The story told, follows a hobbit’s unexpected journey. Bilbo Baggins, the main character of this tale, embarks on a quest that includes dwarves, a wizard, a dragon named Smaug, and a mountain full of treasure. This classic book became a movie series that started in December of 2012. Like most books turned into movies, the story underwent many changes and enhancements. There were also many aspects of this tale that remained similar. This paper will focus on those similarities. The Hobbit book and movies prove to have various striking differences, but they do hold many outlying similarities.
The main character, Bilbo Baggins, remains the same, and his character development takes the same relative path. He begins both stories being apprehensive and intimidated by the dwarves’ adventure. By the end of both tales, he is able to take a stand against Thorin, and his courage is apparent. Many other characters in the book maintain the same storyline and developments in the movies. For instance, Thorin, the leader of the dwarf troop, begins to take his role of “King under the Mountain” very seriously once they reach the mountain, although his mental frenzy is heightened toward the end of the movies.
A difference in character stories worth mentioning is that of Gandalf the Wizard. In the book, Gandalf disappears for long periods of the adventure but always shows up just in time to save the dwarves from trouble. This is the same in the movies, although when Gandalf takes his leave, we are taken with him. Viewers follow his set of adventures as he fights in a treacherous battle of light and darkness. He fights what is seen and unseen in magical encounters. Much of the dialogue in the movies can be traced back to the book.
Even with minor differences, finding conversations and phrases from the book proves to be an exciting addition to watching the films. In the beginning scenes of both the book and the movie, many visitors showing up at his door surprise Bilbo Baggins. He is a kind host and serves them food and drink. In both tales, the line, “Hhe looks more like a grocer than a burglar” is used. Much of this scene stays constant although Bilbo’s fainting spell is greatly dramatized in the book and mellowed in the movie. Many minor details are the same throughout the book and the movies. For instance, there is an entire dialogue where Gandalf shares that he put a mark on Bilbo Baggin’s’ door.
In both book and movie, Bilbo has a dream about the cave floor collapsing right before the goblins rush in and captures them from where they were sleeping. During the riddle scene, where Bilbo asks what is in his pocket, Gollum begins to name the many things that are in his own pocket. Many of those things are the same such as fish-bones, goblins’ teeth, and bat’s wings. Minor details such as this one help to bridge the gap between the book and the movies. Adventure after adventure, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit grasps hold of the reader’s attention. Turned into multiple movies, this unusual tale continues to capture audiences on the big screen. Many great aspects and concepts of The Hobbit stay the same in both book and movies. Similarities shine through and are wonderfully apparent. Although certain differences between the two stories are evident, focusing on the properties that were paralleled connects the two different ways of sharing the same ageless tale.
