One of the reasons that Frodo Baggins works so well as a protagonist in Lord of the Rings is because of his humble beginnings in the Shire. He's not someone who is immediately heroic and destined for greatness in the way that, say, Aragorn is, but he gains those traits over his journey through all of his experiences. The Shire was created to be the ultimate place of safety and comfort so that it feels like a huge step forward when Frodo (and the other three Hobbits) chose to leave it and go on their adventure.