Article Title
Father Knows Best: The Narrator's Oral Performance as Paternal Protector in The Hobbit
Abstract
In Tolkien lore, the narrator of The Hobbit is the only human connection to the world of Middle Earth. He is not, as some have suggested, a hobbit himself. In spite of his humanness, however, he apparently has a great amount of information about the time in the world "when there was less noise and more green." He is also a narrator with opinions. In fact it is clear that for the narrator the whole telling of The Hobbit is a teaching tool; however much adults may enjoy Bilbo's adventure, the teller is talking to children. Being a creation of Tolkien's special imagination The Hobbit's narrator deserves more study to determine his purpose and his true nature.
Recommended Citation
Rearick, Anderson III
(2012)
"Father Knows Best: The Narrator's Oral Performance as Paternal Protector in The Hobbit,"
Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016: Vol. 8, Article 21.
Available at:
https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever/vol8/iss1/21
Included in
English Language and Literature Commons, History Commons, Philosophy Commons, Religion Commons