The Hobbit - Chapter 01 - An Unexpected Party

[Estelyn Telcontar]

The first line of this book must be the most famous, even legendary, sentence in all of Tolkien's writing.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.

Who doesn't know it by heart?! Who hasn't read of its origin, scribbled on a blank page of an exam paper that JRRT was correcting? And who, way back then, could have predicted what would become of that small beginning?!

Middle-earth already existed, but the invention of Hobbits is what paved the way for Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. This story also paved the way to Middle-earth for many readers, especially those who read it early in their childhood. When did you first read The Hobbit? How did it affect you and what did it mean to you?

The description of a hobbit hole and of hobbits themselves is a delightful beginning, as is the introduction to Bilbo. But the adventure begins with Gandalf - quite appropriately it's said that "adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went". The dialogue between Bilbo and Gandalf is amusing, full of little plays with and on words.

Then come the Dwarves - unbidden and unwanted by the unwilling hero of the story. They invade his home, eat his food, and take up his time. They also awake his slumbering Tookishness. Reluctantly, he even considers going with them, at least until his prosaic side wins out again.

Bits and pieces of information are scattered throughout this chapter, on Dwarves, dragons, the Necromancer, and the Wizard Gandalf. Which do you find most interesting or helpful?

We have differing styles of speech, with Thorin's officious style, Gandalf's humorous, sometimes slightly cryptic utterances, and the Dwarves, who have some similarities with Hobbits - in their greeting formulas, for example.

We also have two Dwarven poems in this chapter, one humorous one: "Chip the glasses", and one 'historic' song: "Far over the misty mountains cold". How do they affect you?

Tolkien's style of writing in The Hobbit is different from LotR. The main reason is obvious - it's a children's book. I find it very oral in style, and have read quite a bit of it aloud, to others or to myself, with great pleasure. However, we know from his essay "On Fairy Stories" that he later changed his mind about the style he used, feeling that it was not right to talk "down" to children in the narrative voice as occurs here occasionally. Does this change in style bother you? Do you still enjoy reading the book though you are no longer a child?

The chapter takes place in one day, beginning with a "Good morning!" and ending with uncomfortable dreams. The last sentence takes Bilbo and the reader into the next morning, with the expectancy of what will happen.

I hope you'll join in this adventure and discuss The Hobbit with us! Every contribution is welcome!