I had to read The Hobbit as a class requirement. Even though I hated it, I got something out of it. I found something that I can relate to, even with the book being fantasy. In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is first thought of to be just a hobbit. Gandalf asks Bilbo to go on an adventure, but he declines. After this, Gandalf sends thirteen dwarves to Bilbo’s home, and Bilbo eventually agrees. The dwarves don’t think that Bilbo has what it takes for the adventure, but he proves them otherwise throughout the story. Bilbo ends up being a hero in the end, doing things such as outsmarting Gollum, escaping from goblins, slaying spiders, and speaking to a dragon.
I wasn’t sure what I related to at first, but soon I realized Bilbo was being underestimated throughout the entire story. He comes face to face with many challenges, causing his strength to be revealed to himself and others. One part of the story that demonstrates this is when Bilbo outsmarts Gollum by asking him, “What have I got in my pocket?” (chapter 5) Gollum is stumped. If it wasn’t for this, Bilbo would have been eaten. Another part that demonstrates this is when Bilbo and the dwarves are about to be killed by spiders. Bilbo thinks quickly and uses the ring to get his group out of danger. “He darted backwards and forwards, slashing at spider-threads, hacking at their legs, and stabbing at their fat bodies if they came too near.” (chapter 8)
Later in the book, Bilbo once again outsmarts someone to get himself out of danger. This is when I really decided that underestimation was what I wanted to make this letter about. Everyone fears the dragon Smaug, but Bilbo comes face to face with him. He calms Smaug’s anger by responding in only riddles, causing Smaug to not only reveal his belly, but his weak spot. “The dragon rolled over. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘What do you say to that?’” (chapter 12)
The Hobbit has a theme that is still a problem today, underestimation. I have been underestimated several times throughout my life. When I was 16, my mom used to wonder how I would ever get a job because I was so shy. I got a job interview and landed the job. A year and a half later, I am still employed there, and I broke out of my shell. I have to talk to people all day and I’m no longer shy.
A great example of underestimation is within the hip-hop industry. Often, rappers are heard talking about how people such as their teachers told them they wouldn’t amount to anything. A lot of rappers grew up with little to nothing. Now, those same rappers are known worldwide. The rapper Eminem has a perfect example; a song he wrote called Rock Bottom. He says,
“My life is full of empty promises and broken dreams
I’m hoping things will look up, but there ain’t no job openings
I feel discouraged, hungry and malnourished
Living in this house with no furnace, unfurnished.”
No one thought anything of him back then, but now he has sold more than 172 million albums worldwide.
Another big one right now is the fact that Donald Trump was elected as president. A LOT of people thought that he wouldn’t be elected as president, but he was. He was underestimated.
The purpose of this letter is to be a voice for all the people out there that have been underestimated. Don’t let someone judge you and underestimate you based on your looks, religion, etc. You can do anything you put your mind to. The Hobbit is a novel that demonstrates this idea, showing the development of Bilbo’s character. Bilbo is thought to be just a regular hobbit, but he shows everyone that he is strong, despite their doubts. We need more Bilbos in the world. We can prove that we can do anything we want to.