The+Hobbit+RHR

Go To My Home Page Click Here To Go To Student Pages

Choose one conflict in The Hobbit, and explain how Tolkien uses it to move the story forward. Don't forget to cite page number when appropriate.

One conflict in __"The Hobbit"__ is the character against character conflict between Bilbo and Gollum. Bilbo gets lost in the goblin tunnels without the dwarves or Gandalf and ends up stopping to think. When he meets Gollum, the little slimy creature living on an island in the tunnel, Gollum creates a competition. If Bilbo doesn't answer the riddle Gollum asks, Gollum can eat him. If Gollum doesn't answer Bilbo's riddle, Gollum will show Bilbo out of the mountain. Tolkien uses this conflict to make the character grow in confidence over the reason that Bilbo can be brave and not have to rely on the dwarves and Gandalf. This conflict also gives a reason for Bilbo escaping from the mountain. It also explains the ring and other items that may be used later in the story like the sword. The conflict between Bilbo and Gollum reveals that Bilbo is intelligent and great under pressure.This is one conflict that Tolkien uses to move the story forward. pgs. 71, 72, 78, 82, 83 Chapter 5 run onThis is well done. When you use quotes from the book, you should put the page number after it. But you didn't, so the page numbers are not necessary. I love how you discuss how the things revealed in the section will prove to be important later on. ~Mrs. Best

Hey Riordan this is Elliot. I loved that part of the story. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if he would be eaten. That is a good conflict in the story because it is a turning point of the story to me. It is important because this is the whole fate of the story. He is a creature with a caring and mean heart.

Elliot Drechsler 3/16/11

Hobbit Question 2 March 4, 2011 In your own words, describe what happens next to Bilbo and the dwarves in the forest. Riordan Ryan--- Reading Period 8 Bilbo, the dwarves, and Gandalf were walking through the forest tired and hungry trying to get as far away from the mountain where the goblins were as they could. Gandalf took them to a clearing in the woods where the moon was shining bright, when all of a sudden they heard wolves howling from not that far away. Bilbo, the dwarves and Gandalf quickly climb up the nearest trees to escape the wolves. Poor little Bilbo was left trying to get up into the tree and Dori had to go and help him up. Soon the Wargs (evil wolves over the Edge of the Wild were called) had swarmed around the bottoms of the trees Bilbo, the dwarves, and Gandalf, because the clearing was apparently a meeting place for them. Soon many Wargs were gathered in the clearing and were really angry. They thought that Bilbo and his friends were sent form the village to spy on them for an attack, so the Wargs would not leave them. Gandalf then gathered some pine cones from the tree he was sitting in and lit them with his blue fire and sent them flying down towards the wolves. Wolves hat fire and they started running around catching on fire. The eagles heard wolves voices and thought that the goblins were up to trouble, so they flew out towards the noise being made to find the wolves on fire. Goblins also heard all of the commotion from the wolves, and they thought that there was a war on with the woodsmen, so they ran out into the woods in search of the battle. When the goblins arrived they found the wolves on fire and stomped out all the fire, but they also found Bilbo and his friends and started the trees they were in on fire. ( run on) Gandalf then climbed to the top of his tree to jump off and be caught by the eagles. Bilbo and the rest of the dwarves did the same and were brought back to the eagles home to have a feast and make plans to escape to the plains over the mountains. ~ Nice summary! Very thorough. Mrs. Best

 Recall a time when something happened to cause you to grow and change in a positive way. Respond on your wiki page.

