Final answer:
Dragons in both the referenced book and J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' are primarily associated with the character trait of greed, as exemplified by Smaug's hoarding of treasure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The character quality associated with dragons in both the book in question and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is greed. In The Hobbit, the dragon Smaug hoards a vast treasure in the Lonely Mountain and is fiercely possessive of it. This portrayal aligns with the traditional literary depiction of dragons as creatures who are overwhelmingly driven by greed for gold and wealth, a trait that oftentimes serves as their ultimate downfall.