The Role of Food in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

             The continuous meals that hobbits eat throughout the day provide a sense of security and structure for their lives. The thought of breaking away from this sense of order makes Bilbo quite anxious and unsure about the coming adventure. What this passage shows is how unbelievably difficult it is for Bilbo to break away from his typically structured routine, and embark on such a dangerous and uncertain journey. When Bilbo feels nervous or threatened, like in this situation, his first thought is to think back to food. It provides a sense of hominess and contentment, which truly calms him down and brings him back to a place of safety.
             Although Bilbo is originally quite reluctant to join Gandalf in his journey, he ultimately gets swayed into joining them. It is at this point in the story that Bilbo begins to truly think for himself and began his transformation into a hero. The conflicting feelings of missing his comfortable home and seeking the thrill of adventure that Bilbo has throughout this novel are a reflection of the continued contemplation between his Baggins side and his Took side. In this instance, instead of continuing on with his basic daily routine that has consumed his entire life up until this point, he begins this quest with Gandalf and the dwarves and he truly starts to become not just any ordinary hobbit, but "The Hobbit.".
             Following a series of unexpected events, Bilbo continues on the hunt for Smaug and the dwarves' long-lost treasure in the Lonely Mountain. As the novel goes on, it is clear that Bilbo thinks less and less about the absence of his desired food. Throughout the first several chapters, there are constant references to Bilbo's empty stomach as well as his missed meals and this begins to break him down. Whenever he feels that he is alone, scared, or threatened, his first thought is food, because it provides him with a sense of security and makes him feel as though he is back in his hobbit hole.