Which character is the narrator’s central hero in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit?

Bilbo Baggins is the central hero and main character of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

Bilbo begins as a comfort-loving hobbit living in Bag End, in the Shire. Gandalf and a company of Dwarves draw him into a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasure from Smaug. During the journey, Bilbo gradually develops courage, resourcefulness, and independence.

His encounter with Gollum beneath the Misty Mountains is especially important. Bilbo finds a ring there and wins a riddle contest, although he does not yet understand the ring’s full significance. The story follows his personal growth as much as the company’s external adventure.

Frodo Baggins is the principal hobbit hero of The Lord of the Rings, while Thorin leads the Dwarves. Those characters are closely connected to Bilbo but are not The Hobbit’s central protagonist.