Question

The Hobbit by Tolkien
Which best describes the main conflict of the novel?
* A.The dwarves lack confidence in Bilbo's abilities as a burglar and an adventurer.
B. Gandalf trusts Bilbo to live up to his expectations.
C. Bilbo must kill the dragon in order to become a hero.
^ D. The influences of the Bagginses and the Tooks pull Bilbo in opposite directions.

Both A and D are conflicts in the story. But what is the main conflict of the novel?

Answer 1

I think it's D.

Answer 2

In a single evening, Bilbo Baggins' comfortable little hobbit-hole becomes the jumping-off point for a great adventure, and the quiet hobbit is presented with a single choice that will change his life forever. This choice is a conflict for him. The decision is a turning point in Bilbo's life. What he decides will affect the kind of person--that is, hobbit--he will become.
According to the author, hobbits are expected to stay in their holes and love only the comforts of home. But when Gandalf offers Bilbo the chance to take part in a great adventure, a conflict arises inside Bilbo: he realizes that while part of him wants to stay, ...part of him wants to go.
It is not a conflict that occurs mainly between characters, or between a character and an outside force. It is a conflict that occurs mainly within the heart and mind of one character: Bilbo Baggins.
The main conflict in The Hobbit is Bilbo's struggle to resolve the differences between his Baggins and Took qualities. The resolution of this conflict will directly influence what happens in the book.
But most stories contain more than one conflict and resolution. The conflict between the dwarves and the dragon gets the action moving in The Hobbit. It gives Bilbo a specific situation in which to feel, explore, and resolve his conflict about who he is. Thus, these two conflicts work together to make a story that has both exciting action and interesting characters.