Context for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit

1. The Heroic Journey Context for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit

2. Humans need heroes to show pathways to success • Brainstorm a list of heroes (either real or fictional). • In what ways have these heroes helped people find success? The Big Idea

3. Title of major study on hero’s journey: The Hero with a Thousand Faces • Speculate on the meaning of the title. • Why must a title have multiple faces? Joseph Campbell (1904 – 1987):

4. Traces the story of the hero’s journey through virtually all the mythologies in the world, revealing one archetypal hero in them all = the monomyth Think about the following: Jesus, Moses, Siddhartha Gautama, Odysseus, Beowulf, Theseus, Luke Skywalker, – What do these heroes have in common? The Hero with a Thousand faces

5. Human beings all want and need the same things, and our heroic stories reflect this need. Do you agree or disagree with Campbell’s conclusion? Campbell’s conclusion:

6. Analyze Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit, using Joseph Campbell’s model of the hero’s journey Unit Focus:

7. Departure (Chapters 1 – 9) Initiation (Chapters 10 – 16) Return (Chapters 17 – 19) The Hero’s Journey: Three stages

8. The call to adventure (Chapters 1 - 2) The refusal of the call (Chapters 1 - 2) Supernatural Aid (Chapters 3 – 7) The Crossing of the first threshold (Chapter 8) The belly of the whale (Chapter 9) Departure – 5 parts:

9. The road of trials (Chapters 10 – 16) The ultimate boon (Chapter 17) Atonement with the father (Chapter 18) Apotheosis (Chapter 19) Initiation – 4 Parts

10. The magic flight Rescue from without The crossing of the return threshold (Chapter 19) Master of the two worlds Freedom to live Return (May include one or more)

11. An unexpected world is revealed, drawing the hero in. • The world may be revealed accidentally, through mistake, or even through something eye-catching. • A messenger appears, calling the hero to adventure • Adventurous destination of both treasure and danger is always a place of changing beings, unimaginable torments, superhuman deeds, and impossible delight -- it’s exciting • The force to attend becomes so strong that the summons cannot be denied. • The hero seems to outgrow the old life; the time for moving on is at hand Departure: The call to adventure

12. The hero tries to ignore the call and pursues other interests. • By refusing the call, the hero makes the adventure seem negative. • Life begins to feel meaningless. • The hero digs deep to find secret reserves of courage, often in response to a predicament following the initial refusal. • Ultimately, the hero goes forth willingly on the adventure. Departure: The Refusal of the Call

13. Read Chapters 1 – 2. Using either your blue Post-its or a blue highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Call to Adventure”. Using either your yellow Post-its or a yellow highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Refusal of the Call”. Application to The hobbit

14. The hero encounters a figure who provides the adventurer with protective amulets against evil • fairy lore = a little fellow of the wood, an old crone, some wizard, hermit, shepherd, or smith who appears to supply the amulets and advice the hero will require • higher mythologies = great figure, a teacher, a ferryman, a conductor of souls to the underworld • Each supernatural event represents the protecting power of destiny – reassurance that all will be OK in the end. Departure: Supernatural Aid

15. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapters 3 - 7. • Using either your green Post-its or a green highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “Supernatural Aid”.

16. The hero crosses a threshold (figurative doorway) into the unknown, darkness, and danger. • The hero becomes like an infant beyond parental watch, crossing the boundary beyond the protection of society. • The regions of the unknown (woods, desert, jungle, deep sea, alien land, etc.) are filled with deceitful and dangerous presences not experienced in the normal world. • The crossing of the threshold is the first step toward self-understanding, yet the action is tremendously risky – often life or death. Departure: The crossing of the first threshold

17. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 8. • Using either your pink Post-its or a pink highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Crossing of the First Threshold”.

18. Some time after crossing the threshold, the hero, instead of conquering of giving in, is swallowed, unknown, and would appear to have died. • The passing of the threshold is a possible life sacrifice, making the hero a new person. • After shedding fear of sacrifice, the hero is free to pass back and forth across the horizons of the world, traveling in and out of space and/or time. Departure: The belly of the whale

19. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 9. • Using either your orange Post-its or an orange highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Belly of the Whale”.

20. The hero moves through a landscape in which places and life forms are strange and unknown. • The hero must survive a series of increasingly difficult tasks. • The hero is assisted by the advice, amulets (good luck tokens), and secret agents of the supernatural helper. • A chance is provided for the hero to purify the self and think about salvation. The hero must be willing to put aside pride, virtue, beauty, and/or life. Stage 2: Initiation, The Road of trials

21. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 10 - 16. • Using either your blue Post-its or a blue highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Road of Trials”.

22. The final heroic task is usually accomplished with great ease, signifying the hero as a superior man – a born king. The ultimate boon is the ultimate treasure won by the hero. The boon can only be received by the hero after all personal limitations are gone. Initiation: The ultimate boon

23. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 17. • Using either your yellow Post-its or a yellow highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “The Ultimate Boon”.

24. The hero must reconcile with a “father” figure who has been an opposing figure. The father can be a figure whom the hero has loved or even hated.   This coming together after complete self-sacrifice is called atonement = “at onement”. Initiation: Atonement with the father

25. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 17. • Using either your yellow Post-its or a yellow highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “Atonement with the Father”.

26. The hero transcends to a place of bliss. In a more ordinary sense, it is a period of rest and fulfillment before the hero begins the return. Initiation: apotheosis

27. The Return: The adventurer must return with the life-changing trophy (boon). Refusal of the Return: The hero might not want to share the boon. The Magic Flight: Sometimes the hero must escape with the boon, if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding. Rescue from Without: The hero is aided on the journey home by supernatural forces. The Crossing of the Return Threshold: The hero brings the prize and stories of wisdom from the journey back home. Master of Two Worlds: The hero is able to live in the material and spiritual worlds. Freedom to Live: The hero does not fear death, but lives in the moment. Stage three: The Return (may include one or more)

28. Application to The hobbit • Read Chapter 19. • Using either your pink Post-its or a pink highlighter, identify places in the chapters that are clear examples of “Apotheosis” and/or “The Return”.

29. Students can be regularly quizzed on elements of the Heroic Journey. Let them use their books, writing word-for-word examples of each stage. Students who have not done the note-taking work may not take the quiz. • Students can construct a board game for The Hobbit, using each stage in the heroic journey as part of their games. Require quotes and explanation from the book as part of the game construction. • Students can analyze Bilbo’s heroic journey in an expository essay, explaining how he fits, or does not quite fit, all elements of the journey. Ideas for assessment