The concept of heroism has fascinated us for centuries because we are able to empathize with the hero and see in him a reflection of ourselves. Heroic literature was developed and modified, but scholars such as Joseph Campbell believed that many of these stories shared a similar structure, which he described in his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. It also suggests how many of the archetypal heroes we know are simply variations of the same hero, and how many of their quests relate to us, which gives us a sense of security. The quests in both stories have great significance in the characters' lives and are similar in intensity. While both the external conflicts in The Hobbit and Incarceron explore the concepts of reclamation and freedom, Bilbo must deal with the internal conflict of stepping outside of his comfort zone, while Finn struggles to find his true identity. Their quests were significant in that they were life-changing for both heroes and were both higher on the intensity scale. At the beginning of the novels the two protagonists seemed devoid of heroic traits. Bilbo was more than happy to relax in his cozy hobbit hole and Finn stayed in his cell sulking all day. After their missions, though, we really see them transform from underdogs into full-blown heroes and they clearly outgrow their old lives. The missions were also significant in how they affected the lives of the people around them. Bilbo's quest changed the lives of the people of Lake-town, Durin's people, and the citizens of Middle-earth. During his search he also found the ring that will play an important role in the adventures to come. After Finn completed his mission, he gave the prisoners new hope and promised to better deal with them as they carried out their missions. We may not have to break out of prison or slay a dragon, but we can still draw lessons from these heroes that could help us on the best and worst journey we face……. Which is life. Works CitedCampbell, Joseph. The hero with a thousand faces. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2008. Print.Fisher, Catherine. Incarcerated. New York: Firebird, 2010. Print.Jason. “What makes a hero?” Computer Graphics Digital Art Community for Artists Work Tutorials Art Concept Art Portfolio. CGMeetup, January 24, 2013. Web. April 21, 2014. "Lonely Mountain." The one Wiki to rule them all. Wikia, 2014. Web. 21 April 2014. .Tolkien, JRR The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. London: HarperCollinsPublisher, 2012. Print.