An Analysis Of Plot Used In The Hobbit

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AN ANALYSIS OF PLOT USED IN THE HOBBIT

A PAPER

BY

ANISHA FATIAH

REG.NO: 102202026

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH SUMATERA

FACULTY OF CULTURE STUDIES

DIPLOMA III ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM

MEDAN

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It has been proved by Supervisor,

NIP. 19510907197902 2 001 Dra. Syahyar Hanum, DPFE

Submitted to Faculty of Culture Studies, University ofNorthSumatera In partial fulfillment of the requirements for DIPLOMA (D-III) in English

Approved by

Head of Diploma III English Study Program,

NIP. 19521126198112 1 001 Dr. Matius C.A. Sembiring, M.A.

Approved by the Diploma III English Study Program Faculty of Culture Studies, University of North Sumatera As a Paper for the Diploma (D-III) Examination

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Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial of the requirements for the D-III Examination of the Diploma III English Study Program, Faculty of Culture Studies, University of North Sumatera.

The examination is held on June 2013

Faculty of Culture Studies, University of North Sumatera Dean,

NIP. 19511013197603 1 001 Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA

Board of Examiners: Signature

1. Dr. Matius C.A. Sembiring, M.A. (Head of ESP) 2. Dra. Syahyar Hanum, DPFE (Supervisor) 3. Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M. Hum (Reader)

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AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I am, ANISHA FATIAH, declare that I am the sole of author of this paper. Except where reference is made in the text of this paper, this paper contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a paper by which I have qualified for or awarded another degree.

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of this paper. This paper has not been submitted for the award of another degree in any tertiary education.

Signed :

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COPYRIGHT DECLARATION

Name : ANISHA FATIAH

Title of Paper : An Analysis of Plot Used in the Hobbit Qualification : D-III/ Ahli Madya

Study Program : English

1. I am willing that my paper should be available for reproduction at the discretion of the Librarian of the Diploma III English Study Program Faculty of Culture Studies University of North Sumatera on the understanding that users are made aware of their obligation under law of the Republic of Indonesia.

2. I am not willing that my paper be made available for reproduction.

Signed :

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ABSTRACT

Plot is a literary term defined as the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in a pattern, in a sequence. Readers see the story through causes and effects or they just see by chance. Things that will be discussed is the plot used in the novel The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. In a novel, events may be found in the beginning, in the middle or at the end of story. Chapter I of this paper includes a description of the background, the problems, the objectives, and method of study , review of related literature in Chapter II and Chapter III of the analysis of the plot in the novel. The paper closes with conclusions and recommendations from the analysis.

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ABSTRAK

Plot adalah istilah sastra didefinisikan sebagai peristiwa yang membentuk cerita, terutama karena mereka berhubungan satu sama lain dalam pola, secara berurutan. Pembaca melihat cerita melalui sebab dan akibat bagaimana pembaca memandang cerita, atau hanya secara kebetulan. Dalam sebuah novel peristiwa mungkin ditemukan awal, tengah, atau akhir dari cerita. Hal yang akan dibahas adalah plot yang digunakan dalam novel berjudul The Hobbit karya J.R.R. Tolkien. Bab I paper ini mencakup penjabaran tentang latar belakang permasalahan, tujuan pengkajian, dan metode pembelajaran tinjauan berhubungan dengan sastra dijelaskan dalam Bab II dan Bab III mengenai analisis plot dalam novel. Kertas karya ini ditutup dengan kesimpulan dan saran dari hasil analisis.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Bismillahhirrahmaanirrahiim.

First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty God, Allah SWT who has given me health, opportunity and ability to finish this paper and the Prophet Muhammad SAW. A great many thanks is dedicated to Dr. Syahron Lubis, M.A as the Dean of Faculty of Culture Studies, University of North Sumatera, Dr. Matius C.A Sembiring, M.A as the Head of Diploma III English Study Program. I also would to thank to my supervisor Dra. Syahyar Hanum, DPFE who has shared her time in guiding me while I was studying in giving me advices and critics that are very helpful and for Drs. Siamir Marulafau, M. Hum as the co-supervisor who has shared his knowledge and time in guiding me in finishing this paper. And thank to all lecturers in Diploma III Study Program for giving me the instruction, tuition, advices, and knowledge

The most special thank is dedicated to my beloved family, my father Hasanuddin Hasbullah, my mother Zuraida Hafni, my brother Shendy Syahputra A.Md and my sister Citra Shary Hafni S.E. for always being there for me, being incredibly supports, even when they do not want to be, giving me love, care, and always pray for me. My great thank to my cousin Alya Rahma Fitri for supporting, caring, letting me spend weekend, hang out, making sure I never lost track of my hopes and dreams and for making sure I fought for every single thing I ever wanted in life. My thanks goes out to my grandmother, aunt, uncle for care, love and support as long as lived in Medan and all my family that I can not

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mention one by one in Medan. I also would to thank to my lovely Yossy Fadly, S.S without whose love, support, and continued patience his contribution to this paper would not be possible.

My thanks and utmost appreciation goes out to my amazing CUNers (Tajem, Inyem, Kidok, Imin and Buncan) for standing by my side when times getting hard, making me laugh when I did not even want to smile, continual support, encouragement, hugs, kindness, attention, loyalty and to all my classmates thanks for being wonderful friends.

Finally, I realize that this paper is far from being perfect. I have done my best to complete this paper. Therefore, advice, constructive criticism, and suggestions aimed for this paper will be warmly welcome and highly appreciated. Finally, I hope this paper would be useful for the readers in future.

Medan, June 2013 The writer,

Reg. No. 102202016 ANISHA FATIAH

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AUTHOR’S DECLARATION... i

COPYRIGHT DECLARATION... ii

ABSTRACT... iii

ABSTRAK... iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS... vii

CHAPTER I

: INTRODUCTION... 1

1.1. Background of the Study... 1

1.2. Problem of the Study... 3

1.3. Scope of the Study... 3

1.4. Objective of the Study... 3

1.5. Significance of the Study... 3

1.6. Method of the Study...4

1.6.1. Research Method... 4

1.6.2. Data Collecting Method... 4

1.6.3. Data Analyzing Method... 5

CHAPTER II

: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE... 6

2.1. Novel... 6

2.2. Intrinsic Elements... 8

2.2.1. Character... 8

2.2.2. Plot... 9

2.2.3. Setting... 14

2.2.4. Theme... 15

2.2.5. Style... 16

CHAPTER III

: ANALYSIS OF PLOT USED IN THE HOBBIT

... 17

3.1. Exposition... 20

3.2. Rising Action... 23

3.3. Climax... 26

3.4. Falling Action... 27

3.5. Denouement... 28

CHAPTER IV

: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION... 30

4.1. Conclusion... 30

4.2. Suggestion... 31

REFERENCES

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ABSTRACT

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ABSTRAK

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

There have been various attempts to define what literature is. Literature can be considered as a written imagination of what human thinking, it reflects the result as the value of an art work. Taylor (1981:1) says that literature, like other arts, is essentially an imaginative act, that is, an act of the writer’s imagination in selecting, ordering, and interpreting life experience.

