Chapters 16-End

In Chapter 16, Thorin continues his hunt for the Arkenstone, while the dwarves are concerned about the armies at their proverbial front door. One night, Bilbo decides to take the situation into his own hobbit hands. Using his ring, he slips away from the mountain and arrives at the "enemy" camp. Once there, he takes off the ring, and then he begins negotiations with Bard and the Elvenking- and he uses the Arkenstone as a proverbial barginning chip, and then he gives them the Arkenstone. Later, he runs into Gandalf on the way out of the camp.


I am very impressed by Bilbo's actions in this chapter. He is definitely braver! If Thorin finds out about the Arkenstone, it could end badly for Bilbo. I hope providence is on Bilbo's side! We all can guess what will happen if Thorin gets word of the Arkenstone's use in the negotiations.



In Chapter 17, Bard arrives with two messengers in hopes of negotiating peace with the dwarves. He brought along a large wooden box, which contains the Arkenstone. The Arkenstone is revealed, Bilbo confesses to stealing it and giving it over to the men and the elves. Thorin is enraged as a result. One of the messengers reveals himself as Gandalf, and warns that the goblin and the Warg armies are heading in their general direction. Bilbo reveals why he did what he did, and then the dwarf army arrives.

The Battle of Five Armies ensues, with the humans fighting on the same side as the elves and dwarves. Everything goes well, but then the goblins and Wargs try to storm the mountain. Bilbo is wearing his ring, and is invisible. Thorin joins the fight, and at the end of the chapter, the Eagles swoop in. However, a falling rock hits Bilbo in the head, and he is out cold.

Chapter 17 thrilled me. I was worried that Bilbo would be harmed by Thorin early on. When Gandalf told them about the goblins and the Wargs heading for the mountain, I feared for our heroes- both the goblins and the Wargs have personal vendettas against them. I was relieved when the Eagles came to help the men, elves, and dwarves. Trust me- this chapter was what I wanted!


Chapter 18 starts off with the aftermath of the battle. Bilbo comes to, takes off his ring, and is found alive and well. Thorin is mortally wounded. Bilbo and Thorin become friends again, and then Thorin dies. Of the original expedition, ten remain alive- Fili and Kili are also dead. Thorin is given a grand burial, and Gandalf tells Bilbo that the Eagles had tracked the goblins and Wargs beforehand. Bilbo also learns that Beorn, in the form of a very angry bear, joined in the fight against the goblins, and the enemies who are not dead are in hiding.

I was in tears by the end of this chapter. Three good men dwarves are dead. I advise you to read this chapter only if you have tissues. On the flip side, it was good to hear of Beorn again. Chapter 18 is a good break from the action and suspense of the last few chapters.


Chapter 19 reveals that Thorin's brother Dain has decided to be the new King Under the Mountain, and that the dwarves will stay there. Bilbo is given plenty of treasure, and then he, Gandalf, and Beorn start out for home. Beorn arrives at his abode, and then Gandalf and Bilbo head back to the Shire. The two pass through familiar territory, have another visit at the Last Hospitiable House, and then find the treasure that the trolls had gained. They arrive back in the Shire, where Bilbo finds that everything is being sold at auction. Bilbo becomes a rich author, and at the end of the book, he is visited by Gandalf and Balin.


Chapter 19 comes full circle. It was a mostly happy ending, and Bilbo finally got back home! Of course, I was suprised all over again when Bilbo's house and belongings were being auctioned off.  Bilbo has also reached the two last stages of the Hero's Journey: "Resurrection" and "Return with Elixir". Bilbo never died, but everyone thought he was dead, so he is, in an almost literal sense, resurrected. The treasure is the "Elixir", which Bilbo uses to get his belongings back after he returns.


Re-reading The Hobbit was a journey in and of itself. I think that aptly describes the experience.

Chapters 13-15

In Chapter 13, Bilbo and the dwarves are trapped beneath the mountain- and I mean trapped. The door will not open  at all, and they risk aphyxiation. Bilbo decides to lead them out, and the dwarves follow him. Later in the chapter, Bilbo finds the Arkenstone (a rock that is very much valuable to the dwarves) and grabs it. Smaug is nowhere to be found. At the end of the chapter, the expedition finds the Hall under the Mountain, and there is much rejoicing.

Anyways, the dwarves' expedition is over. They've found the Hall under the Mountain (and the treasure), Thorin now has what he thinks is his, and Bilbo is finally finished being a burglar. I can sympathize with their stopping: after all these miles, they've found the treasure, and now it's time to celebrate. However, Bilbo reminds them that they have to leave at the very end of the chapter.