 A time when something happened that caused me to grow and change in a positive way was when I moved to Wisconsin. Wisconsin is very different than Kansas in many ways, like the weather. It was hard changing schools in the middle of the year, but everyone was very accepting and friendly. I met a lot of nice people who are now my best friends. Moving wasn't considered an adventure to me when it had first come up. Since I have moved about six times I didn't think it would be a problem, but the last time I had moved I was only five. Once the experience got more real, I started to worry. The people would be different and the school would be much bigger. On the first day of school I felt confident that my new life in Wisconsin would be fantastic. I tried many new things that I had never heard of like puppy chow (which turned out to be surprisingly delicious). Moving gave me a chance to meet new people and live in a different way. Once our family had settled down here, I found out we really did have an adventure of our own. An adventure is an 'exciting or new experience that is bold or risky and has an uncertain income'(dictionary.com). Bilbo goes through many adventures of his own, even though he would rather be at home sleeping in his little bed. Bilbo says when he first is told about his adventure, 'Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today.'(6). Bilbo has random 'Tookish' outbursts where he experiences enormous courage. He takes on the task of being a burglar after being slightly offended by the dwarves who called him 'a grocer, not a burglar.'(18). At times when Bilbo experiences the tough times of an adventure, he thinks to himself that 'adventures are not all pony-rides in May Sunshine'.(33) He displays his first sign of courage when he attempts to be a good burglar by steeling a troll's wallet.(36) Bilbo seems to be becoming a true leader of adventures when he surprises his imprisoned friends at the Wood Elves' kingdom when coming up with a plan to escape. Thorin was amazed when Bilbo showed up at his cell to deliver his plan.(175) Bilbo has become a true adventurer and is very good at acting on his instinct and gut feeling about what is right to do in the time of danger. ~ Nice connection. For next time, consider putting Bilbo's adventure first, and then connecting it to yourself. ~Mrs. Best

If Thorin could have lived, do you think he would have regretted his greed? What do you think Tolkien is trying to teach us about material wealth by Thorin's death? In your response, site textual evidence to support your response. Use page numbers too.

I think that Thorin would regret his greed. All he wanted was the Arkenstone. 'For the Arkenstone of my father is worth more than a river of gold itself, and to me it is beyond price. That stone of all the treasure I name unto myself, and I will be avenged on anyone who finds it and withholds it.'(268) Thorin says when he is desperately trying to find the unfound Arkenstone. I am not surprised that he wanted it so much because, as Tolkien says, it is a gleaming jewel that makes anyone who looks at it desire its beauty and the Arkenstone is rightfully Thorin's. He would probably take back his greediness of not giving up the deserved share to the elves and lakemen. If he had just agreed to give them their shares earlier they could of all been friends and overall better at working together during the huge battle. Also, if Thorin gave up the deserved shares,could this mean that the lakemen and elves would leave, leaving the dwarves to fight the battle against the goblins and wargs alone? When Bard is asking for the fair share of the treasure, Thorin replies 'It is in my mind to ask what share of their inheritance you would have paid to our kinred, had you found the hoard unguarded and us slain.'(266) When Bilbo hands over the Arkenstone to the elves and lakemen, I cannot blame Thorin for being angry. It is //__his__ treasure that he inherited. He bursts out screaming in fury at Bard and the elven king 'That stone was my father's, and is mine. Why should I purchase my own??'(276) When Thorin finds out it was Bilbo who gave up the Arkenstone to the lakemen and elves he is even more furious 'You miserable hobbit! You undersized--burglar!'(276) And Thorin even starts cursing the great wizard Gandalf for his choice of a burglar 'By the beard of Durin! I wish I had Gandalf here! Curse him for the choice of YOU! May his beard wither!'(276) When Thorin is about to die he calls Bilbo to apologize about his outburst 'Farewell, good theif....I wish to part with you in friendship.... If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.' Thorin is resolving his problem that he created. He cannot change the past and his remarks, but he can patch up the friendship and make a stronger relationship with Bilbo in his parting. Tolkien is saying that leaving your problems behind is not resolving them-- rather just leaving problems unresolved.He left the world knowing that he did what he wanted to do in life: gain back the rightful treasure of his kind. His goal throughout the book was to regain the treasures of the dwarves and avenge Smaug, not get Arkenstone and rule as the greedy king in an unfriendly relationship between the elves, lakemen, and himself. Tolkien is saying that it is best to resolve problems rather than avoiding them at all which Thorin shows a great example of. // ~Not finished??? ~Mrs. Best <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">Nice Response! Much more thorough! I knew you weren't done! I agree completely! Mrs. Best