Remember, you DO NOT have to answer these questions for
class. Instead, the questions below are ideas to think about as you read, and
I'll use ONE of them for your in-class writing at the beginning of class. But
think about all of them as you read, since they might help you see or consider
other ideas as you read. Good luck and happy adventuring!
IDEAS TO CONSIDER:
* When it first came out, The Hobbit was
considered a children’s story for two reasons: the characters/situations and
the style. While most critics no longer agree that fantasy alone
makes a story ‘juvenile,’ they are less certain about the style. Do you feel
that the story is written more for children than adults? What about the style
might make people read it this way? Is it the only way to read/interpret it?
* In Chapter One, “An Unexpected Party,” Bilbo asks the
dwarfs, “I should like to know about risks, out-of-pocket expenses, time
required and remuneration, and so forth” (21). Why might this sound
distinctly out-of-place in a story set in a mythical past? And in general, why
does Tolkien often mix the world of the 20th century (pipes, post offices,
etc.) with a world of swords and dragons? What effect does this have on the
story and the reader?
* Though The Hobbit opens with a simple domestic
scene (“in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit”), where does Tolkein hint
that a great mythology lies behind the prosaic world of the Shire? Why do
you think he felt it necessary to let glimpses of this ancient world shine
through? How does it affect how we read and understand the work as a
whole?
* In Chapter II, “Roast Mutton,” the dwarfs reflect on Gandalf: “So far he had come all the way with them, never saying if he was in the adventure or merely keeping them company for a while. He had eaten most, talked most, and laughed most. But now he simply was not there at all!” (30). What kind of character/wizard is Gandalf, and how does he compare to the idea of a ‘wizard’ in popular culture?
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