LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 01 - A Long-Expected Party

[Estelyn Telcontar]

The title of the first chapter in The Lord of the Rings obviously links the book to The Hobbit, in which the first chapter is titled ‘An Unexpected Party’. It certainly feels like the sequel Tolkien’s readers and publisher expected of him. Let’s discuss what happens in this chapter and how it affects you. What do you especially like about it – or dislike? Do you remember reading it the first time?

Let’s keep the discussion primarily on the events of this chapter, without touching on things to come more than absolutely necessary. Everyone is welcome to join in!

[Saraphim]

A Estelyn already said, the title of this chapter is a parody on the first chapter of The Hobbit.

Other parallels I see as well. The whole 'feel' of this chapter is reminiscent of the style of The Hobbit. The emphasis is once more on hobbits, and Tolkien draws his fans of the previous book into thinking this will be another "There and Back Again" story.

I, for one, sure thought so. I first read the books when I was twelve, before rumor of movie reached my ears. I had found The Hobbit an excellent read, and took up the Lord of the Rings anticipating simply a longer story of that type.

The first chapter kept me in that mindset, at least until Bilbo begins to doubt leaving the Ring behind.

"...It is my own. I found it. It came to me."
"Yes, yes," said Gandalf, " But there is no need to get angry,"
"If I am it is your fault," said Bilbo. "It is mine, I tell you. My own. My precious. Yes, my precious."

I, like Gandalf, immediatly thought back to Gollum.

So it is here that the Ring starts to come forth as a major factor in the story, whereas it was a mere ring (with no capital) before.

After Bilbo departs, we get another dose of hobbit culture, and the shadow that covered the page dissapates for the moment, at least until Gandalf leaves, warning Frodo to keep the Ring secret and safe.

These are my thoughts for now, and I look forward to reading all of the other posts!

[Firefoot]

I agree, the way it is tied in with the Hobbit is wonderful. It would mean nothing to those who have not read it, but for the readers who have they feel some kind of conncetion with the book almost immediately (When Mr. Bilbo Baggins...). It is a great way to draw those readers in: starting with what they know (Bilbo and Gandalf to an extent) and at the same time introducing Frodo as the main character.

One thing I noticed as I read the chapter is Tolkien's emphasis on hobbits and food.

More promising still (to the hobbits' mind): an enormous open-air kitchen was erected in the north corner of the field.

There were three official meals: lunch, tea, and dinner (or supper). But lunch and tea were marked chiefly by the fact that at those times all the guests were sitting down and eating together. At other times there were merely lots of people eating and drinking - continuously from elevenses until six-thirty when the fireworks started.

[Rory said] "There's something fishy in this, my dear! I believe that mad Baggins is off again. Silly old fool. But why worry? He hasn't taken the vittles with him."

People came and began (by orders) to clear away ... the uneaten food (a very small item).

There are others, as well. Granted, they are hobbits, but it still seemed like a lot to me. Do you think that Tolkien had some point in making all these referances to food? What might he have been trying to tell us about hobbits by doing this?

[Fingolfin II]

Interesting thoughts, Saraphim. What delighted me about this chapter is that it was lighter-hearted and the tone was laid back, as in The Hobbit and really gave an insight into Hobbits and their general behaviour.

It was written quite humorously and sets us in a good mood for future chapters. The trouble with Bilbo and the Ring to me is a good way to start the story line, with just a hint of darker things to eventuate. I loved the description of the Shire and it's inhabitants, especially the customs that hobbit's have, such as giving away presents on their birthday. As well as, the description of the different types, or families, of hobbits (i.e. Bracegirdles, Proudfoots, sorry- ProudFEET, etc.) and their funny characteristics really made it interesting for me. This is a great chapter and really is an enjoyable look into the lighter side of things in Middle-Earth.

Firefoot said:

Do you think that Tolkien had some point in making all these referances to food? What might he have been trying to tell us about hobbits by doing this?

I suppose he just wants to show how jolly hobbits are in their own sheltered little community and how they enjoy simple things- meals not the least, like we do, so that we can identify with them.

