Gollum Character Study Essay Example for Free

Gollum Character Study Essay Even in the rare cases when he finds himself with someone else, as he does in chapter 5 of The Hobbit, he talks to others in third person, apparently not able to say ‘you’, and he refers himself as â€Å"my precious†. Gollum is a unique creature, only because his body has deformed over the years of living in the caves of Moria beneath the Misty Mountains for so long. He is the size of a hobbit, but with pale skin and large eyes. He wears only dark clothes and is extremely thin from eating only fish and goblins over the years. He has only six teeth which are sharpened into points and he has a vicious strength which surprises Bilbo. Gollum owns a magic, which he calls his â€Å"precious†. Gollum has one treasure, a golden ring he calls his â€Å"birthday-present† because it came to him on his birthday. This ring makes whoever is wearing it invisible and takes over their lives and personality. Gollum â€Å"uses it to creep† around the goblin tunnels to catch young goblins to eat when he gets sick of fish. In The Hobbit, Gollum tries to find his ring so he can become invisible and kill Bilbo. Bilbo, of course, finding the ring before meeting Gollum, just happens to put on the ring right as Gollum comes to attack him. He becomes invisible and follows Gollum out of the tunnels. As Bilbo takes his final look at Gollum, he nearly kills the ugly creature. But Bilbo is filled with a â€Å"sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror. † He sees Gollum’s â€Å"endless, unmarked days without light or hope of betterment†, and lets Gollum live. In exchange for this kindness, Gollum screams, â€Å"Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it for ever! † as Bilbo makes his escape. When Gollum first meets Bilbo, he is not hungry for hobbits, but he is afraid of Bilbo’s knife, so he tries to get on Bilbo’s good side by being friendly, showing that Gollum was once very similar to a hobbit, and challenging him to a game of riddles because â€Å"the riddle-game was sacred and of immense antiquity†. Bilbo accepts, because he wants Gollum to show him the way out of the goblin tunnels under the Misty Mountains. But the game makes Gollum both hungry and angry.