In Chapter 14, we learn that Smaug was terrorizing the townsfolk. Smaug manages to destroy Lake-town, but an archer named Bard shoots Smaug in the dragon's weak spot: an exposed area in the monster's underside. Smaug dies, falls into the lake, and the people decide to get revenge on the dwarves after celebrating Smaug's demise.

The townsfolk are very excited to say the least. The dragon that has terrorized their (now destroyed) town is dead. Naturally, they celebrate the dragon's death. However, they soon jump to the conclusion that the dwarves brought the dragon out on them. I can see why they're mad at the dwarves!


In Chapter 15, Thorin and company learn from a raven that Smaug is dead, and they also find out that soldiers are heading in their general direction. Thorin wastes no time and makes sure no one can get in. The disgruntled men arrive, Bard asks very politely  for some of the gold, and Thorin refuses. Some time later, a messenger from Bard arrives, and Thorin shoots an arrow into the man's shield. Bard and his men declare the mountain under seige, and no one can get out.


Poor Bilbo. He thought he was home free. But he isn't. He's stuck in a cave with a rapidly declining food stock, and the only food is something along the lines of hardtack. I bet he really wishes he was back home!

Chapters 10-12

Bilbo and the dwarves arrive at the intended destination of the barrels: Lake-town. They're unpacked, and most of the dwarves are uncomfortable following their trip. Thorin tells the town guards who he is, and the party goes into Lake-town. After meeting the "Master", they get some much needed rest and food. That's what happens in Chapter 10. Chapter 11 involves them finding (and then opening) the door into the Mountain, and Chapter 12 involves Bilbo dealing with Smaug (and getting scorched at the end).

Bilbo has now gotten past the "Tests, Allies, and Enemies", and has now begun his "Approach to the Inmost Cave". Previously, Bilbo would have run away from entering a dangerous situation (such as entering Smaug's lair). Now, he actually goes in (wearing his ring) to be a burglar and get his hands on Smaug's treasure. Now, Bilbo will face the most dangerous obstacle so far: the fierce dragon Smaug.

Smaug seems like the ultimate peril that Bilbo has run into as of now. To recap, Bilbo has been caught by trolls, abducted by goblins, chased up a tree by wolves, and threatened to be eaten by Gollum. Now, he risks getting done medium-rare by a dragon! Amazingly, he has the courage to even enter Smaug's lair at this point. And I thought I had it tough with my life! I wonder on how Bilbo and his friends will escape with their lives- a large dragon who hates visitors might reduce their life expectancy by several years.

Chapters 8 and 9

Bilbo and company are travelling through the forest, and they "forget" Beorn and Gandalf's advice while doing so. They ford the river with black water, Bombur falls into it, and Bombur is out cold. The dwarves and Bilbo get captured by BIG spiders, and later, Wood-Elves snatch the dwarves. Later, Bilbo manages to get the guards drunk on a powerful wine, frees the dwarves, and gets them out by stuffing them in empty barrels that will be sent somewhere else down the river. One uncomfortable barrel ride later, Bilbo and company have eluded the Wood-Elves. Those are Chapters 8-9 for you.

Bilbo is still experiencing the "Tests, Enemies, and Allies" stage of the hero's journey. He has managed to slay a giant spider, but physical combat won't defeat all the spiders. His taunting while invisible saves the dwarves' hides- again. Although the journey to the treasure is coming to a close, the tests will keep coming. He also manages to show maturity in that he isn't bailed out by luck every time he gets in a sticky situation.

I really feel sorry for the dwarves! So far, they've been trapped by trolls, held hostage by hobgoblins, been trapped in trees by wolves, snatched by spiders, and now they've been waltzed away by Wood-Elves! It's amazing they're not giving up on their trip. They have to trust Bilbo now, or they'll never accomplish their goal.

Chapter 7

In Chapter 7, our heroes are worn out from dealing with trolls, goblins, talking wolves, and the like. They stop at the house of Beorn, a man who can change into a bear. Gandalf tells the dwarves to arrive in pairs of two every five minutes, and then he and Bilbo go to the porch. Gandalf tells Beorn the story so far, and the 15 of them stay for a few nights. Beorn gives the party food, weapons, ponies, and advice for traversing the upcoming forest. At the end of the chapter, Gandalf leaves them and takes the ponies back to Beorn.

