entures an! esca(es ,ere
manage! by mere luck, 0ust )or your sole bene)itJ$
7orks Cite!
.rans!al, Miti- M# an! .arratt, ;a"i!# *#+#+# &olkien.$ Notable British Novelists. E!# Carl
+ollyson# Kol# A# Lasa!ena> :alem Lress, 2001# 212<224# Lrint#
;oughan, ;a"i!# 7ho ,as &olkien#$ The Tolkien Society# &he &olkien :ociety, 2002# 7eb# 10
;ec# 201A#
*#+#+# &olkien.$ A+E Netork. AME &ele"ision Eet,orks,122F# 7eb# 12 ;ecember 201A#
4roeber, 4arl#$ *#+#+# &olkien#$ British !riters# E!# :cott<4il"ert# Kol# A# Ee, Gork> Charles
:cribner/s :ons,122=# 12==<1224# Lrint#
Cantaral 11
&olkien, *#+#+# The Hobbit. .oston> Houghton Mi))lin Com(any, 12FF# Lrint#
7ei!ner, .rian E# Mi!!le<Earth> &he +eal 7orl! o) *#+#+#$ "ythlore 2A#4 %2002'> #$.
%&estia.
!eb. 10 ;ecember 201A#
7oo!, +al(h C# Con)lict an! Con"ergence on Fun!amental Matters in C#:# 8e,is an! *#+#+
&olkien#$ +enascence' Essays on (al&es in Literat&re 55#4%200A'> A15# %&estia# 7eb#10 ;ec#
201A#