The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Background on J. R. R. Tolkien aka John Ronald Reuel Tolkien The name "Tolkien" is understood to be of German origin. Toll- kühn: foolishly brave, or stupidly clever; for this reason he occasionally used the fictitious name "Oxymore“.

Childhood:  He was born on January 3rd, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa  When he was 3, Tolkien went to England with his mother and brother on what was intended to be there new home. His father, however, died in South Africa of rheumatic fever before he could join them.  When he was 12, Tolkien's mother died. He and his brother lived with aunts and in boarding homes thereafter.

Education:  Tolkien's mother strongly encourages education to her children.  When Tolkien was 16 he mastered Latin and Greek language.  When he was 17 he began to create his own languages!  When he was 20, he went to Exeter College, Oxford. Where he studied Classics, Old English, Germanic languages, Welsh, and Finnish.  Tolkien published his very first poem when he was 22, called 'From the many-willow'd margin of the immemorial Thames', in the Stapeldon Magazine of Exeter college.

Life:  Tolkien went to Switzerland on a trip, that was his muse for Bilbo’s quest across the Misty Mountains.  Tolkien entered the army in July1915.  While he was in the army he would write letters to his wife. He at this point had his own language in which Edith understood. He could tell her exactly where he was and what he was doing with this secretive translation.  He went home from the army only after 11 months because he got a disease.

C. S. Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship  At Oxford Tolkien became a founding member of a group of Oxford friends "The Inklings" who met for conversation, drinks, and readings from their works-in-progress. Another well-known member was C. S. Lewis, who became one of Tolkien's closest friends.  Professionally, they both studied and taught the literatures of medieval romance and, in Tolkien's case, the background of Norse myth. And they realized that it was only quite recently that such stories had become marginalized as "children's stories." Through much of history these were tales told and enjoyed by grown-ups.

Techniques used by Tolkien: Tolkien’s main style was lyrical prose, which is used to express feelings. Lyric poems have specific rhyming schemes and are often

Imagery:  The narrator's highly descriptive style conveys vivid images of Bilbo, his hobbit hole.  Example: In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat : it was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort  The description emphasize physical details such as color, shape, and size. The details give us in depth symbolism for many things, such as the hobbit hole round door symbolizes an adventure.

Rhetorical Questions:  The rhetorical techniques used to convey an oral writing style continues throughout the book, but become less blatant as the story develops.  Example: “what a lot of things you do use good morning for”

Simile: A simile is a when two fundamentally unlike things are explicitly compared, usually in a phrase introduced by like or as. Example: pg 126. The wind came down from mountains cold, and like a tide it roared and rolled;

Personification: Giving a non living object living characteristics Example: The branches groaned, the forest moaned, and leaves were laid upon the mould. Repetition: repetition of a word or phrase Old fat spider spinning in a tree! Old fat spider cant see me! Old tomnoddy all big body, old tomnoddy cant spy me! Example sing we now softly, and dreams let us weave him! Wind him in slumber and there let us leave him!

Influences in history and literature : Most authors can be influenced by many things in their life such as; how they were raised or what major historical events happened during their life. Many authors also gravitate to different types of literature, that each use with their own twist.

Historical Influences:  Tolkien based the people of Rohan, the Rohirrim, on the historical Anglo-Saxons (German tribes), giving them Anglo-Saxon names, customs, and poetry. The concept of kingship and monarchical hierarchy is continually alluded to throughout the history of Middle-Earth, the races and the construction of each society.  Lord of The Rings was influenced by Tolkien’s experiences during WWI and his sons during WWII.  Industrialization influenced his writing also. He hated it he believed life should be simple. He rode his bike everywhere he went. Hence the evil dragons name is “Smaug” and smog is a fog made heavier and darker by smoke and chemical fumes

Religious Influences:  Tolkien was a very spiritual man, he was catholic. His close friend C. S. Lewis was an agonistic at the time. They frequently debated about religion and mythology. Unlike Lewis, who tended to dismiss myths and fairy tales, Tolkien strongly believed that they have moral and spiritual value. Tolkien said, "The imagined beings have their inside on the outside; they are visible souls. And Man as a whole, Man pitted against the Universe, have we seen him at all till we see that he is like a hero in a fairy tale?"  Tolkien once described Lord of The Rings to a friend as a fundamentally religious and catholic work. Showing good versus evil, humility over pride, and the activity of grace, as seen with Frodo's pity to Gollum.  Non-Christian religious themes also had strong influences in Tolkien's Middle-earth.

Literature Influences:  Tolkien used Old English as a basic foundation for his book. His muse was a heroic epic called Beowulf. He based lord of the rings off of this Anglo-Saxan poem. Beowulf is now considered one of the most important pieces of Old English literature.

Tolkien's Symbol: The symbol that Tolkien used in lord of the ring represents his initials J. R. R. T.. The symbol also contains the One Ring, the tree of Valinor, and the stars of the House of Fëanor.