The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien is definitely a genre defining novel. It was by no means the first, but it was one of the few that brought to life the fantastical elements that we see in stories like it today. In class, we discussed the concept of the heroes journey and its importance to the narrative structure of a fantasy. The greatest part about fantastical novels, especially Tolkien's, is how easily you can get lost in the expansive universe; almost like you're really there along side the hero, going on a journey of self discovery.
I loved the lecture today about the journey a hero goes on, mainly because it is applicable to almost any story, though especially to fantasies. I found myself making allusions to stories across all genres as we heard about the path a character might go on in the course of a story.
The Hobbit especially encapsulates this idea of reluctancy that plays a large role in a hero's journey. From the very beginning, Bilbo was as reluctant as anything could be to the idea of an adventure. This pull against the journey we knew he would end up partaking on is what opens the door to one of the most entertaining things to read about in any story, character development. A character that grows and changes is what lies at the heart of entertainment across the board, and Bilbo's attitude change is what makes him such an appealing character.
The hero's journey is such a fun concept to learn about, and truly what makes fantasy so compelling and structured. The Hobbit is a timeless novel that defined "fairy stories" and opened the door for authors to be inspired (especially one of my favorite authors, George RR Martin.)
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