Oah dear and oah dear once more. I've missed the discussion of the only book by Tolkien that I am not less compitent of than the biggest most of the people around here. A pitty indeed, but a price I pay for droping by so 'often'
Firstly I must call this chapter the most depressing and psycologically most full of negativeness in the whole book. Two conflicts between three 'good' races of the Middle-Earth followed by two wars - one only begun and already put to halt by the next one following too soon. Though the second assault prevented the first one, which is actually better than you could think at first. If the first battle (between men+elves and the dwarves) would have actually continued, it would have caused many problems in the future for it would start a hatred between dwarves and the men and elves which would have a great influence on the events to follow (in LotR, for example). But in a way the biggest war is the doom and the saviour of many at the same time, which kind of takes off a part of the battles depressive contents. Aswell this chapter 'maintains' so many corpses, so much death and hate, that I would think twice before reading this to my children. Though here hate is shown as a good thing for it unites. As they say: the foe of your enemy is your friend. Plus just a small thing: for the first time I got to know how much hatred the elves had for the goblins (I am not going to be able to quote for my book is in my native language and I doubt the quality of the translation).
Estelyn, you gave some questions, for example, about the ravens. I dare say that alliance, especially such an old one is something that you must honor. And in Tolkiens works I've noticed many a time that the alliance is held before any reasons of sanity. For instance the rest of the dwarves staying by Thorin even when they see his thought is wrong, not to mention Bilbo going back to the mountain and his reasons. So I'd say that the ravens should have stayed loyal to the dwarves.
Of Bilbo's actions: hobbits are described as very simple people, which in my opinion includes being true (not minding to make sophisticated lies) and it shows when he steps forewards as the one who stole the Arkenstone from Thorin - he is fighting great fear but still confesses as if that would be sort of a need to do so, as if he wouldn't be able to controle his mouth not to confess.
Aswell, I must add that Bilbo can't effect anything and knows it very well,but he does. He is a character who is out of place all through the book, though this is not unintentional, for planned by Gandalf. Bilbo is the main character who wants to stay as invisible as he possibly can and this chapter is the one that he finally gets the chance to do so for at this moment there is absolutely nothing he can do to help (for he is no warrior as we all know).
As for the dwarves: it is kind af hard to concentrate on their description pictured with letters whilest there's a 'grand' picture of garden gnome like dwarves right beside them, but I'll try.
I must admit that this one of the best deescriptions of the dwarves I've read yet for it's simplicity. It mostly concentrates on a psycological description and shows their qualities. But the one thing I come to think of after this chapter is th fact that the dwarves love the gold more than their own sanity, but no gold will ever concure their qualities of their arts of war.
More or less that's it for now. Sorry for putting out such messy thoughts bet I find it harder and harder to put them to order lately.
Ophelia