What are some important symbols in The Hobbit?
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is a story about growing up, known in the literary world as a bildungsroman, despite the fact that its main character, Bilbo, is not a child or young adult when the book begins. Instead, it is the narrative structure of the book and its young adult genre that makes The Hobbit a classic example of a bildungsroman.
In light of this, it becomes much easier to see many of the symbols that are present in the book.
The Shire is a symbol of safety, home, and childhood. Bilbo is comfortable there and has little to no responsibilities; life is very easy. However, he gets pulled away from it by other forces and thrust into the rest of the world, which can be a symbol for adulthood.
The Ring, which Bilbo stumbles upon during his adventures, is a symbol for power. While this symbol gets...
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expanded in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it is still present inThe Hobbit as it makes Bilbo something more than just a member of the party—it turns him into a contributing member of the group and an excellent burglar.
Bilbo's hobbit hole: Bilbo's home becomes a symbol of comfort and warmth for the hobbit. He repeatedly thinks of it throughout his journey in the novel, remembering his home fondly to help him get through the bleak and trying moments of the quest.
Sting: Bilbo's sword, which he names himself, becomes a symbol of Bilbo's courage and determination. The hobbit goes from being unsure of himself and awkward during a confrontation to single-handedly routing multiple huge spiders in Mirkwood to save the dwarves.
The Ring: Bilbo's ring, won from Gollum, becomes a symbol of his cunning and crafty nature. With the ring and its handy power of invisibility, Bilbo becomes a burglar extraordinaire. Despite its wicked potential, Bilbo uses the ring for benign purposes, like rescuing the dwarves from the Elvenking's dungeons and performing reconnaissance on Smaug's lair.
The Arkenstone: Pocketed by Bilbo from the treasure hoard, the Arkenstone, a fabulous gem, represents Thorin's greed, but also his desire to reestablish himself as the King of the Mountain; he feels a genuine connection to his ancestors through the gem and desires it immensely.
The treasure hoard-- Originally belonging to the dwarves and hoarded by Smaug, the enormous treasure pile in the Lonely Mountain comes to represent greed and materialism. As soon as Bard vanquishes Smaug, multiple armies are on the move to collect their 'share' of the treasure. The treasure brings out the worst of Thorin and the dwarves as well, who become increasingly greedy and irrational about keeping it all to themselves.
What are some symbolic objects associated with Thorin in The Hobbit?
There are a few things that could be considered symbolic for Thorin: an oak branch, a map and key, and the Arkenstone.
The oak branch is a bit obvious, as it is the source of his epithet "Oakenshield", but it is probably the most important. During the battle he participated in at Moria after his kingdom was taken by Smaug, he broke his shield, so he picked up an oaken branch to use instead, hence the name "Oakenshield".
The map and key are also important to Thorin because they are what started Thorin off on his quest to the Lonely Mountain. Without them, he never would have been able to find and unlock the secret door that would lead them into the mountain.
The final symbol is the Arkenstone, also known as the Heart of the Mountain. It is the symbol of his right to rule, his kingship, which is why he is so eager to find it in The Hobbit: without it, the other dwarves would not follow him.