The Hobbit – Notes for Pages 21-40

Previously… Previously in The Hobbit, Bilbo had met Gandalf the wizard and a crew of dwarves who practically invited themselves to dinner. As it turns out, Gandalf has chosen Bilbo to join himself and the dwarves on an adventure. Bilbo is at once intrigued and terrified, though in the end, he agrees.

Pg 21 Here, Gandalf gives Thorin a silver key. Where else have we seen a shiny key, in fantasy? This is a motif in fantasy works - special keys, hidden doors, etc.

Pg 21-22 “‘That would be no good,’ said the wizard, ‘not without a Warrior, even a Hero.  I tried to find one; but warriors are busy fighting one another in distant lands, and in this neighborhood heroes are scarce, or simply not to be found.’” - Pg 21-22 Who would we usually expect to take on a quest like this? But they’re far off.  Think about modern peoples / cultures.  How many of your neighbors or friends could you imagine going off to slay dragons?  Normal people?

Pg 22 Herein, Gandalf shows Bilbo and the dwarves a map. What do maps imply in a story? How can journeys be both literal and figurative? External and internal?

Pg 22 “First I would like to know a bit more about things.” – Bilbo “’Bless me!...Haven’t you got the map? And didn’t you hear our song? And haven’t we been talking about this for hours?” - Thorin “All the same, I should like it all plan and clear.” - Bilbo

Pg 22 Bilbo wants it down to earth and down to business. “Risks, out-of-pocket expenses, time required, renumeration” A very business-like approach to heroic and fantastical deeds.

Pgs 22-25 – The InfoDump Herein, Thorin plops the entire tale, in one lengthy block of prose, into the book. What did the dwarves do when they lived “under the mountain?” How successful were they? What was their relationship with elves and humans?

Pgs 22-25 – The InfoDump What changed all that? “Undoubtedly, that was what brought the dragon.” Notice how this is worded, as if it were common sense, something we ought to know. Think about how the old tales (i.e. Beowulf) have already taught us this.

Smaug, Greatest and Most Terrible of Calamities What does Smaug the dragon “do” with all that gold? Gives new meaning to having more money than you can possibly use. He doesn’t quite use it at all. He just loves having it. Greed to the ultimate degree.

Pg 25 Who is Thorin to the late King Under the Mountain? “We have had to earn our living as best we could…often enough sinking as low as blacksmith-work or even coal mining.” – Thorin. What does Thorin think of hard work, tradework? What does he believe he should be doing?

Pg 25-26 What happened to Thror, King Under the Mountain? What happened to Thorin’s father, Thrain? “I found him a prisoner in the dungeons of a Necromancer.” What is a necromancer? What does “the” imply?

Pg 26-27 Bilbo interrupts their discussions of goblins and necromancers and other such things. “Well, I should say that you ought to go east and have a look around. After all there is the Side-door, and dragons must sleep sometimes, I suppose.” Notice that Bilbo is now pressing the matter forward, where before he was shrieking.

Pg 27 Notice how Thorin treats Bilbo. “I agree about bed and breakfast. I like six eggs with my ham, when starting on a journey: fried not poached, and mind you don’t break ‘em.” Ordering food in his own home. Thorin acts king-like (like he’s in charge) though currently, he has no kingdom.

Pg 28 (Chapter 2 Starts) What does Bilbo discover when he awakes the next morning? What does he believe happened?

Pg 29 Gandalf arrives to jolt Bilbo out of his relaxation and remind him that no, it was real, and yes, he must hurry. Read how business-like, formal, contractual the letter is on 29.

Pg 30 “Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money…leaving his second breakfast half-finished.” Think about how many luxuries Bilbo, and hobbits in general, are accustomed to. Think about how few one might have on the road, on foot or horse, without the constant “exits” we have on modern highways. “You will have to manage without…a good many things, before you get to they journey’s end.”

Pg 32 “Not until then did they notice that Gandalf was missing.” “Just when a wizard would have been most useful, too.” Notice the building motion here in the story – adventures aren’t so bad…oh look, our wizard’s gone…hmm…oh look, a light in the distance…what could it be I wonder…

Pg 31 “He began to feel that adventures were not so bad after all.” How far into the adventure is he? Is he in any position to assume this yet? What might such a claim foreshadow? Think “calm before the storm” clichés and what not. Practically begging for something to happen.

Pg 31-32 And notice how quickly his opinion changes, just with a little rain: “Bother burgling and everything to do with it! I wish I was back at home in my nice hole by the fire” Leaving home for the first time does come with mixed feelings, in fantasy and real life. Think about going off to college, for just a moment. Leaving little old Pikeville or Goldsboro.

Pg 33 What do the dwarves ask Bilbo to do when they get near the fire? “Where has Gandalf got to?” “After all we have got a burglar with us.” Notice how the dwarves are such proud people, yet they so readily depend on others.

Pg 35 Who or what does Bilbo find at the fire? Notice how their speech patterns are different – English, but more broken, more slang, as if to tell us that these creatures are less educated or less intelligent in some way. This is a characterization technique.

Pg 36 What happens when Bilbo tries to steal from the Trolls? Let’s read 36-40 together. “A burrahobbit?” How intelligent are these folks, again? “Yer nasty little rabbit” – Notice Bilbo is compared to a rabbit, again.

Pg 37 – Continue reading aloud “Yes, lots…No none at all, not one.” Bilbo, master of deception…

Pg 38 – Continue reading aloud What happens when some of the dwarves come to see what’s taking Bilbo so long?

Pg 39 – Continue reading aloud. Who comes last? Notice that, though they were willling to send Bilbo in first, which seems cowardly, Thorin is willing to fight trolls to the death to save his people. How do Bilbo and Thorin have different types of bravery?

Pgs 39-40 “It was just then that Gandalf came back.” “Said a voice” What is going on here? Who or what is speaking? Why? To what end? We’ll find out how this situation ends…tomorrow.