I haven't got the chance to reread the chapter in peace yet, but I've got some things to say...
First, of course, the fox (:
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Originally Posted by Fordim Hedgethistle
And this, I think, might actually help to explain that pesky fox that has bedeviled readers of the book for so long. You all know the one I mean – it’s the one that seems to step off the pages of The Hobbit by ‘speaking’:
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I'm afraid I have to disagree. For one, in the Hobbit just selected animals speak and it's a rare gift. Also, the author uses the verb "thought" not spoke. As I see it, the fox's thoughts were translated into human language, into English. The same way the mention of God in the religion free Shire. It's a rather smart way to show how uncanny our hobbits and their journey really is IMO. Even the animals, the nature notice there's something queer going on. (: On top of it the animal which finds it queer is the fox, the animalistic symbol of cunning wit. Whatever is queer to a fox must be really queer.
I can't help noticing the symbolism of 3 (the number of god (son & holy spirit), also being sacred before christianity tho). It is the third chapter and it's name is Three is Company... any journey starting with such a high symbolism cannot fail, can it (:
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Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar
The last item is a humorous human interest reference to Sam - he disappears for awhile shortly before leaving, and when Frodo calls him, he comes:
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...wiping his mouth. He had been saying farewell to the beer-barrel in the cellar.
There's an interesting comparison to Frodo there - he and his friends finished off the Old Winyards at the birthday party. Is there a class difference between the wine and the beer drinkers in there?
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On that topic I always shivver every time I read Pippin's words and Sam's reaction:
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'Sam! Get breakfast ready for half-past nine! Have you got the bath-water hot?'
Sam jumped up, looking rather bleary. 'No, sir, I haven't, sir!' he said.
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I don't know why... but there's something ugly in all this. The whole romantic, whatsoever of the journey was killed for me at that very moment and the elves couldn't much change it either. Maybe it's just me, and maybe it was because I was just 9 when I first read and hated it and never really got over it.
The meeting with the elves has one more effect, which I believe, wasn't mentioned yet. Sam no longer needs to go to Rivendell in order to see the elves. From now on, if he decides to come with Frodo, it'll be for Frodo's sake only and not because of the elves. I believe this is rather well done of Tolkien, to clear any suspicions the readers might have about Sams motives. (: