Having not read The Hobbit in a very long time it feels as if I am reading for the very first time. consequently, the first thing that stuck out to me in the text that I did not remember from the previous reading was how Bilbo was described as the chosen one in the very first chapter of the book. This may not seem like a very significant description to anyone, but one of the reasons that I always loved The Hobbit was because Bilbo didn't HAVE to go on the adventure, some part of him actually WANTED to go. Seemingly, Bilbo could have lived a very happy and content life away from dragons, dwarfs and elves. In so many of the sci-fi and fantasy books that I have read lately the main character always seems to be the chosen savior that everyone has been waiting for.
Now I am wondering if "the chosen one" actually has a choice in the matter. Could Harry Potter have refused to fight Voldemort? Could Bilbo have actually stayed home? Could Buffy actually been a normal high school girl? Could Anodos have avoided fairyland if he wanted to? I don't think they could have. Granted for the sake of the story some need to do something interesting, but are all these main characters actually choosing their adventures, or are they being thrust in the direction by circumstance and destiny?
Wow, Emily! This is an excellent point! I have to go back now and look at the first chapter. Very interesting!
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