[davem]

Has anyone else noticed how we begin only with voices - the voice of the narrator begins the story, giving us background, then we hear the voices of the speakers in The Ivy Bush, but there's no description of the place or the speakers. Its not till we get four pages into the story, with the arrival of Gandalf, that Tolkien gives us any desrption of place. I find this odd, given that Tolkien is so meticulous in his descriptions of place (especially) in the rest of the book. It creates an almost 'dreamlike' feel to the story, as though the 'voice' of the storyteller is the first thing we become aware of, & only gradually do we begin to 'see' what's going on.

I'm also struck by the fact that the Istari seem to have a knowledge of gunpowder! Is this significant, given what Saruman gets up to later? A couple of other things - why is Bilbo's birthday speech given in italics, without quotation marks - the only example in the entire book, as far as I'm aware of direct speech being presented in that way?( I also like Gandalf telling Bilbo that nobody will read his book - Tolkien expressing his own doubts, perhaps? ) And has anyone else wondered to what extent the Ring was inspiring Bilbo's desire to leave the Shire? Maybe it wanted to leave the Shire - Sauron calling it. I notice Frodo, once in possesion of the Ring, also wishing he had gone with Bilbo, after Bilbo had told Gandalf that Frodo was still in love with the Shire, & wouldn't want to leave. Finally, another indication that Hobbits aren't all that 'perfect' - they aren't above barging into people's houses & pilfering, even vandalising the place!

[Boromir88]

Hobbits have some "odd" (atleast what general people would think of as odd) traditions. Adventurous hobbits (Bilbo, Frodo...etc) were often thought of as "weird" or "un-hobbitlike." Some of these traditions which just would not make sense to us, is like the hobbit birthday parties. Where whoever's birthday it is instead of getting presents they give hobbits at their party presents. This is a concept we as humans are unfamiliar with, giving instead of receiving during our birthdays. I didn't know what to make of it besides Tolkien maybe trying to say we should give more instead of receive. Of course the birthday hobbit did recieve presents as well, but this act of giving shows maybe the "kindness" and "love" of the hobbits but also shows their touch of greed. I will have to search for the correct quote, but I'm pretty sure somewhere in this first chapter it states many hobbits weren't happy with the presents they recieved from the birthday boy/girl. So, there is a short, slightly "evil" side to the hobbits of greedy expecting newer, better, presents. Some of the hobbits were quite please with their presents, Gaffer Gamgee recieved a whole load of stuff and Rory Brandybuck was pleased with the old wineyards he recieved.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Where whoever's birthday it is instead of getting presents they give hobbits at their party presents. This is a concept we as humans are unfamiliar with, giving instead of receiving during our birthdays.

I think this is a cultural issue rather than something to do with race. I have lived among folk who regularly did this who were not in fact hobbits but humans. (Though they did perhaps share in common some of the hobbit community's traits.)

[Keeper of Dol Guldur]

A Long Expected Party does seem like a great follow-up to the Hobbit's events, nicely passing the reigns from Bilbo to Frodo, even as far as all the less thought out sorts of similes and things, like mentioning clocks, freight trains and such. For such a simple, grounded people, hobbits seem to have advanced in mechanical technology past even Saruman's tinkerings!

What I like a lot about it is that, unlike a bit of the Hobbit, A.L.E.P. doesn't seem rushed. It's a nice, long chapter with dealings ranging from the notorious Sackville-Bagginses to Gandalf.

What I liked even more about it is that, unlike the beginning of the Hobbit, which seems to rush Bilbo out the door, it gives a lot more insight into the day to day life of all the local hobbits, whether the Gaffer has a beer with Ted Sandyman and Daddy Twofoot in the Green Dragon, or Frodo traipses around after the party with Merry, figuring out what to do now that Bilbo has left and keeping everything sane.

It's not hugely obvious that Merry and Pippin, Fatty and Folco are Frodo's best pals throughout later on, but we learn that Bilbo has a few nephews and cousins who love hearing his stories, and you can safely guess that they were the very same loveable cousins Frodo was best friends with. Not to forget Sam, who also loves Bilbo's stories, and being a neighbor and gardener is up at Bag-End more often than all save Frodo.

Everything is nice and friendly, or at least homely, and the only thing amiss in the whole thing seems to be Bilbo. Now, we knew he had an adventure, and so the quite large amount of dwarves helping out and who were at the party presumably, wasn't much of a surprise, but his little episode with Gandalf certainly served it's purpose well - to alarm us, and make us wonder, just what was going on. It was pretty evident that it was the Ring at work, even without the book being called 'The Fellowship of the Ring'.

