Usually in life, once you conquer evil, you become mightier and more confident in yourself. As a result it prepares you for further occurrences with evil. This was the case in J. R. R. Tolkiens novel, The Hobbit. Throughout the novel, Bilbo is greatly affected by the characters and groups he meets. Each character or group increases Bilbos confidence and prepares him for the final battle with Smaug. Gollum, the spiders, and the dwarves are the three most significant characters or groups that Bilbo meets throughout the novel. Each one of these characters or groups greatly advances Bilbos courage and prepares him for the next step in his adventurous journey. The first significant character that Bilbo meets is Gollum. Deep down in the Goblin caves was where Gollum lived. He was a small slimy creature as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face (p. 71). A very cautious and blind Bilbo was nearby trying to find a way out of the caves.
He was left behind while riding the Doris back. The dwarves were running away from the Goblins when out of nowhere, the Goblins unexpectedly grabbed Dori who was at the back of the line. Being on his back, the hobbit rolled off his shoulders into the blackness and remembered nothing more: When Bilbo opened his eyes, he wondered if he had; for it was just as dark as with them shut (p. 68). This is why he was roaming the dark, still tunnels of the Goblins. While Bilbo was slowly feeling his way through the tunnel, Gollum’s hiss emerged into his ear: The hobbit nearly jumped out of his skin (p. 72). After a bit of negotiating, Gollum and the hobbit decided to have a contest with riddles. If Bilbo could not solve the riddle, he would have to be eaten. If Gollum could not solve the riddle, he would have to guide the hobbit to the way out of the caves. At this point, Bilbo already gains a bit of self-confidence. He believes that he can beat Gollum in a game of riddle-solving.
To prove this, he places his own life on the line with practically no questions asked. Both Gollum and Bilbo successfully answered a long series of riddles, but now it was Bilbos turn. What Bilbo asked wasnt really a riddle but in fact, a question. One which you would pretty much have to be a physic to answer: What have I got in my pocket? (p. 78), asked Bilbo. He gave Gollum three chances to answer. After three unsuccessful answers, Bilbo demanded he be told the way out. To Bilbos surprise, Gollum did not jump at him and begin to give lousy excuses. Instead he agreed, but not until he went back to look for something. Not long after, Bilbo heard Gollum bickering about some birthday present he had lost. Gollum hastily came back and repetitively asked Bilbo what was in his pocket but Bilbo would not answer unless he showed him the way out.
This maddened Gollum greatly. As Gollum was on his way back to the island, Bilbo knew that Gollum was up to no good and felt murder was closely on Gollums mind. Just in time, Bilbo turned and ran blindly back into the dark passage, keeping close to the wall. Bilbo had his hand in his left pocket and slipped the cold ring on his groping forefinger. He looked back a saw Gollum approaching from behind him. He then looked forward and began to run until he struck his toe on a snag in the floor falling flat on his face. Soon after, he looked up and noticed Gollum above him but before he could do anything, Gollum had passed him without even noticing the lucky hobbit. Bilbos courage shows off greatly when he decided to follow Gollum. The hobbit did not know whether Gollum simply could not see him or whether Bilbo was indeed invisible. He took this chance and bravely began to pursue Gollum: Perhaps if he followed him, Gollum might lead him to some way of escape without meaning to.
The hobbit uses this technique later on when he is faced with the challenge of walking down the black tunnels of the lonely mountain all alone, not knowing what awaits him in front. What perplexed Bilbo was why Gollum could not see him. Suddenly, Bilbo noticed that Gollum had sat down and began to weep. Bilbo immediately flattened himself against the tunnel wall.
Bilbo gallantly listened in to Gollum who appeared to be arguing with himself: Yes, but if its got the present, then the goblinses will get it One of the goblinses will put it on, and no one will see him. Hell be there but not seen and hell come creepsy and tricksy and catch us, gollum, gollum! At this point, Bilbo knew that the ring he had on was indeed magical and it could make him invisible. When Gollum arrived at the beginning of the passage of the way out, he stopped right in front of it, not giving any chance for Bilbo to get beyond him. Bilbo stopped and stiffened up.
He waited a while and thought to himself while Gollum was there standing. Bilbo was desperate. All of the sudden, Bilbo courageously jumped over Gollum and landed behind him: No great leap for man, but a leap in the dark. Straight over Gollums head he jumped, seven feet forward and three in the air (p. 86) This was a very courageous act for Bilbo to do. Once he landed, he never looked back and kept running ahead until he saw daylight seeping through a stone door.
There was one minor problem that Bilbo had to surpass and that was the Goblins. There were two of them standing in front of the stone door. Using a little maneuvering and expertise with his soft hobbit feet he was able to bravely lunge past the Goblins with only split seconds to spare. So as you can see, Gollum evidently gave Bilbo a mental and physical challenge. Figuratively speaking Bilbo had no choice but to accept the challenges set forth by Gollum, and to use them to his own advantage. Bilbo later demonstrates the convenience of his soft feet when he is faced with the challenge of stealing a two handled cu …
