|The Hobbit (c) 1937 by J. R. R. Tolkien|
the encouraging story behind it all.
Bilbo is a quiet hobbit who is very content to stay at home, and doesn't want to go on any adventures, thank you very much. "Nasty, disturbing things! Makes one late for dinner!" Yet still, he finds himself off in the wild with Gandalf and thirteen dwarves, doing things he never expected he'd do, and finding courage he didn't think he had.
I enjoy the story of The Hobbit partly because of the fun, fantastical adventure Bilbo has, and partly because of what I learn from Bilbo. People can move out of their comfort zones. People can confront frightening things, and not back down. People can stand up to bullies. And most importantly, that those bullies, whether they're dragons, orcs, or anything scary, can be beaten.