The major forms of literature are novel, poem, drama and short story. In this paper a novel is used as the material of the discussion, which the novel itself belongs to the literary work. Reeve (1785) says that novel is a picture of real life and manners, and of the time in which it is written. Based from the quotation above, a novel seems as the portrayal of human life and behaviour in reality. On the other words, the novel tends to be the representative of the activity of human real life, which concerns too many things and aspects such as: ambition, feeling, emotion, desire, obstacles in life, problem, etc.

Fananie (2001:93) says that plot is the construction which is made to read on of a sequence of events that are logically and chronologically related, and

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caused or experienced by actors. It means an entire series of events contained in the story, caused or experienced by actors.

The Novel which deals in this paper are written by J.R.R Tolkien entitle The Hobbit. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born January 13, 1892, Bloomfontein, South Africa. It was sometime after 1930 that Tolkien gained an unexpected inspiration to start writing The Hobbit. Due to the success of The Hobbit, Allen and Unwin encouraged J.R.R. Tolkien to write a sequel. Thus over a period of many years, J.R.R. Tolkien began writing The Lord of the Rings. In 1972, Oxford University conferred on Tolkien the honorary degree of, Doctor of Letters. He spent most of his adult life in Oxford apart from when he was in the army during WWI and short spell in Yorkshire in the 1920s.

The focus of this analysis is the plot used in this novel. According to Robert and Jacobs (1995:52) says that the plot is the pattern in which protagonistmeets and resolves the conflict, which has been compared to the story’s map, scheme, or blueprint. The plot is based on the interaction of causes and effects as they devolep sequentially or chronologically. That is, the story’s action follow one another in time as the protagonist meets and tries to overcome the forces of opposition.

Finally, the research of this paper focuses on the plot used in the novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien entitle The Hobbit. This is the background as well as the reason why this paper focus on the analyzing the plot used in this paper.

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1.2. Problem of the Study

Referring to the explanation of the background of the analysis above, problems that the writer would like to analyze is that search plot used in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit.

1.3. Scope of the Study

The analysis of this paper is limited to plot used in the novel. Therefore, the scope of the analysis is restricted to the plot used in this novel.

1.4. Objective of the Study

The objective of this analysis is to refer plot used in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit.

1.5. Significance of the Study

Theoretically, the significance of this analysis is to increase the literary understanding in terms of literary works and plot used in novel The Hobbit. Practically, it has significance for the readers to understand what plot is.

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1.6. Method of the Study 1.6.1. Research Method

Method of the analysis in this paper is a library research. The writer collects some data to support the analysis, finding the related data to the research then narrowing the collecting data of the library research to the related element which are about plot.

1.6.2. Data Collecting Method

In process collecting of the data, this paper obtained the supporting data from several books as the sources of the data, the primary source of the data acquired from the novel which is being discus in this paper, which is that novel is written by J.R.R. Tolkien entitle The Hobbit, this novel as the primary source of the data that this paper used to obtain the plot used in the novel to analyze. Then the secondary data is drawn from others books as the references which the books are the most concerned about the intrinsic elements in the fiction work especially novel.

Several steps are applied in the data collecting procedure for this paper. Firstly, the data acquisition from the novel is gathered by reading the novel. The entire novel is read while identifying the plot used in the novel based on the plot definition itself, then marked the plot that found in the novel in order to ease in classifying which types the plot used. Secondly, the secondary data are gathered from several books that related to the topic of this paper. The related books that concern to the subject matter being analyzed are used as the source of idea to

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support the analysis of this paper and also to give additional information and statement that can be drawn for this paper, the important and the relevant information from these books are marked and underlined so that it can be used to support the analysis of this paper, these books finally also used as the references for this paper.

1.6.3. Data Analyzing Method

The data analyzing procedure is applied when all the primary data from the novel is collected and selected, as the data from the novel is in a form of written text, which concern about the classification of plot used in the novel that has been chosen to the most significant data, then the data will be interpreted and to be brought into this paper as the subject matter of the analysis, that is the plot used from the novel. Next, the analysis will be stated by explaining the plot based on the definition and the classification which reflected in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Fiction writing is any kind of writing that is not factual. Fictional writing most often takes the form of a story meant to convey an author’s point of view or simply to entertain. The result of this may be a short story, novel, novella, screenplay, or drama, which are all types (though not the only types) of fictional writing styles.

2.1. Novel

Novel is a length story which tells about life experience of human being. It can be made base on imagination. The imagination is not really life experience, it is impossible in real life. Reeve (1785) says that novel is a picture of real life and manners, and of the time in which it is written. Based from the quotation above, a novel seems as the portrayal of human life and behaviour in reality. On the other words, the novel tends to be the representative of the activity of human real life, which concerns too many things and aspects such as: ambition, feeling, emotion, desire, obstacles in life, problem, etc.

According to George Watson (1979:3) says that novel is the name of a literary kind, and there is a story to tell about how, over the centuries, its substance has widened and its conventions changed. So it means novel is literary

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work, narrate about the life in centuries ago. Of course, novel is a way to send message in social, such as in novel find character that plays role hero and felon. Hero in novel will be success but not felon will be loser. From this message the reader can get inspiration that hero is good but felon is bad.

Reading a novel can help reader to think the conversation of character, it makes the imagination improved became more criticism. Because the reader thinks what thing is good to support. In the beginning of novel is not interesting in the ending, because it takes the attention the reader to read the whole story. Watson (1979:3-4) says that novel is a way of learning about how things were or are-cognitive instrument; and those who distrust stories as evidence should consider how often in conversation we use them to make points or answer questions.

Novel is usually written in the past tense because the author tells story that happens in the past, the author imagine the story firstly then interpret it in writing so the imagination first then writing in the past tense. In addition novel is written in past tense because it is a heritage of senior novelist, like saying of Watson (1979:6-9) says that why most novels are mainly composed in the past tense? And why is it that when readers or critics recount the plot of a novel, or any part of one, they commonly translate it into the present? The simplest answer to these questions is that we conventionally associate past tense with telling a story, and present tense with analysis. In ordinary conversation, it is worth nothing, anecdotes are usually in the past tense, even when they are offered as fictitious.

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2.2. Intrinsic Elements

Intrinsic approach is a kind of approach which analyzes a literary work based on the text and the structural points of contain in literary work itself. So it is only focused on inside elements of the story that obviously cannot separate each other. The structural points on a literary works can be classified into five classifications, they are: character, plot, setting, theme, and style. Of these five elements, character is the who, plot is the what, setting is the where and when, and style is the how of a story.

2.2.1. Character

Character is very important element in literary works such as novel, drama or even poems. The character can be human, or even animal. In a novel, the character usually dominated by human as the character, while the character in a novel has his/her own personality equal to human. The personality of the character will lead the character to act such emotional, behavioral, and all the logical things that deals with the problems which be faced by the character. Therefore, the character of the novel mostly has a value of a human in real life. According to Abrams (1981:20) says that character is the persons presented in dramatics of narrative work who are interpreted by reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say and what they do in action.

