How Does Bilbo Change Over Time

Every book is riddled with characters. Normally they are not these morally rigid and unable to change. They are quite the opposite. It is common to see in novels characters changing drastically, particularly their values. They can go from being greedy to exceptionally generous and empathetic individuals, like in popular children stories like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or How the Grinch Stole Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. This isn’t just a truth only evident in children stories, but also more adult and more serious novels, such as The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien where the reader follows the shenanigans of Bilbo Baggins while he and his group make their way to retrieve Dwarven gold. Throughout this story it is clear to anyone reading
I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today.”(6) which clearly shows that Bilbo does not want to take part in any sort of journey. Bilbo is reluctant to be courageous and accept the offering. He is content with his plain, simple, and safe life of being a Hobbit. Shortly thereafter his was arguably forced into an adventure with a pack of dwarves along with a wizard. Throughout this entire journey, Bilbo becomes more and more courageous and even went so far as to meet with leaders of an opposing army and say “This is the Arkenstone of Thrain… I give it to you. It will aid you in your bargaining.”(271) This is showing that despite him possibly risking capture or death, he still has enough courage to help end a needless war between his group’s army and the elven-human’s army. It is blatantly obvious that Bilbo was once a coward and now, towards the end of the story, a hero and extremely
Throughout the story, Bilbo is working for the Dwarven group to retrieve the mountain of gold all the while being promised a fair share of the gold. Later on, however, Bilbo and his group do manage to secure the pile and instead of taking a few pieces as payment for his journey, but instead “...Bilbo’s arm went towards it drawn by its enchantment. His small hand would not close about it, for it was a large and heavy gem; but he lifted it, shut his eyes and put it in his deepest pocket.”(235) Bilbo had taken the Arkenstone, the very most valuable piece of the loot. It easily surpassed the value of any one other item and was coveted highly by Thorin, who set out in part to take back this extravagant gem. It should be said that Bilbo as well as every other Dwarf knew that Thorin wanted this gem above all others and even with this knowledge, Bilbo still had taken it. Reading from the last paragraph you will find that Bilbo gives this up. This caused him to lose his most valuable good from the adventure. Shortly after the journey’s end, the story states: “Not far from the road they found the gold of the trolls, which they had buried, still hidden and untouched. “I have enough to last me my time,” said Bilbo.”