Anyway, I can see the obvious connections and similarities with the feel of The Hobbit, and I can also see that this chapter sets up a lot of great bonds between characters that at least I know I tended to forget about later on in the journey, when more extravagent, and bold, and heroic characters came into the spotlight. It's easy to get caught up in the epic, heroic events surrounding Aragorn, Boromir, and even Gandalf draws attention from the four hobbits who were the closest characters in the entire cast-list.

So now when I read ... I try to keep at least one part of my brain thinking back to Book One, and the Long Expected Party.

Oh, and sorry if this doesn't exactly follow up to the last few posts, I just haven't had time to read through all of it yet.

[davem]

Bethberry

Hilde Bracegirdle and others, too , thanks for pointing out the anachronistic mentions of umbrellas and clocks and carriages. I wonder perhaps if we could at least say that such references point to a particular kind of mechanical contrivance, those of earlier developments rather than the totalising factories of the Industrial Revolution.

Of course, it could simply be that he was, in the Shire, presenting us with an image of the world he grew up in, which did have umbrellas, clocks & carriages, but nothing more complex. Anyone who wants an insight into the kind of childhood world Tolkien knew should read Flora Thompson's autobiography, Lark Rise to Candleford. Flora lived as a child in an Oxfordshire village in the last quarter of the 19th century, & the kind of world she describes could have come straight from the early chapters of LotR:

Spring brought a flush of green wheat & there were violets under the hedges & pussey willows out beside the brook at the bottom of the 'Hundred Acres';.. the ripened cornfields rippled up to the doorsteps of the cottages & the hamlet became an island in a sea of dark gold....

(describing the cottages) Other rooms were bright & cosy, with dressers of crockery, cushioned chairs, pictures on the walls & brightly coloured hand made rag rugs on the floor. In these there would be pots of geraniums, fuschias, & old-fashioned sweet-smelling musk on the windowsills. In the older cottages there were grandfather's clocks, gate legged tables, & rows of pewter, relics of a time when life was easier for country folk.

(Speaking of herself & her brother) They had no need to ask the names of the birds, flowers & trees they saw everyday, for they had already learned these unconsciously, & neither could remember a time when they did not know an oak from an ash, wheat from barley, or a jenny wren from a blue-tit.

The white tails of rabbits bobbed in & out of the hedgerows; stoats crossed the road in front of the children's feet - swift, silent, stealthy creatures which made them shudder; there were squirrels in the oak trees, & once they even saw a fox curled up asleep in the ditch beneath thick overhanging ivy. Bands of little blue butterflies flitted here & there or poised themselves on quivering wings on the long grass bents; bees hummed in the white clover blooms, & over all a deep silence brooded. It seemed as though the road had been made ages before, then forgotten.

And that was a real village, 19 miles from Oxford, in the 1880's. It could have been (for Tolkien probably was) the Shire. Imagine having that, & then having it taken from you, along with your mother, & being left to grow up in a dirty noisy city like industrial Birmingham. You can imagine why the 'Machine' took on such a horrific aspect for Tolkien. And yet, the Shire has become a 'fantasy land' for most of us, & we think of it as a place to escape to - if only in our minds, for a short time. Strange to think that not much more than a century ago real people really lived that way.

[Child of the 7th Age]

As others have said, this chapter is very much about hobbits, and one of the things that really struck me while reading this last night was how Tolkien really defines Frodo as being different than the other hobbits.

Gorwingel,

This is an excellent point. Most of our discussion has focused on the general characteristics of Hobbits and the Shire, yet the chapter does more than this. For the first time we meet the character of Frodo. Tolkien paints a subtle picture of Frodo and Bilbo: how they were emotionally close, yet so different in other ways, and how Frodo was not the “typical” Hobbit Tolkien’s been describing.

Interestingly, right up to the point when Bilbo disappears, we never see Frodo directly: we only hear about him secondhand through the words of Bilbo and the Gaffer, or the narration provided by the author. Although Frodo’s birthday is briefly mentioned, it’s clear the bulk of attention at the party will fall on Bilbo. For me, Frodo’s “distance” in the first part of the chapter is not accidental. It reinforces the fact that Bilbo, although loving and kind hearted, is currently the one in control at Bag-end, not only because of his position and age but by the sheer force of his outgoing, witty personality.