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In novel, a character may be defined as a verbal representation of a human being. Through action, speech, description, and commentary, authors portray characters who are worth caring about, rooting for and even loving, although there are also characters you may laugh at, dislike, or even hate, to quote Robert and Jacobs (1995:131). There can be simplified that the character in a novel is a description and a representation of a person qualities. It can be shown by the creation of the characters in a novel from their action, gesture, speech, and behavior, these term can be used by the readers to identify the characters in a novel, because the character in a novel has equal qualities as a person in real life.

2.2.2. Plot

Plot is one of the elements of fiction and organized the sequence of events and actions that make up the story. A novelist uses plot to arrange the sequence of events. In most stories, these events arise out of conflict experienced by the main character. The conflict may come from something external, like a dragon or an overbearing mother, or it may stem from an internal issue, such as jealousy, loss of identity, or overconfidence. As the character makes choices and tries to resolve the problem, the story's action is shaped and plot is generated. In some stories, the author structures the entire plot chronologically, with the first event followed by the second, third, and so on, like beads on a string. However, many other stories are told with flashback techniques in which plot events from earlier times interrupt the story's "current" events. According to Foster (1980:87) says that a plot is a narrative of events the emphasis falling on causality. The king

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died and the queen died of grief is not plot, the time sequence is preserved, but the sense of causality overshadows it.

Plot must be effective and it includes a sequence of incidents that bear a significant causal relationship to each other. Causality is an important feature of realistic fictional plot because something happens because of a result something else. In other words, it's what mostly happened in the story or novel or what the story's general theme is based on, such as the mood, characters, setting, and conflicts occurring in a story. An intricate, complicated plot is known as an imbroglio, but even the simplest statements of plot can have multiple inferences, such as with songs the ballad tradition.

Talking about plot means we talk about the actions or events that are usually resolved at the end of a story. The fictional plot maybe a struggle between opposing forces, love and many others and it is usually resolved by the end if the story.

There are five essential parts of plot:

1. Exposition - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed. The exposition is the introduction to the characters and setting of the story. The exposition hooks the reader, providing enough interest and information to the intended audience to encourage the reader to continue reading.

2. Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax). The rising action introduces the conflict or problem in the

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story. This part of the plot tells us what it is that the main character or protagonist is facing. During the rising action, the main character struggles with this conflict or problem. The conflict may be:

a) Character vs. character: the problem the protagonist faces is one involving another character

b) Character vs. society: the protagonist faces a problem involving something in the society in which they live (example: racism)

c) Character vs. self: the character has some internal struggle inside themselves

d) Character vs. nature: the protagonist struggles with some natural force (tornado, harsh climate, etc.)

3. Climax - The climax is the high point of the story, where a culmination of events creates the peak of the conflict. The climax usually features the most conflict and struggle, and usually reveals any secrets or missing points in the story. Alternatively, an anti-climax may occur, in which an expectedly difficult event is revealed to be incredibly easy or of paltry importance. Critics may also label the falling action as an anti-climax, or anti-climactic. The climax isn't always the most important scene in a story. In many stories, it is the last sentence, with no successive falling action or resolution.

4. Falling action - The falling action is the series of events which take place after the climax; it is where the protagonist must react to the changes that occur during the climax of the story. The events and complications begin

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to resolve them. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement). 5. Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the

story. The part of a story or drama which occurs after the climax and which establishes a new norm, a new state of affairs-the way things are going to be from then on. The author often ties up the loose ends of the story to have the plot reach a conclusion.

In a story, the events maybe rise and fall repeatedly and actually a plot develops a series of complications or intensification of the conflict that leads to a moment of great tension. Sometimes the author will use some techniques in writing the plot to make the story more interesting or to add a twist or turn. Foreshadowing is where the author may hint at what might happen in the future. Flashback is where the author might tell us something that has happened in the past to help explain the present. Irony is when the author has something happen in the story that is the opposite of what the reader expects.

In general, plot can be divided into two types, they are closed and open. This division is based on the way how an author presents the resolution of his story, they are:

1. Closed plot: in this type of the plot the end of the story is clear because the author presents a definite resolution of conflict. Most narrative works use closed plot, because the end of the story is clear, readers do not have to think a lot about it.

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2. Open plot: this type of plot has little or no resolution at all. The author, however, creates some clues in the story that will lead his readers to conclude the resolution of the story. “ Crane in his work, The Concept of Plot states that any novel or drama represents a composite of three elements: action, character, and thought. Plot is, thus, the particular synthesis of the three elements. Razali Kasim (2005:20) divides plot into three kinds,

a) Plot of Action: in this kind of plot the interest lies in “what happens next”, while the character and thought are portrayed minimally. We rarely, if ever, find any serious or intellectual issues.

b) Plot of Character: this kind of plot deals with the process of change in the moral character of the protagonist.

c) Plot of Thought: this kind of plot deals with the process of change in the thought of the protagonist and in his feeling.

In a well plotted story, things precede or follow each other not simply because time ticks away, but more importantly because effects follow causes. In a good story nothing is relevant or accidental; everything is related and causative. The controlling impulse in a connected pattern of causes and effects is conflict which refers generally to people or circumstances that a character (often the protagonist) must face and try to overcome (often the antagonist). Conflict brings out the extremes of human energy, causing characters to engage in the decisions, actions, responses, and interactions that make up most stories. Conflict is the

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major elements of plot because opposing forces arouse curiosity, cause doubt, create tension, and produce interest.

2.2.3. Setting

According to Abraham (1969: 75) says that a narrative or dramatic work is the general locate, historical time, and a social circumstances in which its action occurs; the setting of an episode or scene within a work is the particular physical location in which it takes place.

The setting is not only shows the place or time of the sequence of events, but it also expresses the character in a story. For example: the setting describes in a house, and then the house will express the character of the owner. In this case, we can see from the interior of the house, if the owner is a rich man then his house is big and filled in the expansive things. According to Wellek and Warren (1977:221) through their book Theory of Literature describe that setting is environment and environment especially domestic interior, maybe viewed as metonymic, or metaphoric, expression of character.

Setting is a key role in plot, as in man vs. nature or man vs. society stories. In some stories the setting becomes a character itself. In such roles setting may be considered a plot device or literary device. The term "setting" is often used to refer to the social milieu in which the events of a novel occur.

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2.2.4. Theme

According to Frederick R. Karl (1967: 323) says that theme is a kind of composite statement which requires our comprehension of numerous other elements. The theme can’t be anything you choose to make it. Every interpretation must be consistent with what the author has provided. If you defend a particular meaning that you feel deeply about, remember that it must coincide with every element of the story. The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature. Fiction necessary embodies issues and ideas. Even stories written for entertainment alone are based in an idea or position. In fiction ideas take from of an underlying theme or central idea, which helps to tie the work together. Often the author makes theme obvious, it does not much imagination to state the theme.

