Blog Post #2

Now that I have finished reading The Hobbit, I have a pretty good idea of where I want to go with my research. In the end, The Hobbit has a happy ending: Bilbo and the dwarves make it through all of their challenges, reach the lonely mountain, and with some help from the men of Laketown (one of whose archers slays the dragon Smaug) reclaim their treasure under the mountain. Not all is well immediately, however; a conflict that comes to be known as the battle of five armies transpires, as groups of goblins and wargs come to fight against the dwarves and men to steal the treasure. A bloody battle ensues, and it is only after the eagles of the Misty Mountains arrive that the goblins are driven off for good. Finally, Bilbo is able to return to his beloved hobbit hole with Gandalf.
After a tiny amount of initial poking around, I discovered that The Hobbit is regarded as one of the classics of "children's literature." I want to explore this concept further in my research. What distinguishes classics in children's literature from classics of literature in general? How exactly is children's literature defined? How has The Hobbit been regarded throughout history? And, most importantly, does The Hobbit a place among the classics in general, not specifically kiddie lit? I think the small differences in style and prose I noticed while reading Tolkien, compared to the other authors we have read this year, result from The Hobbit originally being intended as a children's book. The Hobbit is certainly more plot-centric than the other novels we have read this year. There is a lot more action, and the plot moves at a quicker pace. This probably is intentional, to make the story capture and keep the attention of younger people. I also noticed aspects of classic literature that we have been studying all year, and I think there are certainly underlying themes, deeper than the level of the plot. These themes are developed not through the action, but mainly through the interactions of the characters. Bilbo undergoes a major transformation as the story progresses. Tolkien alludes to this early on, when he reveals that Bilbo has ancestors, the Tooks, who were great adventurers, but he also delineates Bilbo as a very bland and insipid fellow. As the story progresses, however, Bilbo wishes for the warmth and comfort of his hobbit hole less and less, and comes to embrace adventure. This could connect to the idea of experience resulting in personal growth. The dwarves, who initially think Bilbo is useless, come to regard him as a valuable member of their expedition, after he saves them from numerous sticky spots. Don't judge a book by its cover. These, in addition to the devices I mentioned in my first post, all come together and build on one another. I just need to read about how The hobbit is perceived, and maybe some lit crit, to decided for myself if it is a classic.