Question
In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien develops his characters by showing how they act, what they say, and how the narrator describes them. Choose one character from the first chapters (for example, Bilbo, Gandalf, or one of the dwarves). How does Tolkien’s language help you understand that character’s personality? Give one or two examples from the story to support your answer. With no plagiarism
Answers
GPT-5 mini
Choose Bilbo Baggins. Tolkien’s language makes Bilbo’s personality feel immediate by mixing warm, precise description with ironic narrator-commentary and dialogue that shows how Bilbo acts under pressure.
1) Narrator description that establishes habit and comfort
Right away Bilbo is sketched through domestic detail: the narrator lists his breakfasts, the neatness of his rooms, and the sensible, well‑ordered life of “a very well‑to‑do” hobbit who loves his home. Those concrete, homely details (all the household creature comforts, routines, and the emphasis on being respectable) create a vivid picture of a character who values safety, predictability, and polite living.
2) Action and speech that reveal nervousness and a hidden backbone
When the dwarves arrive and the house is filled with unexpected noise and mess, Tolkien shifts to action and dialogue to show Bilbo’s personality under strain. Bilbo’s flustered attempts at hospitality — awkward words, stumbling movements, and thoughts the narrator reports with gentle amusement — make him come across as timid and a bit pompous about propriety. At the same time, small scenes of anger or embarrassment (for example, when he is repeatedly outmaneuvered by the guests or when the label “burglar” is put on him) are narrated with a touch of irony: Tolkien lets us see Bilbo protest or lose his temper, which reveals a spark of pride and courage beneath the comfort‑loving exterior.
Why this works
Because Tolkien doesn’t just tell us “Bilbo is shy” or “Bilbo is brave,” he shows it: domestic, detail‑rich description builds a believable, home‑loving personality, while dialogue and on‑stage reactions let us watch that personality face disturbance and begin to change. The contrast between the cosy opening portrait and Bilbo’s small, reluctant moments of defiance at the party makes his later growth feel earned. (See Chapter 1, “An Unexpected Party.”)
1) Narrator description that establishes habit and comfort
Right away Bilbo is sketched through domestic detail: the narrator lists his breakfasts, the neatness of his rooms, and the sensible, well‑ordered life of “a very well‑to‑do” hobbit who loves his home. Those concrete, homely details (all the household creature comforts, routines, and the emphasis on being respectable) create a vivid picture of a character who values safety, predictability, and polite living.
2) Action and speech that reveal nervousness and a hidden backbone
When the dwarves arrive and the house is filled with unexpected noise and mess, Tolkien shifts to action and dialogue to show Bilbo’s personality under strain. Bilbo’s flustered attempts at hospitality — awkward words, stumbling movements, and thoughts the narrator reports with gentle amusement — make him come across as timid and a bit pompous about propriety. At the same time, small scenes of anger or embarrassment (for example, when he is repeatedly outmaneuvered by the guests or when the label “burglar” is put on him) are narrated with a touch of irony: Tolkien lets us see Bilbo protest or lose his temper, which reveals a spark of pride and courage beneath the comfort‑loving exterior.
Why this works
Because Tolkien doesn’t just tell us “Bilbo is shy” or “Bilbo is brave,” he shows it: domestic, detail‑rich description builds a believable, home‑loving personality, while dialogue and on‑stage reactions let us watch that personality face disturbance and begin to change. The contrast between the cosy opening portrait and Bilbo’s small, reluctant moments of defiance at the party makes his later growth feel earned. (See Chapter 1, “An Unexpected Party.”)