My first experience with any of Tolkien’s works was when my fourth grade teacher read us The Hobbit. I loved every minute of that reading. I was swept away to a magical world of dragons, wizards and adventure.
The Hobbit follows the undertakings of Bilbo Baggins, a home-loving hobbit, and 13 dwarves to reclaim a dragon’s hoard. I used to be able to recite all the dwarves’ names! After many wild and wondrous adventures, the story reaches its climax in the Battle of Five Armies, where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters reappear. While there are strong themes of growth, heroism and conflict in the story, I was more attracted to the incredible setting of Middle Earth and the fantastic events in the journey of an almost-unwitting hero.
My favorite characters, though, were not the protagonists. I have to admit that I never could empathize with dwarves or hobbits. Gandalf the Wizard and the elves enthralled me. In the story, the elves are cast more as villains until the very end but that did not diminish their appeal. They are beautiful, slender and graceful while still being deadly combatants in battle!
I’ve been hooked for life and can’t wait for the new Hobbit movie from Peter Jackson.
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