Another common theme is the search for personality identity. The theme of individual who strikes out alone to face the world is used in many works. Some novels feature people who cannot break from their society’s convention and instead become disillusioned with conflict between their inspiration and the reality of their lives. Throughout the history of the novel, a major theme has been whether people can change their situation in life or whether they are in the grips of forces beyond their control. Other common themes in novels include how art and reflected in one another, the meaning of religion, and whether technology helps people or whether it is a harmful aspect of society.

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2.2.5. Style

According to Rawdon Wilson (2002: 28) says that style is the codified gestures, in which the author tells the story. Style is the manner of expression; how a speaker or writer says what he says. Writing style is the manner in which a writer addresses a matter. A style reveals the writer’s personality or voice. It is the result of the choices the writer makes in syntactical structures, diction, and figures of thought. Similar questions of style exist in the choices of expressive possibilities in speech. A writer controls not only the density of prose but its distribution. Within the rules of grammar, the writer can arrange words in many ways. A sentence may state the main proposition first and then modify it; or it may contain language to prepare the reader before stating the main proposition.

The most common sentence in modern usage, the loose sentence begins with the main point (an independent clause), followed by one or more subordinate clauses, this call loose sentence. In contrast, a periodic sentence places the main point in the middle or at the end of sentence. In the former case, the main point is modified by subordinate clause before and after its position in the sentence. In later case, the main point is modified be preceding subordinate clauses. A balanced sentence is characterized by the parallel structure; two or more parts of the sentence have the same form, emphasizing similarities or differences.

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CHAPTER III

ANALYSIS OF PLOT USED IN THE HOBBIT

Bilbo Baggins lives a quiet, peaceful life in his comfortable hole at Bag End. Bilbo lives in a hole because he is a hobbit—one of a race of small, plump people about half the size of humans, with furry toes and a great love of good food and drink. Bilbo is quite content at Bag End, near the bustling hobbit village of Hobbiton, but one day his comfort is shattered by the arrival of the old wizard Gandalf, who persuades Bilbo to set out on an adventure with a group of thirteen militant dwarves. The dwarves are embarking on a great quest to reclaim their treasure from the marauding dragon Smaug, and Bilbo is to act as their “burglar.” The dwarves are very skeptical about Gandalf’s choice for a burglar, and Bilbo is terrified to leave his comfortable life to seek adventure. But Gandalf assures both Bilbo and the dwarves that there is more to the little hobbit than meets the eye.

Shortly after the group sets out, three hungry trolls capture all of them except for Gandalf. Gandalf tricks the trolls into remaining outside when the sun comes up, and the sunlight turns the nocturnal trolls to stone. The group finds a great cache of weapons in the trolls’ camp. Gandalf and the dwarf lord Thorin take magic swords, and Bilbo takes a small sword of his own.

The group rests at the elfish stronghold of Rivendell, where they receive advice from the great elf lord Elrond, then sets out to cross the Misty Mountains.

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When they find shelter in a cave during a snowstorm, a group of goblins who live in the caverns beneath the mountain take them prisoner. Gandalf leads the dwarves to a passage out of the mountain, but they accidentally leave behind Bilbo.

Wandering through the tunnels, Bilbo finds a strange golden ring lying on the ground. He takes the ring and puts it in his pocket. Soon he encounters Gollum, a hissing, whining creature who lives in a pool in the caverns and hunts fish and goblins. Gollum wants to eat Bilbo, and the two have a contest of riddles to determine Bilbo’s fate. Bilbo wins by asking the dubious riddle, “What have I got in my pocket?”

Gollum wants to eat Bilbo anyway, and he disappears to fetch his magic ring, which turns its wearer invisible. The ring, however, is the same one Bilbo has already found, and Bilbo uses it to escape from Gollum and flee the goblins. He finds a tunnel leading up out of the mountain and discovers that the dwarves and Gandalf have already escaped. Evil wolves known as Wargs pursue them, but Bilbo and his comrades are helped to safety by a group of great eagles and by Beorn, a creature who can change shape from a man into a bear.

The company enters the dark forest of Mirkwood, and, making matters worse, Gandalf abandons them to see to some other urgent business. In the forest, the dwarves are caught in the webs of some giant spiders, and Bilbo must rescue them with his sword and magic ring. After slaying his first spider, Bilbo names his sword Sting. Shortly after escaping the spiders, the unlucky dwarves are captured by a group of wood elves who live near the river that runs through

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Mirkwood. Bilbo uses his ring to help the company escape and slips the dwarves away from the elves by hiding them inside barrels, which he then floats down the river. The dwarves arrive at Lake Town, a human settlement near the Lonely Mountain, under which the great dragon sleeps with Thorin’s treasure.

After sneaking into the mountain, Bilbo talks to the sly dragon Smaug, who unwittingly reveals that his armorlike scales have a weak spot near his heart. When Bilbo steals a golden cup from the dragon’s hoard, Smaug is furious and flies out of the mountain to burn Lake Town in his rage. Bard, a heroic archer, has learned the secret about Smaug’s weakness from a thrush, and he fires an arrow into the dragon’s heart, killing him. Before Smaug dies, however, he burns Lake Town to the ground.

The humans of Lake Town and the elves of Mirkwood march to the Lonely Mountain to seek a share of the treasure as compensation for their losses and aid, but Thorin greedily refuses, and the humans and elves besiege the mountain, trapping the dwarves and the hobbit inside. Bilbo sneaks out to join the humans in an attempt to bring peace. When Thorin learns what Bilbo has done, he is livid, but Gandalf suddenly reappears and saves Bilbo from the dwarf lord’s wrath.

At this moment, an army of goblins and Wargs marches on the mountain, and the humans, elves, and dwarves are forced to band together to defeat them. The goblins nearly win, but the arrival of Beorn and the eagles helps the good armies win the battle.

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After the battle, Bilbo and Gandalf return to Hobbiton, where Bilbo continues to live. He is no longer accepted by respectable hobbit society, but he does not care. Bilbo now prefers to talk to elves and wizards, and he is deeply content to be back among the familiar comforts of home after his grand and harrowing adventures.

3.1. Exposition

Bilbo Baggins lives his calm and peaceful life in a comfortable hole, some may compare to quaint OC apartments, near the bustling hobbit village of Hobbiton, smoking a pipe, drinking good bear and looking for a meal. His life style and interests are typical for hobbits - small and chubby people about half the size of humans who usually dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their large feet grow thick brown hair, and feel great love to good food and drink. In the beginning of the story Bilbo has a very weak character; his main features are shyness and fear susceptibility. Like most of his kind, he is fond of gardening and doesn't wish any excitement or adventure.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

(Tolkien, 1937:3)

This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and

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people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.

(Tolkien, 1937:3)

One day the situation is changed by the arrival of a mysterious old wizard Gandalf who is looking for someone to join him and a group of thirteen militant dwarves on their quest to reclaim the treasure stolen by Smaug, the most awful dragon in all Middle-earth. In this dangerous adventure Bilbo Baggins is intended to be an active participant, although, the dwarves are very sceptical about Gandalf's choice and the hobbit is scared.

