Mason Pocklington - The Heroic Journey

For this week I chose to talk about both the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I've read both and watched both movies, and they're great, classic tales of a heroic journey.

In Lord of the Rings, an important factor that differs from the Hobbit is the value of corruption. Frodo, throughout the course of the novel, grows increasingly attached to the ring that he comes across. The audience sees and predicts the outcome of this greed, but the other members of Frodo's party are blind to it. This is why it comes as a surprise to Sam, when Frodo decides not to cast the ring into the fire.

The tale of a heroic journey is classified by many things that are present in both the Hobbit and LoTR. Taking the main protagonist out of their home or comfortable environment is key - this helps the average audience member relate to and feel the same way as the main character does. Another key point is having a "party", or fellowship in LoTR, a group of friends that accompany the main character as he undergoes his journey.

In the Hobbit, the main character undergoes a much bigger personality shift than in LoTR, in my opinion. He seems almost dainty and quite particular in a soft way, and he makes the very important decision of undergoing the adventure.

In conclusion, the books/movies are classic examples of heroic journeys.

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