How to Successfully Slay a Dragon

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” (Tolkien, p.1). I hate to steal his line, but I

don’t believe there is a much better start to a novel (or analytical essay) out there. Throughout his

journey in Middle Earth, this hobbit faced many perils. What really makes the story, however, is

how he learned to face them along the way. “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien goes beyond a

simple fantasy story by teaching readers that it is necessary to “leave the shire” and face some

dangers in order to develop, to believe in their own abilities and not doubt the path they are

taking, and most importantly, to enjoy the journey and find passion in what they are doing.

The book starts by introducing the reader to the home of the main character, Bilbo.

Tolkien takes great care in providing thorough details about this humble abode of Mr. Baggins.

Bilbo is soon met with a challenge in his own life, rude guests. This very beginning of the story

is what introduces us to the core of Bilbo’s character. The way that he reacts to his regularly

scheduled feasting is important to remember to compare to his demeanor at the end of the story.

Once Bilbo is taken out of The Shire and onto his mission, the first hint of character development

is introduced. This is where I found my first metaphorical lesson from the book. Bilbo is forced

to leave his great comforts and go on an adventure that he has no desire to attend. It is natural for

humans, like the hobbits, to prefer to remain in their comfort zone. However, if we never step

outside of this comfort zone, we cannot grow. “To the end of his days Bilbo could never

remember how he found himself outside without a hat, a walking stick or any money, or

anything that he usually took when he went our…” (Tolkien, p.28). I think in order to grow, to

fully experience new things, sometimes we just have to jump in headfirst without a helmet and

see how it goes. I think this text describing the way Bilbo ran from his house to meet the dwarves
for their adventure is key in demonstrating the first steps in leaving The Shire. Maybe sometimes

we all need to just drop everything and run full speed into an adventure to truly live.

So you have faced getting out of your comfort zone, now how do you succeed on your

new adventure? Belief. Believing in yourself and trusting your instincts and the people around

you to carry you to victory is the only way to pass. Tolkien teaches bravery, above all. I feel that

by reading this book I have learned to embrace the challenge and not think too much about

failure. I have already implemented this philosophy into my own life. Lately, I have been making

a conscious effort to be more outgoing to strangers and people who are new to me. At first, the

only thoughts in my head were wondering if they thought I was weird, or what would happen if

they truly didn’t like me. I have to constantly remind myself that it truly does not matter. I may

fail, trolls may attack me in a dark cave, but if I focus on the pile of gold at the end of my

journey, I might just succeed. More than anything else, Bilbo is faced with doubt about his

abilities on their mission. “... and just at that moment he felt more tired than he ever remembered

feeling before. He was thinking once again of his comfortable chair before the fire in his favorite

sitting-room…” (Tolkien, p.44) Every time I am faced with a new person I have to meet and

converse with, I think of how much easier it would be if I stayed silent and hid behind my friends

until the conversation was over, but I can’t disappear into my hobbit hole, I must face that

mountain, and start climbing with ferocity.

“Well, Merry People!” … “Your lullaby would waken a drunken goblin! Yet I thank

you.” (Tolkien p. 271). This is not the first instance of Bilbo enjoying himself, however I find it

the most endearing. Bilbo has come near the end of his journey and has realized the importance

of finding joy in the discomfort. We must face the challenge of leaving The Shire with optimism

and a feeling of joy through it all. Otherwise, we will end up like Bilbo and be miserable for the
majority of our journey and miss the beauty and excitement of it all. I have to push myself to

enjoy those awkward conversations with someone I barely know. The small talk, tiny oddities of

human behavior, and everything that makes a connection with someone new are the things I

focus on. I have learned to enjoy the little slip-ups in phrasing or the awkward silence in between

thoughts. I recognize that it's all just part of the journey and learn to love it.

If there is anything you take away from this paper, I hope it isn’t that I’m a weirdo who

doesn’t know how to talk to people. But in all seriousness, the takeaways from this book are

incredibly vital to living a life worth cherishing. I would like to leave you with a challenge:

Leave The Shire from time to time. Comfort is ok to experience and you don’t constantly have to

be chasing dragons, but a life with no difficulty is no life at all. Second, believe in yourself and

what you are capable of in new situations. Lastly, enjoy your life, especially the struggle. This is

what makes you who you are. Find your adventure and chase it with vigor and enthusiasm. You

surely will succeed.