"We are met to discuss our plans, our ways, means, policy and devices. We shall soon before the break of day start on our long journey, a journey from which some of us, or perhaps all of us (except our friend and counsellor, the ingenious wizard Gandalf) may never return. It is a solemn moment. Our object is, I take it, well known to us all. To the estimable Mr. Baggins, and perhaps to one or two of the younger dwarves (I think I should be right in naming Kili and Fili, for instance), the exact situation at the moment may require a little brief explanation-"

(Tolkien, 1937:14)

"O very well," said Thorin. "Long ago in my grandfather Thror's time our family was driven out of the far North, and came back with all their wealth and their tools to this Mountain on the map. It had been discovered by my far ancestor, Thrain the Old, but now they mined and they tunnelled and they made huger halls and greater workshops -and in addition I believe they found a good deal of gold and a great many jewels too. Anyway they grew immensely rich and famous, and

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my grandfather was King under the Mountain again and treated with great reverence by the mortal men, who lived to the South, and were gradually spreading up the Running River as far as the valley overshadowed by the Mountain. They built the merry town of Dale there in those days. Kings used to send for our smiths, and reward even the least skilful most richly. Fathers would beg us to take their sons as apprentices, and pay us handsomely, especially in food-supplies, which we never bothered to grow or find for ourselves. Altogether those were good days for us, and the poorest of us had money to spend and to lend, and leisure to make beautiful things just for the. fun of it, not to speak of the most marvellous and magical toys, the like of which is not to be found in the world now-a-days. So my grandfather's halls became full of armour and jewels and carvings and cups, and the toy-market of Dale was the wonder of the North.

(Tolkien, 1937:18)

"Undoubtedly that was what brought the dragon. Dragons steal gold and jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarves, wherever they can find them; and they guard their plunder as long as they live (which is practically forever, unless they are killed), and never enjoy a brass ring of it. Indeed they hardly know a good bit of work from a bad, though they usually have a good notion of the current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose scale of their armour. There were lots of dragons in the North in those days, and gold was probably getting scarce up there, with the dwarves flying south or getting killed, and all the general waste and destruction that dragons make going from bad to worse. There was a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. The first we heard of it was a noise like a hurricane coming from the North, and the pine-trees on the Mountain creaking and cracking in the wind. Some of the dwarves who happened to be outside (I was one luckily -a fine adventurous lad in those days, always wandering about, and it saved my life that day)-well, from a good way off we saw the dragon settle on our mountain in a spout of flame. Then he came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up

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in fire. By that time all the bells were ringing in Dale and the warriors were arming. The dwarves rushed out of their great gate; but there was the dragon waiting for them. None escaped that way. The river rushed up in steam and a fog fell on Dale, and in the fog the dragon came on them and destroyed most of the warriors-the usual unhappy story, it was only too common in those days. Then he went back and crept in through the Front Gate and routed out all the halls, and lanes, and tunnels, alleys, cellars, mansions and passages. After that there were no dwarves left alive inside, and he took all their wealth for himself. Probably, for that is the dragons' way, he has piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it for a bed. Later he used to crawl out of the great gate and come by night to Dale, and carry away people, especially maidens, to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. What goes on there now I don't know for certain, but I don't suppose anyone lives nearer to the Mountain than the far edge of the Long Lake now-a-days.

(Tolkien, 1937:18-19)

3.2. Rising Action

Roaming about the tunnels, Bilbo finds an unusual golden ring and puts it into his pocket. Shortly, after he faces Gollum, an ugly and hissing creature who lives in caverns and hunts fish and goblins. Gollum wants to kill Bilbo, but Bilbo wins the fight and realizes that the ring is magic and is Gollum's favourite possession. He puts the ring on and becomes invisible. Bilbo finds a short way leading up out of the goblins' tunnels and meets Gandalf and the dwarves who have already escaped. The group travels further, but the giant wolfs, known as Wargs, pursue them, and they have to climb up trees to survive. The situation gets worse when goblins come, but luckily Bilbo and his comrades are rescued by a group of great eagles who fly them to their safety nest.

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"What have I, I wonder?" he said to himself, as he panted and stumbled along. He put his left hand in his pocket. The ring felt very cold as it quietly slipped on to his groping forefinger. The hiss was close behind him. He turned now and saw Gollum's eyes like small green lamps coming up the slope. Terrified he tried to run faster, but suddenly he struck his toes on a snag in the floor, and fell flat with his little sword under him. In a moment Gollum was on him. But before Bilbo could do anything, recover his breath, pick himself up, or wave his sword, Gollum passed by, taking no notice of him, cursing and whispering as he ran.

(Tolkien, 1937:60)

In a moment it spread to the others. The bark caught fire, the lower branches cracked. Then Gandalf climbed to the top of his tree. The sudden splendour flashed from his wand like lightning, as he got ready to spring down from on high right among the spears of the goblins. That would have been the end of him, though he would probably have killed many of them as he came hurtling down like a thunderbolt. But he never leaped. Just at that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized him in his talons, and was gone.

There was a howl of anger and surprise from the goblins. Loud cried the Lord of the Eagles, to whom Gandalf had now spoken. Back swept the great birds that were with him, and down they came like huge black shadows. The wolves yammered and gnashed their teeth; the goblins yelled and stamped with rage, and flung their heavy spears in the air in vain. Over them swooped the eagles; the dark rush of their beating wings smote them to the floor or drove them far away; their talons tore at goblin faces. Other birds flew to the tree-tops and seized the dwarves, who were scrambling up now as far as ever they dared to go.

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They are captured by giant spiders, but Bilbo frees himself and kills a giant spider with the sword found in the trolls' cave, he names it Sting. With the help of the ring Bilbo becomes invisible, frees the dwarves from the spider's webs and reveals a secret of the magic ring.

It was difficult to get them to understand, what with their dizzy heads, and the shouts, and the whacking of sticks and the throwing of stones; but at last Bilbo felt he could delay no longer-the spiders were drawing their circle ever closer. He suddenly slipped on his ring, and to the great astonishment of the dwarves he vanished. (Tolkien, 1937:118)

Hoping desperately that Bilbo had not been caught the dwarves went on. Not fast enough, though. They were sick and weary, and they could not go much better than a hobble and a wobble, though many of the spiders were close behind. Every now and then they had to turn and fight the creatures that were overtaking them and already some spiders were in the trees above them and throwing down their long clinging threads.

Things were looking pretty bad again, when suddenly Bilbo appeared and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side.

(Tolkien, 1937:118)

Shortly after the fight with spiders, the group, except Bilbo, is caught by the wood elves living near the river which runs through the forest. Bilbo spends weeks, wandering around the palace of the Elvenking and thinking over a plan to free his companions. Using the ring, Bilbo helps the dwarves to slink away from the elves; he hides them in empty wine barrels and floats down the river to

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Esgaroth or Lake-town, a human town near the Lonely Mountain, where the dragon lives.