 I liked the chapter very much, because it was a change in pace from the nonstop action and suspense of the previous chapters. Don't get me wrong, I liked the nonstop action and suspense of Chapters 4-6, but I needed some relief from it. I liked the pastoral charm of Beorn's house, and I was fond of Gandalf's plan to allow our heroes to rest there. There is also some witty banter between Bilbo and Gandalf when Gandalf says that Beorn is a "skin-changer", which Bilbo thinks is another term for "furrier".

Bilbo's stage along the hero's journey is "Tests, Enemies, and Allies". He's overcome tests such as Gollum's riddle game, powerful enemies like the goblins, and now he and the dwarves have a powerful new ally in Beorn. Of course, more tests will be in order as Bilbo and company approach the treasure, and the woods they will soon traverse will be a major trial and tribulation, testing Bilbo and his friends as they approach their goal (although I'm sure Bilbo's goal is to get back home in front of a cozy fire and a whistling kettle).

Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter 5 picks up immediately after Chapter 4 ends. Bilbo wanders through some tunnels and meets Gollum, an odd creature that lives beneath the goblins' mountain. Gollum (who is tired of eating blind fish and the occasional goblin) is determined to snack on Bilbo. Bilbo also found a ring earlier in the chapter, and it allows him to turn invisible. Bilbo avoids being Gollum's dinner, sneaks by some goblins, and escapes.

Chapter 5 was suspenseful to say the least. The riddle game was an important part of the chapter, partly because it keeps the suspense going, but mostly because it gives us a view of the culture of the universe in which the book is set. Apparently, mental challenges are a major part of this culture. I liked it very much, namely because of the riddles. I like mind games. I had pity for Gollum.

Bilbo is on the "Tests, Enemies, and Allies" stage of the Hero's Journey. Gollum is a powerful foe, and since Bilbo has no way of physically fighting this insane creature, he decides to use his wits. He wins a riddle game by dumb luck when Gollum stumps him on the final riddle (the answer to which is "Time", and Bilbo pleads "Give me more time!"), and he leaps over Gollum while invisible. He has just passed a very important test.


In Chapter 6, Bilbo finds everyone else and sneaks up on them by using the ring he found. After a happy reunion, they keep on travelling until a rockslide blocks the path. Then, some wolves appear, causing Bilbo and company to climb some trees. Gandalf tosses some burning pinecones at wolves, the goblins set fire to the area near the trees, and all seems lost. However, some eagles rescue our heroes. The chapter ends with everyone safe and sound.


Chapter 6 thrilled me with the action. The incident with the wolves, the timely rescue, and the entire scene where everyone is up the nearest convient tree makes this chapter one of my personal favorites.

Chapters 3 and 4

In Chapter 3, Bilbo and company enter the Misty Mountains. Before they cross the mountains, the expedition stops at an elf village in a valley. The expedition rests up, gets supplies for the trip, and after a few days, head on out. In Chapter 4, they run into a storm while crossing the mountains, and decide to shelter in a cave. They end up captured by Orcs (or goblins), who take their supplies and their ponies. Gandalf and Thorin fight the enemy using the elven swords, the expedition escapes, but Bilbo falls into the depths of the mountain.

Chapter 3 is a wonderful chapter in that it provides pastoral relief from the events of Chapter 2. It also introduces the dwarves' writing system and the elves. It also gives the sense of a race against time- will they reach their destination on time? The adventure is just starting for the dwarves and Bilbo, and they now have a deadline to meet.

Bilbo has just reached the "Tests, Allies, and Enemies" stage of the Hero's Journey. Although they're simply stopping for supplies in this chapter, the next one will present Bilbo with a major test and many powerful enemies. Even though Bilbo is just beginning his adventure, the tests will begin shortly. Now that they are in the mountains, the adventure will start to take off.

Chapter 4 yanks away from the pastoral relief of Chapter 3 very quickly. The chapter begins with a storm, causing our heroes to take shelter in a cave, which puts them in the hands of the goblins. Chapter 4 kept me on edge throughout. I feared for Bilbo's life when they were all captured. I was also depressed by the ponies' fates - thanks for ruining my life, Tolkien!

Bilbo is still starting with the "Tests, Allies, and Enemies" stage of the Hero's Journey. The goblins are a powerful enemy, and they hate visitors. I was shocked to hear of their interests, and I was saddened by their diet. Luckily, Gandalf and Thorin wiped most of them out, but I once again feared for Bilbo after he fell into the mountain.