Tolkien may have left us a hint that Bilbo recognized just how much he dominated things and that Frodo might benefit from a bit more space. When Bilbo explains to Gandalf why he didn’t ask Frodo to come with him, the older Hobbit not only mentions Frodo still being in love with the Shire, but also acknowledges....

It's time he was his own master now.

Frodo is certainly capable of humor and comradeship. He has to struggle to keep from laughing at the "indignant surprise of the guests" when his uncle disappears, and his friends give him a hearty “huzzah” at the mention of his birthday at the party (to say nothing of his later propensity for dancing on tables). Yet, overall, the prologue leaves us with the impression that Frodo is a fairly serious and quiet Hobbit---perhaps “earnest” is a better term—and that this definitely sets him apart.

He took his duties in distributing the mathoms so seriously that Tolkien points out he had a “trying time that afternoon.” There are no witticisms on his part despite the guests swarming all over the house: the humor comes from the pointed barbs Bilbo has left on the gift tags as well as the crazy behavior of the other Hobbits. His response to inquiries about his uncle is short and straightforward: “Mr. Bilbo Baggins has gone away; as far as I know, for good.”

Then, there’s Lobelia’s insult to Frodo as she angrily trounced out of Bag-end upon hearing that Frodo is the heir: “….you’re no Baggins—you—you’re a Brandybuck.” If Bilbo had heard such words from Lobelia, he would have gotten in a pointed barb or two and made her pay for it. Frodo, by contrast, simply shuts the door on her and turns to speak with his friend in a surprisingly calm manner:

Did you hear that, Merry? That was an insult, if you like.

It is Merry who does the more typical Hobbit thing by turning Lobelia’s insult into a joke:

It was a compliment, .....and so, of course, not true.

All of this seems to underline the fact that Frodo is different not only from the other Hobbits in the Shire, but even from those closest to him.

Another interesting point in the prologue....The Ring is already there and is beginning to get its grip on Frodo. What happened to Bilbo is already happening to Frodo. There are two images in the chapter that both these characters share: that of secretly fingering the Ring in their trouser-pocket. Tolkien mentions Bilbo with his hand in his pocket as he says his speech. This is precisely mirrored by Frodo’s behavior when he faces Lobelia at Bag-end:

He looked indisposed to see Sackville-Bagginses at any rate; and he stood up fidgeting with something in his pocket.

In this same vein, Frodo later admits to Merry:

Honestly, I nearly tried on Bilbo's ring. I longed to disappear.

Yet there is another ingredient in this chapter that points to a way Frodo will be able to resist the power of the Ring for a very long time: his ability to have deep feelings for those closest to him. The one thing that comes through in “A Long-Expected Party” is how much Frodo cares for Bilbo. There are a number of passages where Frodo reflects on Bilbo having gone. Amidst all the sharp barbs, jokes, and display of wit in this part of the book, Frodo’s genuine emotion comes shining through. Just look at Frodo's immediate response to Bilbo’s disappearance. The word that comes to mind is “poignant”.

Frodo was the only one present who had said nothing. For some time he had sat silent beside Bilbo’s empty chair, and ignored all remarks and questions. He had enjoyed the joke, of course, even though he had been in the know. He had difficulty in keeping from laughter at the indignant surprise of the guests. But at the same time he felt deeply troubled: he realized suddenly that he loved the old hobbit dearly. Most of the guests went on eating and drinking and discussing Bilbo Baggins’ oddities, past and present; but the Sackville-Bagginses had already departed in wrath. Frodo did not want to have any more to do with the party. He gave orders for more wine to be served; then he got up and drained his own glass silently to the health of Bilbo, and slipped out of the pavilion

His later words to Gandalf are equally telling:

I hoped until this evening that it was only a joke…..But I knew in my heart that he really meant to go. He always used to joke about serious things. I wish I had come back sooner, just to see him off.

Gandalf responds by saying that Bilbo preferred to slip off on his own.

This scene to me epitomizes the strong tie between Frodo and Bilbo as well as their very real difference in temperment: Bilbo who often hides his concern about serious things behind a joke now prefers to disappear rather than having to face his nephew whom he loves; Frodo hoping that Bilbo’s threat to leave was merely a joke and wishing that he had said goodbye despite the pain in such an intimate exchange. It is this ability to feel for another person that will “save” Frodo from the allure of the Ring, at least for a very long time. His ability to “feel” for Bilbo, the Shire, and, perhaps most of all, Samwise will be his first line of defense against the lure of evil.