Bilbo, however, did not feel nearly so hopeful as they did. He did not like being depended on by everyone, and he wished he had the wizard at hand. But that was no use: probably all the dark distance of Mirkwood lay between them. He sat and thought and thought, until his head nearly burst, but no bright idea would come. One invisible ring was a very fine thing, but it was not much good among fourteen. But of course, as you have guessed, he did rescue his friends in the end, and this is how it happened.

(Tolkien, 1937:126)

3.3. Climax

At this time, an army of Wargs and goblins approaches the mountain, so the humans, elves and dwarves have to unite, and The Battle of Five Armies begins. The heroes nearly lose, but Beorn and the eagles arrive and help them win the battle. Thorin is hurt and before he dies he expresses regrets for his actions against Bilbo; the leader of the dwarves is buried with the Arkenstone and Orcrist.

It was a terrible battle. The most dreadful of all Bilbo's experiences, and the one which at the time he hated most – which is to say it was the one he was most proud of, and most fond of recalling long afterwards, although he was quite unimportant in it. Actually I must say he put on his ring early in the business, and vanished from sight, if not from all danger. A magic ring of that sort is not a complete protection in a goblin charge, nor does it stop flying arrows and wild spears; but it does help in getting out of the way, and it prevents your head from being specially chosen for a sweeping stroke by a goblin swordsman.

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3.4. Falling Action

There was, of course, no longer any question of dividing the hoard in such shares as had been planned, to Balin and Dwalin, and Dori and Nori and Ori, and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur-or to Bilbo. Yet a fourteenth share of all the silver and gold.

In the end he would only take two small chests, one filled with silver, and the other with gold, such as one strong pony could carry. "That will be quite as much as I can manage," said he. At last the time came for him to say good-bye to his friends. "Farewell, Balin!" he said; "and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur! May your beards never grow thin!" And turning towards the Mountain he added: "Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your memory never fade!"

(Tolkien, 1937:207-208)

The elf-host was on the march;. and if it was sadly lessened, yet many were glad, for now the northern world would be merrier for many a long day. The dragon was dead, and the goblins overthrown, and their hearts looked forward after winter to a spring of joy.

Gandalf and Bilbo rode behind the Elvenking, and beside them strode Beorn, once again in man's shape, and he laughed and sang in a loud voice upon the road. So they went on until they drew near to the borders of Mirkwood, to the north of the place where the Forest River ran out. Then they halted, for the wizard and Bilbo would not enter the wood, even though the king bade them stay a while in his halls. They intended to go along the edge of the forest, and round its northern end

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in the waste that lay between it and the beginning of the Grey Mountains. It was a long and cheerless road, but now that the goblins were crushed, it seemed safer to them than the dreadful pathways under the trees. Moreover Beorn was going that way too.

(Tolkien, 1937:208)

Bilbo and Gandalf return to Hobbiton, where Bilbo continues to live. He is no longer accepted by respectable hobbit society, but he does not care. Bilbo now prefers to talk to elves and wizards, and he is deeply content to be back among the familiar comforts of home after his grand and harrowing adventures.

It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. Again it was evening, their ponies were tired, especially the one that carried the baggage; and they all felt in need of rest.

(Tolkien, 1937:210)

As all things come to an end, even this story, a day came at last when they were in sight of the country where Bilbo had been born and bred, where the shapes of the land and of the trees were as well known to him as his hands and toes.

(Tolkien, 1937:213)

3.5. Denouement

One autumn evening some years afterwards Bilbo was sitting in his study writing his memoirs – he thought of calling them "There and Back Again, a Hobbit's Holiday" – when there was a ring at the door. It was Gandalf and a dwarf; and the dwarf was actually Balin.

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They fell to talking of their times together, of course, and Bilbo asked how things were going in the lands of the Mountain. It seemed they were going very well. Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and men had gathered to him from the Lake and from South and West, and all the valley had become tilled again and rich, and the desolation was now filled with birds and blossoms in spring and fruit and feasting in autumn. And Lake-town was refounded and was more prosperous than ever, and much wealth went up and down the Running River; and there was friendship in those parts between elves and dwarves and men.

(Tolkien, 1937:215)

"Of course!" said Gandalf. "And why should not they prove true? Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"

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CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

4.1. Conclusion

After analyzing of plot used in J.R.R Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit, the writer get some conclusion as follow:

• He should also have a better idea of what it means to be a hero and understand how anyone can make a difference and change the world. • Bilbo doesn’t become conceited or vain as a result. Rather, he shows that

you can confront evil and still remain a humble person. The author proposes that humility and an unpretentious lifestyle are the real route to eradicating wickedness from the world.

• The conclusion in The Hobbit was very effective. It showed how Bilbo Baggins, who wanted peace and quiet and didn't want to be disturbed, becomes full of courage and the will to win. Throughout the book Bilbo matures and becomes a stronger person, fearing nothing.

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4.2. Suggestion

Having completed this paper, the writer has suggestion as follow:

• Gandalf should of had tea with Bilbo at the end of the book to talk. Bilbo should kill Smaug because he was the main character.

• Gandalf should of helped them on the rest of the journey because he was like the second main character.

• I think Thorin should stay alive because he was a good leader in the story and did not deserve to die.

• Bilbo should of told the dwarves about the ring. • Bilbo should of used the ring less to show his bravery.

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REFERENCES

Abrams, M.H. 1981. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Kenney, William. 1966. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: Monarch Press. Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 1998. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada

University Press.

Roberts, Edgar V & Henry E. Jacobs. 1995. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Stanford, Judith A. 2003. Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc.

Stanton, Robert. 2007. Teori Fiksi Robert Stanton. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. Taylor, Richard. 1981. Understanding the Elements of Literature: Its Forms,

Techniques and Cultural Conventions. London: The MacMillan Press Ltd.

Tolkien, John R.R. 1937. The Hobbit. United Kingdom: George Allen & Unwin Watson, George. 1979. The Story of the Novel. London: The MacMillan Press

Ltd.

Wellek, Rene & Austin Warren. 1985. Theory of Literature. New York: Penguin Books.

Wilson, Rawdon. 2002. The Hydra's Tale: Imagining Disgust. Canada: University of Alberta Press.

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APPENDICES

The Biography of J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien was born in 1892, Bloomfontein, South Africa. After three years in South Africa, he returned to England with his Mother Mabel; unfortunately his father died one year later, leaving him with little memory of his father. His early childhood was, by all accounts, a happy one; he was brought up in the Warwickshire countryside (many regard this idealised upbringing as the basis for the Shire in Lord of the Rings).

In 1904, when John was just 12, his mother Mabel died from diabetes leaving a profound mark on him and his brother. After his mother’s passing, he was brought up by the family’s Catholic priest, Father Francis Morgen. From an early age, J.R.R. Tolkien was an excellent scholar, with an unusually specialised interest in languages. He enjoyed studying languages especially Greek, Anglo Saxon, and later at Oxford, Finnish.

