Hobbit2 - Chapter 11 - On the Doorstep - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-10-2012, 01:55 AM

This is a transitional chapter, taking Bilbo and the dwarves from Laketown to the Lonely Mountain. It's not very long, and not a lot happens in it, though there is a good bit of description.

I actually like the fact that the waiting process is central here. So many books just race from one highlight to the next, but the drudgery of walking there is neglected. This makes the story feel realistic.

Once again the dwarves are less mindful of their own heritage and the prophecy than Bilbo is. Combined with their previous bumbling and their seeming lack of courage this gives us a different kind of dwarf than we see in the Silmarillion and in LotR. I wonder how they will be depicted in the movies...

As for Durin's Day, I remember once reading that it happened very rarely - does anyone have more information on that?

How does this chapter feel to you? Is it tedious to read, paralleling the plodding progress of the group?

Previous discussion here.

09-10-2012, 01:55 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Hobbit2 - Chapter 11 - On the Doorstep This is a transitional chapter, taking Bilbo and the dwarves from Laketown to the Lonely Mountain. It's not very long, and not a lot happens in it, though there is a good bit of description. I actually like the fact that the waiting process is central here. So many books just race from one highlight to the next, but the drudgery of walking there is neglected. This makes the story feel realistic. Once again the dwarves are less mindful of their own heritage and the prophecy than Bilbo is. Combined with their previous bumbling and their seeming lack of courage this gives us a different kind of dwarf than we see in the Silmarillion and in LotR. I wonder how they will be depicted in the movies... As for Durin's Day, I remember once reading that it happened very rarely - does anyone have more information on that? How does this chapter feel to you? Is it tedious to read, paralleling the plodding progress of the group? Previous discussion here. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'