Sorry about this being so long....but no one had mentioned these things.

[Bêthberry]

Glorwingel and Child,

A very good point about how Frodo is introduced to us! We need to have him juxtaposed to something to help us understand his character. Thanks for those quotations Child.

davem,

You quote a most idyllic passage about Victorian villiages in the 1880's which is quite sweet, but there are other perspectives of those same villages, which discuss the dreadful nature of public sewage and infant mortality and the sanitary conditions of water. I think also of scenes from Tess of the d'Urbervilles or Far From the Madding Crowds and other Hardy novels. I don't wish to deny any of the very attractive features of The Shire or of the Hobbits in all this, of course, (for it is attractive) but to balance them with the distance which Tolkien's wit and humour create for me.

My point is that Tolkien's depiction of The Shire depends more on what he wants to do artistically or narratively in this chapter. He is not writing actual history, but the 'fiction' of history. He draws on his experience, but does not limit his writing solely to that experience.

However, I would like to ask you what you think Tolkien meant by this most intriguing word in Letter #190 which Guinevere posted: parody. (To be honest, I'm not sure that I myself can fully appreciate his meaning.) I will copy it here again:

The toponymy of The Shire, to take the first list, is a 'parody' of that of rural England, in much the same sense as are its inhabitants: they go together and are meant to.

I think Child has made a telling point, that the conditions we are given of The Shire function to throw our hero in a different light, so we can begin to understand how he is uniquely qualified for this Quest and consider what his journey might be. The Shire is, in a sense, Frodo's and Bilbo's '"foil."

[Boromir88]

As we have already established the beginning of LOTR is set up in a lighter mood, we establish Frodo and Bilbo's history and the lead up to the party. We slightly see some clues of Ted Sandyman perhaps becoming a problem with his comments and the clear dislike the Gaffer has towards the miller. A topic I wanted to bring up was it seems like Sauron and the enemy builds up his forces rather quickly (I'll give examples when the appropriate chapters are being discussed). Or did all of this really happen "quickly?"

I believe it just seems fast because of the middle-earth's people (hobbits in particular) refusal to see that Sauron is back and evil again is rebuilding. For a short background a few years before Bilbo takes the ring from Gollum, Saruman finds out Sauron has learned of Isildur's death and turns to Anduin to search for his ring. Saruman however does not tell the council (example one of the refusal to see "evil" approaching). Then around that same time Saruman agrees to push out forces of Dol Guldur to try to get Sauron's attention away from the river. It was either the same year or a year after Bilbo returns to the Shire that Sauron secretly returns to Mordor. So, for 60 some years you have Sauron hiding in Mordor. That is the background.

Then the story starts out with this "long expected party" and there is a light jolly mood established, but soon you see this ring Bilbo has is more then just a ring. And underneath all these "happy" times evil is rebuilding. The hobbits as we know don't like foreigners too well and anyone who mixes with them is thought as "queer." The hobbits especially try to think that all evil is gone and passed, theres only good and happy times left, when it's not so. That's why I believe it seems how Sauron is quickly able to launch attacks against the dwarves of Erebor and the men of Dale, quickly apply pressure to Gondor and Rohan, and so quickly able to affect places far beyond Mordor. The inhabitants refuse to see evil, refuse to believe it, so when they are attacked they are caught off guard.

This is ver similar to the events of WW2. The world just got out of a Global depression, just got out of WW1, so what do they do? They appease Hitler (as well as evil) to try anything to prevent another world war. Grant it the middle-earth peoples did not "appease" Sauron but they ignored the threat, they refused to see that anything was wrong and the whole time they were living under a "flawed peace." Within 6 weeks (correct me if I'm wrong) Hitler is able to take France, and within months all of Western Europe had fallen, except Britain. Same instance in LOTR, within months and a matter of years Sauron is able to press assaults upon all of Middle-earth, and Saruman easily takes the Shire. Sauron, as well as Hitler, weren't able to build up forces that rapid, they weren't able to do it within months, but it seemed like they could take control within a short period of time because of the people thinking there was no evil, hiding behind a "flawed happiness."

