Bilbo Journey

Throughout the world many people search for those who are confident in themselves. A character’s journey to becoming themselves and believing in their own strength is a common theme throughout literature. In J.R.R Tolkien’s book, The Hobbit, Bilbo, a hobbit who undertakes an adventure with a band of dwarves, experiences his most important quest when inside the Lonely Mountain. He is forced to conquer his fears, as well as a live dragon, in order to prove to himself that he is truly brave, like a burglar ought to be. In the end his experiences facing his fear gives him confidence in himself regardless of the opinions of others.
Initially, Bilbo Baggins sets out on a quest to prove his worth as a burglar and to repair his wounded pride. Bilbo,
The dwarves, now assured of Bilbo’s bravery and adroitness after returning from the tunnel of a dragon, rejoice over Bilbo’s accomplishment, while Bilbo lays resting on the ground, paying no heed to their praises. “It was midnight and clouds had covered the stars, but Bilbo lay with his eyes shut, gasping and taking pleasure in the feel of the fresh air, and hardly noticing the excitement of the dwarves, or how they praised and patted him on the back and put themselves and all their families for generations to come at his service” (216). Although initially Bilbo sets out to heal his wounded pride, by facing the dragon he proves to himself that he did not need to be a burglar in order to be confident. Bilbo, by facing his fears alone, discovers that he can be confident in his own littleness, regardless of the opinion of others. Bilbo’s confidence allows him to disregard people who think little of him. Having self-confidence allows people to reach goals that they may never have thought possible as well as exceeding their own expectations. In conclusion, self-confidence is key to succeeding in one’s life, and exceeding the expectations of all those surrounding