If you ask a random person on the street if they have heard of “The Hobbit” or “Lord Of The Rings,” 99% of people will say yes. These two books are home to the biggest fanatics who would do anything to be like Bilbo, Gandalf, Frodo, or Thorin. It also doesn’t help that the movies have been in theatres these past few years. The final Hobbit movie came out last December. The story is a classic one of a hero on a journey, meeting new people and changing the world. Overall, it’s a series that people can fan over and give them an escape from the real world. Not only that but, Tolkien's stories are popular all over the world for it teaches lessons for every age group.
LOTR and The Hobbit are two stories that had the potential for people to geek about. If you google searched “Hobbit websites,” hundreds of links show up for different fan sites and even the official Hobbit website. There are conventions where you can get LOTR memorabilia and discuss the series with your fellow geeks. There is also the fun option of dressing up as your favorite character and acting just like them. People can live action role play (or LARP) as these characters for fun. Some people have ever tried to learn the language that Tolkien has created. All of this craze over two books, but what is so great about them?
Part of the reason why people geek about The Hobbit is because of the fantastic journey. In our society, we have stupid movies about killing the leader of North Korea or teddy bears that come to life. These movies and books have an actual plot line and give people something more than a silly plot line that make us laugh. This series makes us want more. There is also the appeal of leaving your home and going on an adventure that brings us in. Everyone loves the idea of going away and discovering the world. We can all relate to Bilbo. However Bilbo returns home and the book ends, we all sit there and just think about the amazing world he lives in.
One of the reasons why people read books is to escape our world and disappear into the book. The world of The Hobbit provides an amazing escape. Middle Earth is such a fantastic place that holds a different obstacle that adds to the story. The world becomes bigger when you discover Middle Earth. Beyond Middle Earth itself, the friendships give us something to love. Bilbo's and Gandalf's relationship draws us in. We wish for a friend as loyal and awesome. We can't forget about the goofy dwarves and their antics that make us smile. It's such an awesome story that is worth the craze.
LOTR and Hobbit are popular for all of the right reasons. The storyline, opportunity to be fanned over, and the journey draw us in. It was an awesome book and I'm excited to watch all of the LOTR movies.
