The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
In 1937 the world of literature was changed forever with the publishing of a book titled
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. A remarkable figure named Bilbo Baggins forever leapt into the hearts and minds of millions of young and old
readers alike. His journey into a land reserved previously only for fairy tales and nursery rhymes forever changed the world of fantasy and allowed other fantasy authors a step into the
literary community. Tolkien managed to not only create a story but also an entire universe and detailed history to back up his characters in a way that made both children and adults take notice.
Some readers and movie-goers would argue that The Hobbit is merely a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy that Tolkien later penned. These individuals would be missing the fundamental impact that Tolkien created with his first story. The story is a true classic that manages a monstrous task of not only appealing to the young readers, it also manages to firmly ensnare adults as well. Tolkien does this with his command of the literary form. His word choices are simplistic in understanding yet on the whole manage to elevate his diction to a literary classic in the same league with someone like Sir Philip Sidney. Somewhere an English Literature Professor rolls over in his grave at this thought but his nay saying can be assuaged by the sheer numbers of individuals who have ventured into the lands of Moria and the Shire versus Arcadia.
Unlike his following trilogy, The Hobbit has a bit of poetry within that lends itself well to an oral reading of the novel. Parents are able to give young readers a chance to use their imagination and picture the scene where twelve dwarves are rounding up dishes from tea and singing:
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates –
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
What child wouldn’t want to think of doing dishes in such a way?
So what has J.R.R. Tolkien and his little hobbits really done for the literary community and for readers everywhere? Without such characters as Bilbo Baggins or settings as Middle Earth, sorcerers the likes of Harry Potter would have never came to be. Writers such as Terry Brooks, J.K. Rowling, Madeleine L’Engle or even Douglas Adams might never have been given the chance to expand the boundaries of children’s lives in ways that are truly remarkable.