An Analysis of JRR Tolkien and the Hobbit

In the latter portion of the 19th century, a boy named John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born (Johnson). Within the first few years of the young man's life, he would find himself orphaned, moved from his native South Africa to England, and put in the custody of a Catholic priest, who also made provisions for his education. Eventually, upon pursing an academic career that included studies of medieval history and culture and ancient tongues, he rubbed shoulders with aspiring writers like C.S. Lewis, and his imagination took flight. Because of his experiences with C.S. Lewis and other like-minded individuals during his formative years as an educator and writer, Tolkien adopted a streak of creativity and imagination that was grounded in the disciplines he studied and taught, spiced by his imagination, and fueled by his passion. When these critical elements came together, his life, work, and indeed what is now considered modern fantasy literature would never be the same.

The culmination of his education, passion and imagination became the fantasy novel The Hobbit, first published in 1937, based upon fantastic stories that Tolkien told to his children for hours upon end, as they sat by his side. While this work is wildly popular among readers, has broadcast lessons and themes far beyond what it represents on the surface, and has influenced popular culture throughout the world, the book did not enjoy huge success in its first decades of publication. Nevertheless, this essay will take a closer look at The Hobbit, its author, and the areas where the two somehow become one. Upon conclusion of this essay, the reader will have gained a better understanding of The Hobbit, its creator, and various issues surrounding both.
Moral Lessons of Tolkien's Text