The Hobbit PowerPoint - Character Introductions

This 33-slide PowerPoint presentation introduces your students to the key characters in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I created this PowerPoint as a means of previewing the novel with my high school students, offering them context on character traits, relationships, conflicts, and development over the course of the novel.

The following are covered:

Bilbo Baggins.
♦ Modest nature
♦ Appreciation for the simple things
♦ His reluctance and obligation to help
♦ His role along the journey
♦ His brushes with adversity
♦ His sense of justice
♦ His dynamic character
♦ And more

Gandalf.
♦ His noteworthy character traits
♦ The mentor archetype
♦ And more

Thorin Oakenshield.
♦ His leadership
♦ His bravery and his pretentiousness
♦ His family background
♦ His classification as a foil to Bilbo
♦ His fatal flaws

Dwalin.
♦ General character details (e.g., family ties)

Balin.
♦ General character details (e.g., his acceptance of Bilbo)

Gloin.
♦ General character details (e.g., his skepticism of Bilbo)

Oin.
♦ General character details (e.g., family ties)

Dori.
♦ General character details (e.g., his strength)

Nori.
♦ General character details (e.g., his appearance)

Ori.
♦ General character details (e.g., his musical talent)

Kili & Fili.
♦ General character details (e.g., their youth)

Bombur.
♦ General character details (e.g., his laziness)

Bifur.
♦ General character details (e.g., family ties)

Bofur.
♦ General character details (e.g., family ties)

Gollum.
♦ His home
♦ His miserable disposition
♦ His interests and talents
♦ His significant loss

Smaug.
♦ His greediness
♦ His vengefulness
♦ His appearance
♦ His symbolism
♦ The cultural perspective on dragons

Elrond.
♦ The Last Homely House
♦ His special, helpful traits
♦ His graciousness
♦ Foreshadowing

Beorn.
♦ His personality traits
♦ His special skills
♦ His discomfort toward visitors
♦ His pursuit of justice
♦ His help given to the adventurers
♦ And more

Bard of Esgaroth.
♦ His tremendous talent
♦ His honorable nature
♦ His leadership
♦ His response to tragedy
♦ His sense of fairness and justice

The Elvenking.
♦ His suspicion of strangers
♦ His weakness
♦ His crucial role late in the novel