Foils In The Hobbit

Often authors use literary foils to help enhance the characters and the tales they tell through literature. This is very true in the Hobbit written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien. In the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, is recruited by the wizard Gandalf to go help Thorin and the dwarves return their ancestor’s treasures stolen by Smaug. Thorin, the proud, arrogant leader of the thirteen dwarves who tends to overlook the needs of the group in order to pursue his own interests, serves as a foil to Bilbo in the Hobbit because of his lack of leadership traits, greediness, and his carelessness. This plays a significant role in creating a contrast between the two characters in the Hobbit.
Thorin’s leadership, or the lack of it, contrasts greatly from Bilbo. For instance, during their …show more content…
Upon their arrival to the Lonely Mountain, Thorin’s main goal was to return his family heirloom, the Arkenstone. When news comes that Smaug is dead, Thorin determines to protect the dragon’s treasures and not give any of it away, even if it means war and death. Bilbo is not taken in by this greed and can see Thorin's failing in this regard. He decides to bring this imminent catastrophe to a peaceful conclusion by taking the Arkenstone and giving it to Bard as a bargaining chip. He knows that Thorin will do anything to get the Arkenstone and thus he realises he can force Thorin to part with some of his treasure to gain the Arkenstone. However, Thorin eventually finds out about this scheme and he is furious by this arrangement. “You miserable hobbit! You undersized-burglar!" he shouted at a loss for words, and he shook poor Bilbo like a rabbit.” (Chapter 17) This exchange between Thorin and Bilbo further highlights the contrast in character between the two. Thorin’s greed led to the Battle of the Five Armies as he failed to make a compromise which ultimately led to his