English 3720
Guide Questions

THE HOBBIT Chapters 4-13

1. Notice how often Tolkien uses setting both as predictor of what will happen and as contributing to it. Find two or three parts of the story where place and climate play important roles in setting a mood or providing a proper environment for things to happen. Try to come up with good moments as well as bad ones.

2. In Chapter 4 how do the dwarves show generosity to Bilbo?

3. What characteristics of Bilbo come out when he is separated from the dwarves in the goblins' cave? What might Bilbo's descent into the dark cave symbolize?

4. Characterize Gollum from the descriptions in Chapter 5.How does he show Hobbit-like behavior?

5. What do we learn about the ring and how do we learn?

6. How often in the story does Bilbo have to "fast"?

7. How do the houses of Elrond and Beorn function in the story?

8. How is Gandalf a story-teller? How is it part of his "magic"?

9. Some of the elements of the story are found in many folk or "fairy" tales, one of which is not leaving a path in a dangerous forest. How does Tolkien make leaving the path seem necessary? Does he succeed in being convincing?

10. What does Tolkein gain in having Gandalf leave the party at Mirkwood? What does the adventure with the spiders show about Bilbo?

11. What problem arises for the party when they get to the town of Men? What are we shown of human nature?

12. Bilbo finds the key-hole, an instance of his continuing "luck." Does there seem to be a force operating in the story which is not named or even alluded to? Where might we see evidence of such a force?

13. What are the battles Bilbo must fight when he first enters the dragon's cave?