Segregation has been rooted in society since the start of civilization. It has been more than just a simple means of separation based on skin color. It is more based on the differences in moral values between each race, and the values that are considered more accepted and “better”. Art has always been an outlet for people to express their concerns, seldom written explicitly. In The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, clashes between Tolkien’s imaginary races are a major conflict throughout the story. Goblins, trolls, dwarves, and elves all outwardly differ from each other physically and psychologically. These inherent differences between races are also rooted in their moral compass. For example, all elves are naturally good, and all goblins are supposedly evil. Written after the horrors of World War 1, which was a struggle between races and nationalities, Tolkien uses his art and specific symbols to portray that races can come together to promote a world of peace. He enforces that races do not have to define one’s personality or moral compass. Tolkien uses these imaginary races, all symbols, to display his moral values.
The protagonist of this novel, Bilbo Baggins, is very different from the dwarves he journeys with. The hobbit is a central symbol for a child or adolescent. “[Hobbits were] little people, about half our height...hobbits have no beards...they dress in bright colors...wear no shoes...have good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it)” (Tolkien 2). Despite being about fifty years old, Bilbo’s outward appearance still is very much like a child's. Children are very small compared to full-grown adults, have no facial hair, and enjoy dressing in bright colors. They also have very sweet laughs and eat continuously, which are all aspects that characterize Bilbo. Bilbo has no beard while the dwarves all have lengthy beards, which shows how Bilbo is not experienced.
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Bilbo at the start of the book is also very whiny and emotionally unstable. “[Bilbo] began to feel a shriek coming up inside...the poor little hobbit could be seen kneeling on the hearth rug, shaking like a jelly that was melting. Then he fell flat on the floor, and kept on calling out ‘struck by lightning, struck by lightning!’” (17). Bilbo acts very childish and becomes so frightened from simply just the prospect of going on the journey with the dwarves. His display of fear makes the dwarves skeptical of Bilbo’s addition to the group. Bilbo is looked down upon by the dwarves because he is of a different race and does not share the same outlook as them.
However, it can be noted that Bilbo Baggins is acting perfectly normal for a hobbit. “People considered [the Bagginses] very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him” (2). Bilbo was respected for acting expectedly. The Tooks, the maiden family of Bilbo’s mother, were less respected as they were more adventurous, despite being richer. The Tooks did not act like traditional hobbits and did not follow the stereotypical characteristics of the hobbit race, so they were looked down upon (3). Bilbo was taught to behave like a proper hobbit so even the thought of adventure terrifies him.
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