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THE HOBBIT

CHAPTER 1

By Celina Falck Cook – Tutor at Wyzant.com, © 2012

WHAT IS THE SETTING IN CHAPTER 1? (DATE AND PLACE)

Place: a hobbit’s hole (home) in The Hill.

Date: a long time ago (not specified but we know hobbits existed before humans took over). “When there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous”. The sun is shining and the grass is very green. It was a Wednesday in April (Spring, probably).

WHAT IS A HOBBIT?

Nowadays they need some description because they are “rare and shy of the Big People” as they call us. According to this passage they live in the same world as we humans live, only in the past they were more numerous.

Short (half our height)

Smaller than the Dwarves

Have no beards

Little or no magic in them except disappearing quietly and quickly, when they hear big people coming (they have good hearing, can hear a mile off)

Fat in the stomach (eat a lot)

Dress in bright colors (chiefly green and yellow)

Wear no shoes – feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown curly hair

Long clever brown fingers

Good-natured faces

Laugh deep, fruity laughs (especially after dinner)

Rabbits as a symbol in literature: they are at home on the surface but also comfortable underground or in the dark. They are sensitive to energies we cannot understand. This means the hobbits are intuitive: they know how to get around in the dark and traveling in “unmarked territory”. In the book they are said to be quiet enough and creatures that know how to pass unnoticed.

Eat dinner twice a day

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WHAT DOES THE HOBBIT’S HOME TELL US ABOUT THE WAY HOBBITS LIVE?

1. A hobbit hole – that means comfort.2. Perfectly round door painted green with a shiny yellow brass knob in the middle. Somewhat

resembles the rabbit hole except that it has a door.3. Tube-shapened hall like a tunnel: more similarity with rabbit’s homes.4. No smoke, panelled walls, floors tiled and carpeted, polished chairs – Love of tidiness and

cleanliness, comfort inside the house5. Lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats – fond of visitors6. Many little doors opened out of the tunnel: prepared for people to stay overnight7. no going upstairs for the hobbit: he does not like to live up high8. lots of pantries – he likes to have food at hand for visitors and for himself9. wardrobes – love of clothes10. All rooms on the same passage – love of comfort (does not want to climb stairs)11. Best rooms on the left-hand side with windows (going in) – probably the ones he stayed at

more to see who was coming and going and have a chat with people.

WHO ARE THE CHARACTERS THAT APPEAR IN THIS CHAPTER?

DESCRIBE THEM. WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? WHAT DO THEY LIKE TO DO?

NAME WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? WHAT DO THEY LIKE TO DO?

ARE THEY MORE FOR ADVENTURE OR COMFORT AND QUIET?

Bilbo Baggins Well-to-do; Baggins family had lived in The Hill for “time out of mind”, and respectable (rich and predictable). Son of Belladonna Took who lived across the Water, maybe descendant of fairies (not entirely hobbitlike) and of Bungo Baggins (rich and respectable hobbit). Bilbo had “something a little quieer in his make-up” from the Took side, that “only waited for a chance to come out.” He’s 50 years old at the time the story takes place, living in the hobbit-hole his father had built and “apparently

Eat, receive guests, have many clothes and things, stay at home, smoke his pipe, and make smoke rings; dislikes unexpected things and unpredictable events (like the possibility to not have enough food for guests)

Baggins side: predictable (comfort and quiet) - respectableTook side: adventure – not respectable

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has settled down immovably”.Gandalf A “wandering wizard” that Bilbo

describes at first as an “Old man with a staff”, because he does not recognize the wizard, but he has known Gandalf since he was small. Gandalf gives magical items to his friends (pair of magic diamond studs) and told “wonderful tales at parties” about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and unexpected luck of widow’s sons.” Gandalf was friends with Bilbo’s father. Goes in adventures “over the hill and across the water”. “Long grey cloak, silver scarf over which the long white beard hung down below his waist, immense black boots.” “Long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.”

Traveling, adventures, magic, fireworks, to be busy, arranging new adventures, likes to give presents and tell tales, take people to go on adventures, to make puns and laugh. Likes to drink wine and eat eggs, cold chicken and pickles. Likes music. Smoking pipes and making smoke rings.

Definitely likes adventure above all things

Dwalin Dwarf with blue beard tucked into a golden belt and very bright eyes under his dark-green hood. Balin’s brother, polite, humble, plays the viol

Beer, seed cake, coffee Likes music. Complains about things and is somewhat grumpy. Survived the Battle of Five Armies.