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

The title of the first chapter in The Lord of the Rings obviously links the book to The Hobbit, in which the first chapter is titled ‘An Unexpected Party’. It certainly feels like the sequel Tolkien’s readers and publisher expected of him. Let’s discuss what happens in this chapter and how it affects you. What do you especially like about it – or dislike? Do you remember reading it the first time?

Let’s keep the discussion primarily on the events of this chapter, without touching on things to come more than absolutely necessary. Everyone is welcome to join in!

I only saw the connection after I read The Hobbit. However, while the opening chapter of The Hobbit is like to the light-heartedness of the first chapter of LotR, the latter seemed to have a more profound effect on me.

I'll be honest - the first time, I actually disliked it. In fact, I shoved it in my cupboard and didn't look at it again for another month. But after I picked it up a second time, well, it had me hooked. The chapter had a very 'magical' and 'fairy-like' feel, which continued till the end of Lothlórien.

'A Long-Expected Party' was one chapter which was, to me, more striking in imagery than most. Why, I still can't fathom.

[Thinlómien]

...and of course we intentionally started on September 22nd, but apparently we were even more accurate than we thought we would be because Bilbo and Frodo's birthday was Thursday September 22nd, just like today. Nice!

On this reread, the thing that caught my eye the most was the hobbits' conflicted relationship with literacy. It's said - elsewhere - that hobbits tended to learn how to cook before they learnt their letters and many never got so far as the latter. Here Gaffer Gamgee is very defensive about letting his son to learn reading and writing. Yet Bilbo sent written party invitations by a well established mail service and there's no mention of some people not understanding their mail. Furthermore, letter writing seems commonplace.

Is there a subtle class division here? Or is Tolkien poking fun at hobbits and consequently at "common people" for their lack of reading comprehension/ aversion to reading? Or is his world building simply a little incoherent? (The hobbits get the most anachronistic parts too, anyway.) I think I might be one of those instances were Tolkien's otherwise very complete world-building is forgotten in favour of something else - in this case, social commentary.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

...and of course we intentionally started on September 22nd, but apparently we were even more accurate than we thought we would be because Bilbo and Frodo's birthday was Thursday September 22nd, just like today. Nice!

I think that's amazing, even though (as it happens) completely unintended. But great! How often does one get such an opportunity, right? (Now, hands up, how many of you who are reading this started looking at calendars to see on which year will this be possible again...)

Originally Posted by Lommy

On this reread, the thing that caught my eye the most was the hobbits' conflicted relationship with literacy. It's said - elsewhere - that hobbits tended to learn how to cook before they learnt their letters and many never got so far as the latter. Here Gaffer Gamgee is very defensive about letting his son to learn reading and writing. Yet Bilbo sent written party invitations by a well established mail service and there's no mention of some people not understanding their mail. Furthermore, letter writing seems commonplace.

Interesting that you bring that up, because this time I have just noticed and paid attention to the persona of Mr. Hugo Bracegirdle, who seems to be quite a reader. It seems obvious that he must have read dozens of books, which is probably dozen times more than you would expect from a common hobbit.

On the general scale, I think there might be something about what you said regarding the "class division" - it should be noted however that for example Gaffer Gamgee is presented as really really the lowest of low classes, labeled as "poor" on more than one occassion. You are probably right about the "social commentary" - the whole Shire is a bit of "social commentary", or maybe not so much a commentary as just plain fun. And from the "inside the world" point of view, the poor hobbits who can't read can probably just figure out when they get a letter written in golden ink that it is an invitation to Bilbo Baggins' party.

Of course, there are other explanations possible - maybe there is some sort of dichotomy here in that there may actually be tons of books around in the Shire, but they are all family chronicles. Maybe people also don't mind Hugo Bracegirdle not returning books that much if they don't read so much themselves. (What else could these be if not belles-lettres? Books about herbs? Treatises on pipeweed? - I bet that exists! - Atlas of mushrooms. That kind of stuff...)

Anyway, Mr. Bracegirdle just became one of my favourite very minor characters. Must be an interesting fellow, in any case.

What else did I notice on this re-read? Well, among other things, I am going to name especially this one: I guess many people would have paid attention to it already on first reading, but somehow, I never did...

Originally Posted by A Long-Expected Party

"...I have thought of a nice ending for it: and he lived happily ever after to the end of his days."
Gandalf laughed. "I hope he will. But nobody will read the book, however it ends."

