The Hobbit - Chapter 06 - Out of the Frying-Pan Into the Fire

[Lhunardawen]

Because I've never heard of the proverb before I read the book, I must say that this is one of the best chapter titles I've ever encountered!

Originally Posted by Esty

The newly-found ring enables Bilbo to impress the others with his 'burgling' abilities. Why do you think he was reluctant to tell them about it?

Elempi got there before I did. Why would a magician reveal his secret to anyone, especially when previously his talents were doubted?

It's a stretch, but maybe Bilbo was also driven to hide it by a bit of paranoia. After all, he technically stole it, and the last thing he would want is somebody else stealing it from him.

Originally Posted by A_Brandybuck

One word also drew my attention: christmas tree
Where did the narrator get this word, because there is no christmas-tree in Middle-Earth, because there is no christmas.
But I think, that this is caused by another instance, the narrator of the story was surely not an inhabitant of Middle-Earth, but of our World and he is the one, who drew the comparison. He surely knows about Christmas

Once again, you got there before me. I even had the words underlined! Funny how it's just two familiar words in our vocabulary, but seeing them in a book like this had me thinking about the author and his relation to the story he narrates, as well as his intended audience. Wouldn't a non-Middle Earth word be out of place in this story? Or did he want - somehow - to connect more personally with the readers?

Moving on, I felt a certain oneness with the wolves as they howled at the moon! (Maybe I should stop antagonizing the Wargs and the Warg-friends...)

Originally Posted by Kath

Gandalf's fiery attack on the wolves does seem reckless, and so a little out of character if you look at the LotR Gandalf who seems to think over every action, but the TH Gandalf seems less concerned with the consequences of original actions. It might also suggest that he had never dealt with that particular situation before, and didn't really know what he was doing.

That was what I thought too, although I had to drag it a little because my knowledge of Gandalf was a bit hesitant to come to that conclusion. Perhaps he was feeling desperate, or he thought the Wargs were not wise enough (a to Eomer, Formy and Nilp) to come up with a way to use his weapon to their advantage. In any case, it was certainly non-Gandalfesque.

But it's interesting to note that I find this Gandalf more human than the wizard we get to know in LotR. This particular passage suggests so:

"Go away! little boys!" Gandalf shouted in answer. "It isn't bird-nesting time. Also naughty little boys that play with fire get punished." He said it to make them angry, and to show them he was not frightened of them - though of course he was, wizard though he was.

This answer of his certainly lightened the mood after the goblins' dreadfully scary song.

How did you all feel when Bilbo was almost left behind by the Eagles again? I pity him for having to hang on to Dori's legs for that long, but at least I suppose he got an effective shock treatment to his acrophobia after that flight.

Speaking of flight, isn't it interesting how that rescue by the Eagles is a precursor to Sam and Frodo's rescue on Mount Doom several years later?

Finally, on a very serious note, the mini-landslide at the beginning of the chapter prove a bit fortunate for them as their travel was made less burdensome thanks to the force of gravity. But for me I read that part at the wrong time, what with the recent landslide in Southern Leyte here in the Philippines - which I'm sure some of you have heard news of - that claimed so many lives. Of course I can't blame Tolkien, but I couldn't help but be reminded of the tragedy when I read that.