Bilbo Baggins

Bilbo Baggins: Gandalf chooses him for the journey to Lonely Mountain. Although the tale is about a journey, it is also about the change of Bilbo into a hero. It is his bravery and wisdom that rescues the dwarves on multiple occasions and makes it possible for them to make it to the end of their journey. He's a small, beardless creature with hairy feet that is quite sociable and loves the comforts of his home. His father was Bungo Baggins and his mother was Belladonna Took, a member of the Took family, who is considered a little irregular because they were inclined to have adventures, something against their own nature. Bilbo hasn't got any siblings and is well off. He lives alone in a comfortable hobbit-hole. Hobbits enjoy calm surroundings and quiet life. He suffered an internal conflict, as one part of him wants to stay in the Hobbit Hole, while the other wants adventure, but later, as the story develops, he begins to discover talents that he was not aware of. He is led to a situation in which he will have to prove to be courageous. He is drawn into an adventure that he is reluctant to take part in.

Gandalf: He is the conductor. He not only gives Thorin the map and the idea to return to the mountain, but he also couples the dwarves with a hobbit who has never left his region before. Gandalf saves the group when they are in trouble, until he leaves them for other missions. Even though he is strong, he is not invincible. At the end of the tale, he stops the dwarves from fighting the men and elves and turns their attention to the coming hoards. They tale ends as it began, with Bilbo and Gandalf alone.

The dwarves: love material things; enjoy food, drink, and singing; and they were great craftsmen. They plan a journey to the Mountain to seek revenge for Smaug's, who has stolen their treasures long ago and killed many dwarves. This plan contrasts with Bilbo's reluctance to leave his comfortable life. Finally, Bilbo accepts being the "burglar". At first, they underestimate Bilbo, but as Bilbo saved them time after time, they began to respect and admire him.

Thorin: The leader of the dwarves and heir to the title 'King under the Mountain.' He has not seen Lonely Mountain since his people were pushed from it when he was a child. Although he's the leader he provides very little. It is Gandalf and Bilbo that lead the group to Lonely Mountain. Thorin is very stubborn. He refuses to make good with the Elves king. When they get to the mountain, he wants Bilbo to go in first and does not enter the lair himself until he sees that everyone else is all right. His worst moments come near the end of the tale, when he refuses to make a treaty with the men and elves, and he threatens Bilbo. It is only in death that he sees the error of his ways and apologizes.

Smaug: the dragon of Lonely Mountain. He is the feared end of the journey. His attack on Lonely Mountain displaced an entire people and several towns. His death comes at the hands of Bard, a noble descendant of the people of Dale. His conversations with Bilbo expose him as an arrogant and hateful beast who loves treasure only for the sake of having it.

The trolls: A threatening creatures that turn into stone in the daylight.

Great Goblin: Great Goblin is the leader on the goblins in the Misty Mountains. He imprisoned and killed Thorin's father. Gandalf kills the goblins king and helps the travellers escape from an almost certain doom. It is this murder that causes the goblins to gather and plan to pursue the dwarves.

Gollum: A dark creature, forced to live in the bottom of the Goblin's lair. He had lived there for many years so the only person he could talk to was himself, therefore referring to himself as "My Precious". He knows riddles, and enjoys using them if the situation would turn up. When he was young he was given a magic ring hat made him invisible, and allowed him to feed from the Goblins that lived just above his lair.

CHAPTER 1

The story takes places in the Land of Middle Earth. One day Bilbo is smoking his pipe at his door when he greets a passer-by, not recognizing him as Gandalf the wizard. Gandalf is a very close friend of the Old Took -Bilbo's grandfather-. Gandalf had been away on business for years that is why Bilbo did not recognize him.

Gandalf told Bilbo he is looking for someone to share an adventure that he was arranging, but Bilbo declines the invitation claiming that hobbits have no use for adventures. Then, Gandalf reveals his identity and reminds him of Gandalf's friendship with the Took family. Bilbo wanted to get rid of him and invites him to tea the next day; then Gandalf makes a strange sign on Bilbo's front door with his staff and leaves.

The next day, Gandalf and thirteen dwarves visit Bilbo and make themselves at home. Bilbo was very flustered. Although he liked to have visitors, he prefers them to come with a previous invitation. The dwarves came up one by one and demand lots of drinks and food, talk, smoke pipes, sing, and play musical instruments. As time goes by, Bilbo felt more and more upset.

The dwarves sing about seeking a treasure that lies buried under a mountain guarded by a dragon. Then, Thorin -the dwarves leader- explain his plan, which consists on set out the next day on a dangerous journey from which they may not return. Bilbo, who had not planned to join the group, becomes frightened about the thought of never return; so passed out. When he comes to, he hears Thorin saying that he doubts that Bilbo is the right one to do the job since he is good and brave enough. This annoys Bilbo and he discovers that Gandalf had recommended him to be the burglar - the meaning of the mark on the door - hoping that the dwarves would recruit him. Bilbo finally agrees to go on the journey, partly out of pride, because the dwarves are skeptical of his ability.

Gandalf shows them a map of the Lonely Mountain made by Thror -Thorin's grandfather- which shows where the treasure is hidden. He points to a small secret entrance marked on the map and handed Thorin the key to it. Thorin tells the story of his ancestors, who lived in great wealth under the Mountain in the town of Dale until Smaug -the dragon- invaded it and stole all the dwarves riches, destroyed the city and killed all the dwarves inside de Mountain, taking control of the Mountain. The dwarves have never forgotten the stolen treasure and wanted to get it back and took revenge on Smaug.

Gandalf explains Thorin that his grandfather had given the map and the key to his son before going to the mines of Moria, where he was killed by goblins. Then Thorin's