Bilbo Baggins is my Hero by Damaila

Bilbo Baggins is my Hero by Damaila - April 2014 Scholarship Essay

Bilbo Baggins from Tolkien’s The Hobbit is a remarkable individual. In the tale of his famous adventure, he faces his greatest fears and uses logic and cunning to outmaneuver beasts and men alike. His courage and dedication make him one of the most inspiring characters of our time.

Bilbo shows what it means to be courageous. He sets off on an adventure that he knows will end at the fiery feet of a dragon. In the beginning, he does not believe he is made for adventure, but becomes central to the survival of the dwarves against giant spiders, elven imprisonment, and the dragon himself. The theme that he follows is simple. You will never know what your true potential is until you give it a shot. Bilbo stretches the boundaries of his comfort zone from a cozy hobbit-hole to the heart of the Lonely Mountain. Like Bilbo, I know that I have a hidden potential that must be discovered.

I will never have the opportunity to travel with a band of dwarves and fight monsters, but my life will do as much good. Instead of dwarves, I will work to protect patients. Instead of monsters, I will be up against diseases threatening to destroy the bodies of even healthy people. If Bilbo could leave his comfortable hobbit-hole to face a dragon, I can heed the call to nursing.