Although a scholar at King Edward VI school, he initially failed to win a scholarship toOxford. This was partly due to falling in love with his childhood sweatheart Edith. On finding out of this romance, his guardian, Father Francis Morgan, prohibited John from seeing Edith until he was 21 and no longer under his care. Father Morgen, made John promise not to see Edith, and John reluctantly

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agreed to his request. John faithfully waited until his 21st birthday, and on this date he renewed his contact with Edith, and successfully persuaded her to marry him. It is a testament to his belief in faithfulness and honesty, that he was willing to wait several years to meet his wife; such sentiments of nobility appear frequently in his writings; for example, the magnificent love story of Beren and Luthien.

J.R.R.Tolkien in Oxford

From an academic point of view, his separation from Edith seemed to do the trick,and a year later he won an exhibition to Exeter College, Oxford where he would study classics. John did not particularly shine in this subject and grew to enjoy the pleasures of University life, though his meagre income made it difficult to keep up with the spending habits of more affluent students. Uninspired by the classics, John was able to switch to his real love English literature. He was a competent scholar, but a lot of his time was spent researching other languages in the Bodleian library. It was here in Oxford that he became fascinated with Finnish, a language which would form the basis for Quenya; a language he would later give to his Elves. His love of languages remained with Tolkien throughout his life; in particular, he began developing his own languages, a remarkable undertaking. In fact, in later commented that languages lied at the heart of his writings; the Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings. He actually said, the stories existed to provide an opportunity

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to use the languages. Devotees of the book may not agree, but it does illustrate the profound importance he attached to the use of languages.

J.R.R.Tolkien First World War

\ At the outbreak of the First World War, J.R.R. Tolkien decided to finish off his degree before enlisting in 1916. Joining the Lancashire fusiliers, he made it to the Western Front just before the great Somme offensive. At first hand, J.R.R. Tolkien witnessed the horrors and carnage of the “Great War”; he lost many close friends, tellingly he remarked “By 1918 all but one of my close friends were dead”. J.R.R. Tolkien survived, mainly due to the persistent reoccurrence of trench fever, which saw him invalided back to England. He rarely talked about his experiences directly, but the large-scale horrors of war, will undoubtedly have influenced his writings in some way. Perhaps the imagery for the wastelands of Mordor may have had birth in the muddy horrors of the Western Front.

It was back in England, in 1917, that J.R.R Tolkien began working on his epic - "The Silmarillion". The Silmarillion, lies at the heart of all Tolkien’s mythology, it is a work he continually revised, until his death in 1973. The Silmarillion makes hard reading, in that, it is not plot driven, but depicts the history of a universe, through an almost biblical overview. It moves from the Creation of the Universe, to the introduction of evil and the rebellion of the Noldor. It is in the Silmarillion that many roots from the Lord of the Rings stem. It gives the Lord of the Rings the impression of a real epic. It becomes not just a story, but also the history of an entire world and peoples.

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Initially J.R.R Tolkien’s writings on the Silmarillion were known by very few. He found his time absorbed in teaching and other duties of being a professor. He also found time to write important papers on medieval literature. These included seminal works on, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf. In 1945, he was given the Merton professorship, and gained additional duties of teaching and lecturing. It was sometime after 1930 that Tolkien gained an unexpected inspiration to startwriting the Hobbit. It was whilst marking an examination paper, that he jotted in the margins of a paper the immortal words “In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit.” Unlike the Silmarillion, the Hobbit was a simple fairy tale and adventure for children. Hinting at evil things, it still ends in a happy ending for all and is primarily concerned with a triumph of good over evil. In the course of the next few years, friends including C.S. Lewis, read his manuscript and gave good reviews. In the course of time the publisher, Allen and Unwin, got to read it; with a glowing reference from, Rayner Unwin, the 10 year old son of Mr Unwin; the book was published to commercial success.

J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis

J.R.R.Tolkien was good friends with together they were key members of the 'Inklings' an informal Oxford literary club, where writers met together to read out poetry and short stories. Tolkien had a strong Catholic faith throughout his life; he often discussed religion with C.S.Lewis .Lewis later said that his conversations with Tolkien were a key factor in his decision to embrace

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Christianity. However, their relationship cooled over the years. There was a little friction over C.S.Lewis relationship with Joy Davidson, but they remained firm friends and C.S.Lewis was always a stout literary defender of Tolkien's work.( Though Tolkien was somewhat less enthusiastic about the work of C.S.Lewis.) Lord of the Rings

Due to the success of The Hobbit, Allen and Unwin, encouraged J.R.R. Tolkien to write a sequel. Thus over a period of many years, J.R.R. Tolkien began writing the Lord of the Rings. This soon became quite different to the hobbit, both in scope and dimension. Putting its roots into the Silmarillion, it became an epic of unprecedented depth. No longer was Tolkien writing a simplistic adventure story; the triumph of good over evil is no longer so complete. Even in the mission’s success there is no obvious happy ending. There is a feeling of permanent change; nothing can remain as it is. As well as being a fascinating story line, the book deals with many issues of how people respond to certain choices and the influence of power and ego. It can be read in many ways, but it does offer an underlying moral and spiritual dimension, which is inherent in the development of the story.

Due to the sheer scope and length of the book, the publishers Allen and Unwin, were wary of publication. They worried about whether it would be a commercial success. Eventually they decided to publish the book, but split it up intosix sections; they also offered no payment to J.R.R Tolkien, until the book moved into profit. The first edition was published in 1954, and soon became a good seller. However, it was in 1965 when the book was published in America,

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that it really took off becoming an international bestseller. Somehow the book managed to capture the mood of the 1960s counter culture, and it became immensely popular on American campuses. Tolkien, became a household name, and Lord of the Rings would soon become renowned as the most popular book of all time.

Although the book has received the most powerful popular acclaim, it has not always received the same commendation from the literary world. In 1972, Oxford University conferred on Tolkien the honorary degree of, Doctor of Letters. This was not for his writing, but his researches on linguistic studies. Tolkien, however, would have taken no offence at this award. For him his linguistic studies were as important if not more so than his fictional literary endeavours.

He did not particularly enjoy the fame that came from his literary success, and in 1968 he moved to Poole to gain a little more privacy. His beloved wife, Edith, died in 1971, and J.R.R.Tolkien died a couple of years later in 1973. After his death his creations gained increased popularity and sales. Even before the release of the Lord of the Rings films, the book, "Lord of the Rings" was often voted as best loved book of all time. His son, Christopher Tolkien, carefully went through all his manuscripts, and published posthumously several histories of middle earth, encompassing various early drafts of stories and histories.

The Summary of the Novel

The Hobbit is considered to be one of the best books written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Created in the tradition of a fairy tale, with author's effort to integrate

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two interests, stories for his three sons and a mythology of England, the book has had a corner in hearts of many readers since it was first published in September, 1937. Being Tolkien's first published work, "The Hobbit" is often marketed as a prelude to his masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings", published 17 years later.