I guess always whenever reading this part I have been preoccupied by thinking about what Bilbo is saying: connecting it in my mind already to the future, thinking about how the story ends, about Frodo's wounds which never heal and so on. This time, really for the first time, I paid attention to what Gandalf is saying. He is so wrong, for one, and secondly, he is talking about us. About the people who are reading this book. I think that's brilliant, also from the writer's part. As we know, Tolkien was all about "living the story" and this makes us part of the story even more, because here we are being talked about. By Gandalf! And what more, by Gandalf who claims we don't exist! O he of little faith.

[Boromir88]

I guess always whenever reading this part I have been preoccupied by thinking about what Bilbo is saying: connecting it in my mind already to the future, thinking about how the story ends, about Frodo's wounds which never heal and so on. This time, really for the first time, I paid attention to what Gandalf is saying. He is so wrong, for one, and secondly, he is talking about us. About the people who are reading this book. I think that's brilliant, also from the writer's part. As we know, Tolkien was all about "living the story" and this makes us part of the story even more, because here we are being talked about. By Gandalf! And what more, by Gandalf who claims we don't exist! O he of little faith.~Legate

It's fascinating that no matter how many times you read this book there's always some little detail or comment that grabs your attention in a way that hadn't happened previously. And it creates a different reaction, different perspective.

This time for me it was Gandalf's fireworks. I mean from a hobbits POV it is Gandalf's most distinguishable characteristic. And I've always been focused on the grand firework, Gandalf's homage to Bilbo's adventure from The Hobbit. This time through I was actually picturing the small novelty fireworks he distributed:

...But there was also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers, sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunder-claps.

Tolkien weaves in real life novelties that kids can use (squibs, crackers, backarappers, sparklers, torches) and adds in fantasy novelty fireworks that were distributed to hobbit children (dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunder-claps). He uses real life examples that everyone's used...who isn't familiar with squibs or lighting sparklers? Then he adds fireworks that are made up, but we can imagine how they work and look. Dwarf-candles, well probably a more extravagant version of roman-candles. Elf-fountains, a tube with a fuse you light and out shoots jets of gold and silver sparks. Goblin-barkers and thunder-claps, the really loud and obnoxious crackers that parents hate if someone gives their children. I'm not sure if you get this image if the passage just reads:

"But there was also a distribution of dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunder-claps."

Some additional comments...

As has been discussed multiple times this chapter parallels the first chapter of The Hobbit. We return to Bag End and are meant to make the connection to The Hobbit. Not only in the two parties and Bilbo's sudden disappearance again, but in slightly different settings and circumstances A Long Expected Party takes you through a rough outline of Bilbo's adventure 60 years ago.

After establishing the parallel, we get first introduced to the protagonist, Bilbo's heir, Frodo, and we learn Frodo's parentage and how he came to Bag End. Gandalf arrives and the last time this happened Bilbo quite mysteriously disappeared. At the party, The description of Gandalf's fireworks culminating in the final nod to Bilbo's adventure with the lonely mountain and dragon. Bilbo mentions during his speech how he arrived in Esgaroth with such a bad cold all he could say was "Thag you very buch." Then we come to the Ring, how it was most unusual in Bilbo altering the story, and Bilbo even becoming very much like Gollum in "It's mine. My precious." Bilbo leaves again, and on the next day when various hobbits came busting into Bag End to pillage, raid and try to bargain for Bilbo's stuff, I was reminded of Bilbo returning in the middle of the auction. So, under a slightly tweaked setting, Tolkien includes a basic run down of events from The Hobbit. He sets these events into a different story, and while there are parallels to the earlier book, we know this is going to be a different sort of tale. Frodo's journey is not going to be like Bilbo's.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Of course, there are other explanations possible - maybe there is some sort of dichotomy here in that there may actually be tons of books around in the Shire, but they are all family chronicles. Maybe people also don't mind Hugo Bracegirdle not returning books that much if they don't read so much themselves. (What else could these be if not belles-lettres? Books about herbs? Treatises on pipeweed? - I bet that exists! - Atlas of mushrooms. That kind of stuff...)

This is actually interesting and made me think of this new thread I saw yesterday: Smaug Is Not a Bookworm.