Adventure

Balin Old-looking dwarf with a white beard and a scarlet hood. Dwalin’s brother, polite, humble, plays the viol

Beer, seed cake, coffee Likes music. Lookout for the dwarves. He likes Bilbo and helps him in several occations and acompanies Gandalf after the Battle of the Five Armies when he visits Bilbo.

Adventure

KiliBlue hood, silver belt, yellow beard, carrying a bag of tools and a spade, polite, humble, plays the fiddle and the harp.

Beer, seed cake, coffeeLikes music. 50 years younger than the other dwarves, he is one of the scouts. They were killed in the Battle of Five Armies

Adventure

Fili Blue hood, silver belt, yellow beard, carrying a bag of tools and a spade, polite, humble, plays the fiddle and the harp. 50 years younger than the other dwarves he is one of the scouts.

Ale, cakes, coffee Likes music. 50 years younger than the other dwarves, he is one of the scouts. They were killed in the Battle of Five Armies

Adventure

Dori Purple hood, broad hands, polite, humble, plays the flute

Ale, cakes, coffee, Likes music. Saves Bilbo several times by carrying him or grabbing him by the legs

Adventure

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Nori Purple hood, broad hands, polite, humble, plays the flute

Ale, cakes, coffee. Likes music.

Adventure

Ori Grey hood, broad hands, polite, humble, plays the flute

Ale, cakes, coffee, Likes music.

Adventure

Oin Brown hood, broad hands, polite, humble does not play an instrument

Ale, cakes, coffee. Likes music.

Adventure

Gloin White hood, broad hands, polite, humble, does not play an instrument, he is Gimli’s (the Lord of the Rings) father.

Ale, cakes, coffee. Likes music.

Adventure

Bifur Yellow hood, polite, humble, plays the clarinet

Raspeberry jam and apple tart. Likes music. Likes to help and work.

Adventure

Bofur Yellow hood, polite, humble, plays the clarinet

Mince-pies and cheese. Likes music. Likes to help and work.

Adventure

Bombur Pale green hood, immensely fat and heavy. Polite. Plays the drum

Pork-pie and salad. Likes music. Likes to help and work. He helps carry Bilbo once in a while during the journey and falls asleep when by accident he falls in the water

Adventure

Thorin Oakenshield

Sky-blue hood with a long silver tassel, enormously important swarf, haughty, did not put himself “at Bilbo’s service”. Frowns easily. Plays a beautiful golden harp wrappen in a green cloth.

Likes wine. Does not help, but likes to just stands apart, talking to Gandalf. He’s the leader of the dwarves of which his different hood and his attitude are a proof. Smoking pipes and making smoke rings. Daring and brave, cunning and always ready for a fight, he tells people in the Lake Town he is the King under the Mountain they are waiting for to get them to help in their quest. Once they open the Side Door and get the treasure, after Smaug is killed, Thorin refuses to share the treasure with the elves and lake-men, and when Bilbo gives them the Arkenstone for them to use it to negotiate with Thorin he casts Bilbo out as a

Adventure

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traitor. Later he regrets this when he dies after the Battle of the Five Armies.

WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST IN THE HOBBIT?

Bilbo Baggins

IN THE EXPOSITION (INTRODUCTION), WHAT IS THE HOBBIT DOING, AND WHAT DOES GANDALF PROPOSE THAT MAKES THE NARRATIVE TRANSITION TO THE COMPLICATION / CONFLICT?

Gandalf invites Bilbo to go on an adventure but because he needs him to actually steal the treasure he and the dwarves want to recover; Bilbo is to become the thief (“burglar”) of the group. Bilbo does not agree easily because he is a typical hobbit from his father side of the family but the part that interests Gandalf is his mother’s side of the family, which enjoys adventure.

DO YOU THINK THE FIRST CONFLICT IS MAN X ANTAGONIST, MAN X NATURE, MAN X SOCIETY OR MAN X SELF? WHY?

Man x Man (with Gandalf) Man x Self (when Gandalf invites Bilbo for adventure), Man x Society (because going on an adventure is not a respectable thing for the Bagginses to do).

WHO IS THE ANTAGONIST IN THE HOBBIT? IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, WHO DO YOU THINK IT MAY BE?

