READING RESPONSE: THE HOBBIT BY J.R.R TOLKIEN

I finished Beautiful Creatures, and I haven't had time to buy the second book in that series, so I decided to reread one of my favorites, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This book is about a young hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who doesn't believe in having adventures, as he thinks they are childish. A hobbit is a small, content person, who is even smaller in size than the average dwarf. One day, this particular hobbit is approached by the wizard, Gandalf. Gandalf wants Bilbo to assist him and his many dwarf friends in seizing back the treasure that an evil dragon, Smaug, stole from them many years ago. At first, Bilbo is very reluctant, not wanting to live the simple life of a hobbit behind. However, when the thirteen dwarves (Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur,and their leader, Thorin Oakensheild) barge into his house and eat up all of his food (under the impression Bilbo has already agreed to help them), Bilbo gives in and sets of his first adventure.

I can't make any predictions, considering I have already read this book, so instead I will further establish the main character, Bilbo. Bilbo is the son of a well known adventurous hobbit Belladonna Took, and a much simpler hobbit, Bungo Baggins. He lives in what you might call a Hobbit haven, but what is actually called the shire. The shire is a grassy plain, full of hobbit holes (usually under hills with big circular doors). Bilbo lives in a rather grand hobbit hole called Bag End, which he inherited from his father. By his neighbors, Bilbo was always seen as a respectable hobbit, seemingly the spitting image of his father. It wasn't until later that the adventurous side of his personality developed.

I am only up to the start of their adventures, when they are making their way to Lonely mountain, where Smaug has hidden the dwarves treasure. The crew are just making camp in the forest and settling down for the night, when low and behold a group of three trolls captures all of their horses, which are essential for their voyage. Before all the horses are stolen, Bilbo wakes up. Although he is terrified, he realizes what is happening, and he follows the trolls back to their camp. As he sneakily makes his way to where the horses are being kept, he is caught by one of the trolls. The trolls are questioning him and debating whether or not to cook him in their stew, when Bilbo comes up with the brilliant idea of stalling them until one of the dwarves realizes he is missing and comes to save him. As Bilbo predicted, the whole crew of dwarves come with the intention of saving him, but they are captured too. In the end it was sunlight that turned the trolls to stone, because the dwarves had stalled the trolls until the sun came up.

This book is an amazing adventure, and no matter how many times I read it, it is still very enjoyable.

“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,
While hammers fell like ringing bells
In places deep, where dark things sleep,
In hollow halls beneath the fells.

For ancient king and elvish lord
There many a gleaming golden hoard
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught
To hide in gems on hilt of sword.

On silver necklaces they strung
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung
The dragon-fire, in twisted wire
They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold.

Goblets they carved there for themselves
And harps of gold; where no man delves
There lay they long, and many a song
Was sung unheard by men or elves.

The pines were roaring on the height,
The wind was moaning in the night.
The fire was red, it flaming spread;
The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale
And men looked up with faces pale;
The dragon's ire more fierce than fire
Laid low their towers and houses frail.

The mountain smoked beneath the moon;
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!”