The book's plot and characters reflect the author's thoughts about the complexity of human being combined with the ideas of Scandinavian epics he studied and the echo of middle class England in which Tolkien lived. His main hero, Bilbo Baggins (the "Hobbit" of the title), represents the pattern of a rural Englishman of that time. The novel's unicity and sophisticated humor lie in transplanting a typical representative of English society of the 1930s into a medieval hero. In many ways, "The Hobbit" can be marketed both as an introduction in the fantasy world of Middle-earth and as a link between the events, taking place in "The Silmarillion" and "The Lord of the Rings". Bilbo Baggins lives his calm and peaceful life in a comfortable hole, some may compare to quaint OC apartments, near the bustling hobbit village of Hobbiton, smoking a pipe, drinking good bear and looking for a meal. His life style and interests are typical for hobbits - small and chubby people about half the size of humans who usually dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their large feet grow thick brown hair, and feel great love to good food and drink. In the beginning of the story Bilbo has a very weak character; his main features are shyness and fear susceptibility. Like most of his kind, he is fond of gardening and doesn't wish any excitement or adventure.

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One day the situation is changed by the arrival of a mysterious old wizard Gandalf who is looking for someone to join him and a group of thirteen militant dwarves on their quest to reclaim the treasure stolen by Smaug, the most awful dragon in all Middle-earth. In this dangerous adventure Bilbo Baggins is intended to be an active participant, although, the dwarves are very skeptical about Gandalf's choice and the hobbit is scared.

After the heroes begin their journey, all of them, except Gandalf, are caught by three hungry trolls who plan to eat them. But Gandalf appears and initiates a quarrel between the trolls, so they stay outside, until the sun rises and the sunlight turns them to stone. With a key found by Bilbo the group unlocks trolls' secret cave, takes magic swords and travels to the place called Rivendell, where the heroes have a rest at home of Elrond, a friendly elf leader.

Lord Elrond translates the inscriptions written on the swords that Thorin Oakenshield, a king of dwarves, and Gandalf found in trolls' cave, and the group sets out to cross the Misty Mountains. Soon a terrible snowstorm begins, so the heroes find their shelter in a cave (that turns out to be the Great Goblin's cave), where all of them, except Gandalf, are captured by goblins. But Gandalf appears, kills the Great Goblin, using Glamdring, a magic sword, and frees his friends. Trying to escape, the group accidentally leaves behind Bilbo who falls on his way out and loses consciousness.

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wins the fight and realizes that the ring is magic and is Gollum's favorite possession. He puts the ring on and becomes invisible. Bilbo finds a short way leading up out of the goblins' tunnels and meets Gandalf and the dwarves who have already escaped. The group travels further, but the giant wolfs, known as Wargs, pursue them, and they have to climb up trees to survive. The situation gets worse when goblins come, but luckily Bilbo and his comrades are rescued by a group of great eagles who fly them to their safety nest.

Next morning Gandalf takes his companions to the house of Beorn, a creature who can metamorphose from a man into a bear, and he helps the travelers to outfit for the next step of their journey through the forest of Mirkwood. At the edge of this dark and dangerous forest Gandalf leaves Bilbo and the dwarves, warning them not to turn off the path. On their way through Mirkwood the travelers use a boat to cross a bewitched lake and rescue Bompur, one of the thirteen dwarves, from a magic power of the lake which sends to sleep everyone who falls into its water. Time goes by, provision ends, and the group decides to ignore Gandalf's advice and leaves the path. They are captured by giant spiders, but Bilbo frees himself and kills a giant spider with the sword found in the trolls' cave, he names it Sting. With the help of the ring Bilbo becomes invisible, frees the dwarves from the spider's webs and reveals a secret of the magic ring. Shortly after the fight with spiders, the group, except Bilbo, is caught by the wood elves living near the river which runs through the forest. Bilbo spends weeks, wandering around the palace of the Elvenking and thinking over a plan to free his companions. Using the ring, Bilbo helps the dwarves to slink away from the elves;

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he hides them in empty wine barrels and floats down the river to Esgaroth or Lake-town, a human town near the Lonely Mountain, where the dragon lives.

Spending a week in Esgaroth, the group goes to the Lonely Mountain and sees the door to Smaug's den, but they can't open it until Bilbo discovers the clue in Thorin's map and uses the key of Thorin's grandfather. Hand over head Bilbo talks to the awful dragon Smaug who unwittingly coughs up that despite the impenetrable scales has a weak spot near his heart. The dragon gets into a rage, when Bilbo escapes with the precious gem, the Arkenstone, stolen from the hoard, and leaves the mountain to burn Esgaroth. Smaug destroys the town before he is killed by Bard, a heroic archer, informed about the dragon's weak point from a message delivered by a thrush.

With the dragon dead, the humans of Lake Town and the elves of Mirkwood turn steps to the Lonely Mountain in search of the treasure as compensation for their losses, but Thorin refuses to ally, and Bilbo gives Bard the Arkenstone to use it in negotiation with the leader of the dwarves. When Thorin knows about Bilbo's deed, he becomes very angry, but Gandalf appears and safes the hobbit from the dwarf's blind fury. At this time, an army of Wargs and goblins approaches the mountain, so the humans, elves and dwarves have to unite, and The Battle of Five Armies begins. The heroes nearly lose, but Beorn and the eagles arrive and help them win the battle. Thorin is hurt and before he dies he expresses regrets for his actions against Bilbo; the leader of the dwarves is buried with the Arkenstone and Orcrist.

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After this dangerous journey, Bilbo and Gandalf come back to Hobbiton, where the Hobbit continues to live. Despite Bilbo is rejected by hospitable hobbit society, he is happy to communicate with elves and wizards and enjoys his simple and comfortable life.

The storyteller of "The Hobbit" is Bilbo who narrates about the actions he takes part in, the thoughts he has and feelings he experiences. At the very beginning Bilbo appears as a weak and timid hobbit, but his personality develops getting over the difficulties he meets over a period of the journey, and at the end of the story we see a hero with the strongest character. He is not confused to express his own ideas and learns to overcome his fears. The author describes the changes in Bilbo's character very carefully as much as to tell us: don't let your fears be obstacles in your path.

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The Summary of the Novel

The Hobbit is considered to be one of the best books written by J.R.R. Tolkien. Created in the tradition of a fairy tale, with author's effort to integrate

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One day the situation is changed by the arrival of a mysterious old wizard Gandalf who is looking for someone to join him and a group of thirteen militant dwarves on their quest to reclaim the treasure stolen by Smaug, the most awful dragon in all Middle-earth. In this dangerous adventure Bilbo Baggins is intended to be an active participant, although, the dwarves are very skeptical about Gandalf's choice and the hobbit is scared.

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he hides them in empty wine barrels and floats down the river to Esgaroth or Lake-town, a human town near the Lonely Mountain, where the dragon lives.

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An Analysis Of Plot Used In The Hobbit