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.
Monday, November 29, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Chapters 1 and 2 and Into
I have already read The Hobbit, and my first reading was dull, because I had to read on a schedule imposed by my grandmother. However, since I now have the opportunity to read it at my own pace, and to blog about it, I am excited to re-read it. I am now expecting to find more details and to better understand the story. I am also excited because of the various activities tied into this assignment, which will help make my understanding of the book more complete.
The Hobbit starts with Bilbo Baggins, a 50-year old hobbit, enjoying a bit of smoking one morning. The wizard Gandalf soon arrives, and after some time, Bilbo invites him to tea. The next day, 13 dwarves arrive throughout the day, with Gandalf accompanying the last four dwarves. As it turns out, the dwarves think that Bilbo is a burglar (in the story, burglar means "treasure hunter").
The significance of the chapter is that it helps set up the "world" in which The Hobbit takes place. It describes the hobbits, the dwarves, and their respective cultures. Bilbo is very relatable. He's scared, but he has to face his "demons" sooner or later. I sympathize with him: He's going into a world that is much bigger than he is! We all face a world that is bigger than us (literally and/or figuratively) and we all have to face our "demons" sooner or later.
Bilbo's stage on the Hero's Journey is the "Call to Adventure". The call is when the dwarves invite him to go hunting for the treasure held by the dragon. Bilbo's "Refusal of the Call" is when he refuses to go out on the adventure. The poor hobbit is about to go out on an expedition that could get lost, starve and die, be killed by hostile creatures, or the dwarves and Gandalf might make it back, but poor Bilbo would be 6 feet underground somewhere away from home sweet home!
Chapter 2 has a memorable scene involving trolls. The dwarves send Bilbo to find supplies after their reserves of food and the like are lost. Bilbo runs into a trio of trolls, steals a key, gets caught, and the dwarves come to see what's wrong. The trolls abduct the dwarves. After catching the dwarves, the trolls debate on how to cook the dwarves when Gandalf uses ventriloquism to keep them debating so long that they're still out at dawn, at which point they turn to stone. They also manage to get some of the trolls' supplies. If you have read Lord of the Rings, you know that Gandalf could have launched a fireball at one of the trolls, cause the other to be struck by lightning, and dropped a ballet on the last of them.
Bilbo's current stage on the Hero's Journey is "Crossing the First Threshold". He decides to be a burglar and steal a troll's coin purse (it doesn't go well for him). Gandalf is the "Mentor" and teaches him tactics that will help him in being a burglar, and that will work because he's too short to fight directly.
So far, re-reading The Hobbit has been pleasurable, and I look forward to continue reading it a second time. The scene with the trolls was memorable, because it is very humorous and Bilbo learns a lesson from it. I was struck by the fact that such a powerful wizard such as Gandalf used the simple trick of ventriloquism to defeat a powerful obstacle (in this case, a trio of angry trolls). Bilbo learns that you don't need to be powerful to be a good burglar.
The Hobbit starts with Bilbo Baggins, a 50-year old hobbit, enjoying a bit of smoking one morning. The wizard Gandalf soon arrives, and after some time, Bilbo invites him to tea. The next day, 13 dwarves arrive throughout the day, with Gandalf accompanying the last four dwarves. As it turns out, the dwarves think that Bilbo is a burglar (in the story, burglar means "treasure hunter").
The significance of the chapter is that it helps set up the "world" in which The Hobbit takes place. It describes the hobbits, the dwarves, and their respective cultures. Bilbo is very relatable. He's scared, but he has to face his "demons" sooner or later. I sympathize with him: He's going into a world that is much bigger than he is! We all face a world that is bigger than us (literally and/or figuratively) and we all have to face our "demons" sooner or later.
Bilbo's stage on the Hero's Journey is the "Call to Adventure". The call is when the dwarves invite him to go hunting for the treasure held by the dragon. Bilbo's "Refusal of the Call" is when he refuses to go out on the adventure. The poor hobbit is about to go out on an expedition that could get lost, starve and die, be killed by hostile creatures, or the dwarves and Gandalf might make it back, but poor Bilbo would be 6 feet underground somewhere away from home sweet home!
Chapter 2 has a memorable scene involving trolls. The dwarves send Bilbo to find supplies after their reserves of food and the like are lost. Bilbo runs into a trio of trolls, steals a key, gets caught, and the dwarves come to see what's wrong. The trolls abduct the dwarves. After catching the dwarves, the trolls debate on how to cook the dwarves when Gandalf uses ventriloquism to keep them debating so long that they're still out at dawn, at which point they turn to stone. They also manage to get some of the trolls' supplies. If you have read Lord of the Rings, you know that Gandalf could have launched a fireball at one of the trolls, cause the other to be struck by lightning, and dropped a ballet on the last of them.
Bilbo's current stage on the Hero's Journey is "Crossing the First Threshold". He decides to be a burglar and steal a troll's coin purse (it doesn't go well for him). Gandalf is the "Mentor" and teaches him tactics that will help him in being a burglar, and that will work because he's too short to fight directly.
So far, re-reading The Hobbit has been pleasurable, and I look forward to continue reading it a second time. The scene with the trolls was memorable, because it is very humorous and Bilbo learns a lesson from it. I was struck by the fact that such a powerful wizard such as Gandalf used the simple trick of ventriloquism to defeat a powerful obstacle (in this case, a trio of angry trolls). Bilbo learns that you don't need to be powerful to be a good burglar.
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