Boro, you mentioned Gandalf's fireworks. They are a lovely detail and a good way to introduce fire as Gandalf's element and thus sort of foreshadow his use of fire in The Ring Goes South and the revelation that Gandalf is the bearer of Narya. (Side note, do you guys think Gandalf was able to make such fancy fireworks thanks to the ring? ) This would be a topic for a thread of its own, but I just thought about how fire is quite closely associated with Gandalf the Grey but Gandalf the White doesn't seem to have any special connection with the element. I wonder if it's an intentional choice on Tolkien's part, or if there is just no space for Gandalf's "fire magic" later in the book.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

(Side note, do you guys think Gandalf was able to make such fancy fireworks thanks to the ring? )

I never doubted it. If Galadriel uses her ring to make Lórien beautiful, why not use Narya to make the Shire celebrations pretty? I don't think it would be any blasphemy to use the Ring for such purposes.

Originally Posted by Lommy

This would be a topic for a thread of its own, but I just thought about how fire is quite closely associated with Gandalf the Grey but Gandalf the White doesn't seem to have any special connecion with the element. I wonder if it's an intentional choice on Tolkien's part, or if there is just no space for Gandalf's "fire magic" later in the book.

Actually I think he does some fire-stuff later. I can't recall exactly now what, but I think there were some cases. But in any case sure, they would be much less-pronounced than the earlier ones: from frying Wargs (twice) and making fireworks (and torturing Gollums...), there isn't that much else... of course you could say he is much more associated with pure light there, afterwards: a fire in a "higher form", perhaps? An "ideal fire without smoke"?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Maybe people also don't mind Hugo Bracegirdle not returning books that much if they don't read so much themselves.

I think they do mind very much. It doesn't matter that they don't really need the book and that they might never read it; it decorates their bookshelf and gives an air of learning and upper-classness and family history and pompousness. How dare that Hugo Bracegirdle not return the familial treasure, the ancient dusty volume passed down from father to son since the times of the Generic Ancestor Number Fifteen? I feel like not returning a book could be considered as stepping on one's honour and thus a great offence.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

I just realized that there's an additional echo back to the first chapter of the Hobbit - an impromptu orchestra! The Dwarves played together at the Unexpected Party - with quite a result, getting Bilbo to feel with them and join their quest.

At the Long-Expected Party the younger Hobbits played together with the instruments they got in the musical crackers. They got others to dance (and we learn of the Springle-ring), but other than that, nothing really resulted from their music.

But also Bilbo stopped it (at least the part which started impromptu during his Speech) before it had the chance to bloom into anything.

One would say, maybe it is also a parallel to the Unexpected Party like this. Back then, Bilbo's home was hijacked, and strangers just poured into his house and started playing music. Here, half a century later, Bilbo is his own master; the party is not Unexpected but Long-expected, guests arrive but Bilbo invites them first, and when somebody begins to play in the middle of his speech, he is perfectly in control

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Is it the diminished stature of Hobbits vs. Dwarves that makes their music less moving? Is it the smaller size of the instruments? It does seem that music diminishes in Middle-earth, starting off mighty with the Great Music of creation, then dwindling over the ages.

That is nice observation, and sort of sad (but that would fit the overall course of Arda). But yes, Dwarven music would obviously still be more "heroic" and closer to their ancient roots than Hobbit music, even though again the Dwarven music would have roots somewhere in Aulë's domain, while the Hobbit music should ultimately have more in common with the music of Men and therefore also Elves, as other Children of Ilúvatar.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I think they do mind very much. It doesn't matter that they don't really need the book and that they might never read it; it decorates their bookshelf and gives an air of learning and upper-classness and family history and pompousness. How dare that Hugo Bracegirdle not return the familial treasure, the ancient dusty volume passed down from father to son since the times of the Generic Ancestor Number Fifteen? I feel like not returning a book could be considered as stepping on one's honour and thus a great offence.

That's a good remark. True: hobbits may not be interested so much in reading, but they are (at least some of them) quite aware of their possessions.

Although (and again some interesting dynamic here), there is, also in this chapter, a certain counter-evidence present that actually Hobbits were not as greedy or possessive as it sometimes seems (this image of a grumpy Sackville-Baggins who greets visitors by "get off my field!" "hands off my spoons!" "return my books!"); you have the whole hints at underlying non-possessiveness (starting from "natural resilience" to the Ring, I daresay most hobbits would be still slower to succumb than an average Man; the circulation of mathoms not all of which are just old junk, the general spirit of hospitality when you invite your neighbours for a drink even if it's the Old Winyard and so on).