Gollum
Monster Metaphors
Summary over The Hobbit: Gollum
Gollum lives inside the mountain
he trys to keep bilbo in the mountain
he fails and bilbo escapes
Description of Gollum
Gollum represents sin
From J.R.R TOLKEINS novel HOBBIT the character Gollum represents sin because of the cruel things he has done towards characters in the story and the ways he tryst to trick them either into keeping them in the mountain or trying to kill them.
From reading chapter 5 it told us how Bilbo was lucky and put on Gollums ring and was led by Gollum towards the exit so he was able to escape however as Bilbo was escaping and wanted to kill Gollum he had felt a "sudden understanding,pity mixed with horror" because Gollum lived without light and hope of betterment and in turn Gollum just screams at Bilbo as he escapes.
I know this because from Tolkien's letter 181 it explained what Gollum did to Frodo. I know this and can prove this is good evidence because this letter was written by Tolkien himself and told us,
"Anyone would have told Frodo that Gollum meant to betray and rob him. To pity and not kill Gollum was either folly or a mystical belief in the ultimate value of pity and generosity. Gollum did rob and injure Frodo in the end, but by "grace" that last betrayal at that time was the most beneficial thing anyone could has done for Frodo!" His "forgiveness" created the situation that saved him and relieved his burden. Gollum was potable But ended in persistent wickedness. His last act worked good but of no credit to him.
We must face the fact that some yield to temptation and appear to be "damnable". The ring was too strong for Sméagol but he would never have had to endure it if he had not already been a mean sort of thief. His dawning love for Frodo was too easily withered by jealousy of Sam before she lob's lair and he was lost."
Another source we used to prove that Gollum represented sin was "Frodo's journal" because in the book we learned how Gollum is a fully embodied image of sin addicts soul and we see Gollum as the face of the unrepentant sinner because of his his enslaved vice.
So in conclusion we believe Gollum represents sin because of all the evil things he has done towards the characters throughout the story.
MLA Citations
"Letter 181." Tolkien Gateway. Tolkien Gateway, n.d. Web. 12 May 2016.
Tolkien, j.r.r "chapter 5" the hobbit(film tie-in 2) n.p: Harper Collins UK, 2013 . 81-105. print
Pearce, Joseph. Frodo's journey: Discovering the hidden meaning of the lord of the rings. Charlotte: TAN 2015.
Rama's,away,shobha."Archetypes in fantasy fiction: study of J.R.R Tolkien and J.K Rowling" language in India Jan 2014: 621 academic one file. web 20 may 2016.