Definitely Bilbo himself – his Baggins side - because he fights his quiet and settled nature before facing any dangers till the end throughout the dangers he faces. During the narrative he also faces supernatural antagonists like trolls, dragons, people that want him to do something he doesn’t want to do etc. But he has to face himself to choose what is the most adequate thing to do. The whole book reads as a series of tales with different conflicts against different antagonists but the ongoing conflict is between Bilbo’s Tookish and Bagginsh natures. During the story Bilbo finds the Ring and it begins to influence the narrative as well, but The Hobbit is mainly about Bilbo’s conflict and his changes until he becomes a truly heroic character by overcoming his fear and making good choices. In this book we still don’t know it but the Ring Bilbo found will be the great antagonist in the Lord of the Rings, when it does everything in its Power to go back to his Dark Lord Sauron.

WHAT MAKES BILBO FINALLY THINK OF GOING OUT ON AN ADVENTURE?

______The dwarf’s song. ______________________________

WHAT DOES THE QUESTION ASKED BY THORIN MEAN (WHERE ARE YOU GOING?)

_____It has two meanings: where he actually is going or what is his decision on their invitation.___________

WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THEIR JOURNEY? WHAT DO THEY NEED BILBO TO DO?

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WHAT IS HIS REACTION TO “MAY NEVER RETURN”?

He starts to scream, kneels down and shakes like jelly.

DOES GANDALF THINK HE CAN FACE THE DANGER? WHAT IS THE SIMILE HE USES TO DESCRIBE HIS ATTITUDE BEFORE DANGER?

Yes he thinks he can grow and change during the adventure and that he is “as fierce as a dragon in a pinch.”

WHAT DID BILBO HEAR THAT MADE HIM FEEL DEFIANT?

“When I saw the little fellow bobbing on the mat, I had my doubts. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar.”

WHAT DOES BILBO SAY AFTER HEARING THIS?

“Tell me what you want done and I will try it.”

WHAT DID GANDALF SAY TO THE DWARVES? WHO MADE THE MARK ON THE DOOR?

He said Bilbo was looking for a job as a burglar . He, Gandalf, was in fact the one who put the mark on the door.

WHO CHOSE BILBO AS THE BURGLAR? WHY?

Gandalf did, because he thinks Bilbo has more courage in him more than he thinks he has.

WHAT IS THERE ABOUT THE CAVES IN THE MAP THAT THE DWARVES DO NOT KNOW?

A secret entrance, which is too small for the dragon but big enough for Hobbit.

WHAT GOES WITH THE MAP? WHERE DOES THORIN HANG IT?

A key. On a chain around his neck. It is possibly the key to the Side Door.

WHY DID GANDALF DECIDE TO USE A BURGLAR?

Because “heroes are difficult to find and people choose to just take care of their own lives, and not wage wars or do anything heroic (swords are blunt and axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers).” He settled for burglary when he learned about the side-door.

WHAT DOES BILBO STILL WANT TO KNOW FROM THORIN?

He wants more explanations about who the gold belongs to and more about the dragon, and the risks, expenses, time required and remuneration. He wants to know if he is going to come back alive. He wants a contract.

HOW DID THORIN’S FAMILY FIND HIS GOLD? WHAT WAS THE TOWN THEY BUILT?

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Dale.

WAS THAT A WEALTHY CITY?

Yes.

WHAT BROUGHT THE DRAGON?

The gold and riches. Dragons like to plunder and steal gold and jewels.

WHERE DID THE DRAGON COME FROM?

From the North.

WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE DRAGON WHO ATTACKED DALE?

Smaug.

WHAT DID THE DRAGON DO TO DALE?

It burned the city and killed its inhabitants and took its wealth.

WHERE IS THE GOLD NOW?

The dragon made a heap with it and sleeps on it.

WHAT DID THORIN DO AFTER HE LOST HIS WEALTH?

Blacksmithing and gold mining.

HOW DID GANDALF GET THE MAP?

Thorin’s grandfather was killed in the mines of Moria, and Thorin’s father gave Gandalf the map. The father tried to get to the mountain but was made a prisonar in the dungeons of the Necromancer. Gandalf was there in an adventure and tried to save Thorin’s father. Gandalf had trouble finding Thorin because he did not know his name.

WHAT DID THORIN’S FATHER WANTED HIM TO DO?

He wanted Thorin to have and use the map and the key.

WHAT DID BILBO SAY?

“You ought to go east and have a look around, because dragons must sleep a bit once in a while”. After this, he called for the meeting to end, offering to make breakfast for them.

DID HE REALLY INTEND TO MAKE BREAKFAST?

In fact he had started to feel weary and afraid to go on a dangerous journey and did not intend to get up early to make breakfast. His conflict with the self was only starting.