Home The Hobbit (Pages 1-30)

Note on the Note Publication dates of first and second editions straddle WWII. Focus shifted onto the Ring as corrupting influence of power.

Verisimilitude Illusion of depth, as if there is history Accomplished best through hints of legend and myth Same world as ours This is a new version of history explaining various things

Philology Love of language Specificity adds to sense of reality Always focus on spelling and the like as windows to meaning Dwarves connected to Aule, god of making Born of disobedience Leads to love of material objects

Exposition and Characterization Exposition- Beginning of story when authors give background information about characters and setting Characterization- Revealing of characters’ personalities

Mood, Tone, and Diction Authors use diction (word choice) to set a tone and establish a mood among the audience

For your consideration Based only on the first page of text, how does Tolkien communicate information concerning the physical characteristics and personality traits of most hobbits?

Foreshadowing Tolkien tells readers that this will be a tale of growth for Bilbo (bildungsroman)

Imagery Imagery is language that helps readers form a picture in their minds Tolkien uses it in his establishment of setting and in his initial characterization of Bilbo

The Past and the Present Bloodlines of characters play a big role in determining their actions Tolkien has Bilbo with conflicting bloodlines with respect to adventurousness

Nature and Hobbits Tolkien carefully associates hobbits with many aspects of the natural world Assists in his characterization

For your consideration Why might Tolkien focus so much on associating hobbits with nature? How does this end up revealing his tone toward hobbits? What do we know about Tolkien that leads us to believe these things?

Gandalf! Tolkien’s use of exclamatory and short sentence translates excitement about Gandalf.

Characterization Tech Motifs- Repeated symbols in literature Example: Gandalf as old man with staff Juxtaposition- Side-by-side contrast, revealing more info Example: Different takes on, “Good morning.” Stereotype- Specific assumption based on general idea Example: Bilbo saying they might be more interested in adventures “over The Hill or across The Water.”

Names For Tolkien, names are keys to characters’ essences and always have meaning Example: Gandalf’s explanation of his name Example: Bilbo = Rapier = Sword Example: Smaug = Smog = Smoke = Industry = Destruction = Evil

For your consideration Why does Bilbo seem to have contradictory ideas about adventures?

Rhetoric Rhetoric- Methods of argumentation Ethos- Appeal to character Pathos- Appeal to emotion Logos- Appeal to logic

Here we are now; entertain us Tolkien varies his approach in terms of language to keep the story entertaining Onomatopoeia- Words that represent sounds Alliteration- String of words with the same beginning sounds Rhyme- String of words with the same ending sounds

For your consideration What is the purpose of the poetic break for song when the dwarves begin to eat with Bilbo? How about the break when they sing about their journey? How does figurative language play a part in helping readers understand the importance of certain aspects of the text?

Light vs. Dark Tolkien and other authors rely on light as a motif of good and darkness as a motif of evil. When Bilbo feels threatened, he wants a lamp.

Slapstick Slapstick- Physical and silly comedy Tolkien and others use this for characterization and to lighten the mood

For your consideration How would you describe the diction styles of Tolkien (the narrator), Thorin, Gandalf, and Bilbo? What do you think Tolkien is trying to communicate with these contrasts?

Expectations vs. Reality Important theme for Tolkien is that people’s expectations often do not match what actually occurs Especially important in Bilbo’s growth as a character

Themes Money and greed→ Poor consequences Friendship and generosity→ Good consequences The past cannot be recovered Those who cannot let it go are doomed to suffer

Creation vs. Destruction Good has the ability to create Example: Dwarves Evil only has the ability/desire to destroy Example: Smaug

Luck, Fate, and Choice Many characters will often ascribe certain results to luck or choice Fate is the hidden hand that is moving things along Example: Thorin’s escape from Smaug

For your consideration Why does it make sense that Tolkien might believe fate is moving people along in a particular, mostly positive, direction?

Malapropism Malapropism- Play on words that results from words becoming jumbled in readers’/speakers’ minds Example: Hear, hear→ Hear what?

POV / Perspective Shift Point of view / perspective- Place of narrator in story Tolkien shifts to second person to talk directly to readers Characters shift perspectives for various purposes, as well

Style An author’s style is what makes them unique This comes from their choice of words and topics Some authors’ styles are more unique than others’