Magic in the Making The main character of the book is Mr. Bilbo Baggins. He is the hobbit who led the dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon named Smaug. Bilbo is middle-aged and resides in a clean, warm den carved into the side of a hill. At the beginning of the story Bilbo is a very weak character. He scares easily and is very shy. One of his strengths, however, is that he belongs to the mythical race called hobbits. Hobbits are known for their skill in theft and espionage. There are several main characteristics of hobbits that separate them from normal humans. First, hobbits are very small. They grow to be about three feet tall only if they are lucky. Secondly, they have large feet covered on top with thick fur. This hair is used to keep hobbits' feet warm because they don't wear boots. Another characteristic of hobbits is that they normally do not desire any excitement or adventure. They thrive on repetition and boring activities like gardening. Hobbits also love to eat. Bilbo's favorite foods are: cake, bacon, sausage, eggs, wine, bread and any other fattening food. Some other important characters are as follows: Gandalf, is the wizard who accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest; Thorin Oakenshield is the son of the king of the dwarves who were driven from the Lonely Mountain. Smaug is the dragon of the Lonely Mountain who guards the treasure he stole. Gollum is a slimy creature who was born a Hobbit but had the ring too long; this is the character from whom Bilbo steals the ring. Bard is the archer who kills Smaug. Bilbo is the main character of the story and also the narrator. The main conflict of the plot is Bilbo versus himself. Bilbo must overcome his fear of dragons and other creatures to complete his part of the mission. Another conflict is the entire party against Smaug. The group of dwarves, together with Bilbo and Gandalf, must destroy the dragon in order to reclaim their much-deserved treasure. Bilbo completes this task by finding the dragon's weak spot and relaying the location to an archer in Lake Town. Both of these conflicts are won by the end of the story.