Bilbo's Internal Conflict In The Hobbit

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit portrays several internal and external conflicts faced by a variety of characters to keep the reader’s attention. An important internal conflict in the novel is the identity crisis of Bilbo Baggin’s two sides; Took and Baggins. Tolkien emphasizes this conflict through the use of literary devices such as foreshadowing, symbolism, and dramatic irony. Through the use of foreshadowing, the reader is shown an example of Bilbo’s internal conflict. At the beginning of the throng’s quest to take back Erebor, Bilbo is starting to second guess himself and wishes he was back home in his cozy little hobbit-hole. For example, as stated by Mr. Bilbo Baggins and the narrator, “‘I wish I was at home in my nice hole by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!’ It was not the last time that he wished that!”(36). The quote above shows an example of foreshadowing, as it hints that Bilbo will once …show more content…
Near the end of the novel, Bilbo returns home after his adventure and realizes the rest of the small-minded hobbits in the Shire believe that he’s now the village crazy and don’t believe his stories. To show, as stated by the narrator, “[Bilbo] lost his reputation… I am sorry to say he did not mind”(327). The above quote is an example of dramatic irony, as the rest of the hobbits don’t realize that Bilbo doesn’t give a hoot what they think of him while the reader does. The author uses the dramatic irony to show one more final switch in Bilbo’s personality, about how he’s finally learning how to live with both sides of his personality in harmony. The above example keeps the reader captivated, as they’re now waiting to see if Bilbo will change his mind and try to fit back into society like a Baggins would do; or will he try to stand out like a Took would. The author helps builds the reader’s interest by leading them to sympathize with