I Wish I Were a Hobbit

Almost everyone, whether they read it or not, knows a few things about Tolkien's The Hobbit. They are, at least, familiar with the word and the concept. Some small people have big, hairy feet and a fondness for comfort and peace. The book tells the story of one certain Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who, half willingly and half against his will, leaves all the comfort of his home and goes out on an adventure with 13 dwarves and a wizard. As the story progresses, our dear Hobbit develops as a character and displays his skills, causing the reader to feel all kinds of sympathy for him. Despite missing his home and struggling to keep up with the adventure, he adapts well and mesmerizes everyone with both his intelligence and fun personality. The way this character and his home are depicted in the book makes me wish I was a Hobbit like Bilbo Baggins, who is a part of a society living in a peaceful, hospitable, and kind environment and still has his share of adventure.

It is suggested in the book that the Shire, where Bilbo Baggins lives, is a calm and peaceful place. Nobody tries to do something out of the ordinary or goes after any kind of adventure. Most Hobbits, who are mostly wealthy, are said to be happy with the way they live. A rich and happy crowd of people who get up in the morning, have a couple of meals a day, smoke and relax most of the day away, and maybe have some guests over because they are fond of visitors. This is the kind of place where I'd like to spend the rest of my days. Imagine how much better it would feel to be there after a tiring and adrenaline-arousing adventure! Thanks to Tolkien's craft, we could almost feel whatever Bilbo Baggins felt: homesickness, distress, pride, exhaustion, and eventually comfort and relaxation.

These are the things that make me wish that the life we live, the real life, were a draining adventure and that the Shire was the home to which we would return to resume our peaceful lives. I believe this is part of the reason Tolkien's world and books are so loved.

I hope we will all find our personal Hobbit holes.