In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gandalf plays the mentor archetype because he is full of wisdom, has experience from many treacherous journeys , and is a superb leader.
The mentor archetype in the Hero’s journey (In this case, Bilbo’s hero's journey) is the hero or initiates teacher figure who often guides them through the journey by giving them advice, information, wisdom, etc. One of the many marks of a good mentor is experience, and in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, it is made known that Gandalf has lots of it. Bilbo, who hardly ever left his town, even knew of Gandalf past adventures. As Bilbo says when he first speaks to Gandalf, “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures?”. This quote shows that Gandalf’s adventures with other hobbits are well known, and that he is quite familiar with “mad …show more content…
Gandalf also shows his experience through the entire journey- through his quick thinking and knowledge when it comes to passages, creatures, and places in Middle Earth. He shows his quick thinking when the Wargs have trapped Bilbo,the Dwarves, and himself here - “He [Gandalf] gathered the huge pine-cones from the branches of the tree. Then he set one alight with bright blue fire, and threw it whizzing down among the circle of wolves.”(Tolkien, pg. 95) Gandalf’s knowledge about the places in Middle Earth comes in later when Bilbo and company are at the edge of Mirkwood. Gandalf gives them the layout of their location and where they will be at this moment. Gandalf says, “in the North you would be right among the slopes of the Grey Mountains, in the South you would get into the land of the Necromancer, and if you come out of Mirkwood you will see the Long Marshes lying below you, and beyond them, high in the east, the Lonely Mountain.”(Tolkien, 129). This quote is very informative for Thorin and company and it also shows that Gandalf has been all over Middle Earth to be
The mentor archetype in the Hero’s journey (In this case, Bilbo’s hero's journey) is the hero or initiates teacher figure who often guides them through the journey by giving them advice, information, wisdom, etc. One of the many marks of a good mentor is experience, and in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, it is made known that Gandalf has lots of it. Bilbo, who hardly ever left his town, even knew of Gandalf past adventures. As Bilbo says when he first speaks to Gandalf, “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures?”. This quote shows that Gandalf’s adventures with other hobbits are well known, and that he is quite familiar with “mad …show more content…
Gandalf also shows his experience through the entire journey- through his quick thinking and knowledge when it comes to passages, creatures, and places in Middle Earth. He shows his quick thinking when the Wargs have trapped Bilbo,the Dwarves, and himself here - “He [Gandalf] gathered the huge pine-cones from the branches of the tree. Then he set one alight with bright blue fire, and threw it whizzing down among the circle of wolves.”(Tolkien, pg. 95) Gandalf’s knowledge about the places in Middle Earth comes in later when Bilbo and company are at the edge of Mirkwood. Gandalf gives them the layout of their location and where they will be at this moment. Gandalf says, “in the North you would be right among the slopes of the Grey Mountains, in the South you would get into the land of the Necromancer, and if you come out of Mirkwood you will see the Long Marshes lying below you, and beyond them, high in the east, the Lonely Mountain.”(Tolkien, 129). This quote is very informative for Thorin and company and it also shows that Gandalf has been all over Middle Earth to be