Hobbit+Hussey

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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.

A conflict in the Hobbit is whether or not Bilbo Baggins should join the dwarves on their adventure to regain their stolen treasure back from the evil dragon named Smaug, who stole all of the dwarve's ancestor's jewels and gold, or if he should just stay home and continue to have a boring and lazy life in his hobbit hole. This conflict moves the story forward because I want to keep reading to find out what happens in the dwarves and Bilbo's adventure. I don't want to put the book down, and I think that is the same with many other people who are reading this book. Way too brief. This is a WONDERFUL conflict, but you do not explain it fully at all. You don't even mention his Tookish side fighting with his hobbit side. ~Mrs. Best

A conflict in The Hobbit is whether or not Bilbo Baggins should join the dwarves on their adventure to regain their stolen treasure back from the evil dragon named Smaug, who stole all of the dwarve's ancestor's jewels and gold, or if he should just stay home and continue to have a boring and lazy life in his hobbit hole. When Bilbo first met Gandalf, Bilbo thought adventures were awful things. He liked his boring life in his hobbit hole rather than going on adventures. He said, "We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them" (page 4). When the dwarves began to sing and explain the adventure and the excitement of the adventure, Bilbo started to change his mind and thought he might want to go on the adventure. This is explained in the quote, "As they sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by the hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and a jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains" (page 15). The Tookish side comes from his mother's side who liked adventures. Then Bilbo started to get nervous when he heard more about the adventure. The book says, "Poor Bilbo couldn't bear it any longer. At may never return he began to feel a shriek coming up inside, and very soon it burst out like the whistle of an engine coming out of a tunnel" (page 17). It is like his Tookish side, liking adventrues, is fighting with his hobbit side, liking to stay safely at home while eating a lot. However, when Bilbo heard the dwarves saying that they didn't think he was the right one for this adventure because he seemed afraid, Bilbo decided at that moment that he wanted to go on the adventure and be like the relatives on his mother's side. It was almost like they challenged him. The book says, "The Took side had won. He suddenly felt he would go without bed and breakfast to be thought fierce" (page 18). Bilbo also felt the confidence that Gandalf had in him. Gandalf explains this to the dwarves when he says, "I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is Burglar, a Burglar he is, or will be when the time comes.There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself " ( Page 19). This confidence made Bilbo feel less aftraid and more intrigued with going on the adventure. Bilbo started taking charge and wanted to know more about the adventure. Tolkien moves the story forward with this conflict because the reader wants to find out what happens in the dwarve's and Bilbo's adventure, so the reader wants to keep reading. The reader wants to find out how Bilbo contributes to the adventure and to see if he is a successful burglar. Also, the reader wants to find out how the relationship between Bilbo and the dwarves grows, good or bad. The reader also wants to know if Bilbo ever gets back to his hobbit home. Lastly, the reader wants to find out in the end if Bi`lbo's decision to go on the adventure was a good decision for him. ~ Much MUCH better response! Great job. Mrs. Best

Charlie Bolles Reading-6 3-4-11

Evan, I totally agree with what you said. I was happy when Bilbo decided to go and I just did not want to put my book down. I wanted to keep reading and see what was going to happen in his journey. Good response, I felt the same way. This is not a helpful comment. You might have pointed out that Bilbo really never decided to go at all! ~Mrs. Best

In your own words, describe what happens next to Bilbo and the dwarves in the forest.

After a nights rest, Bilbo, the dwarves, and Gandolf ride to Mirkwood forest. Gandolf warns them to always stay on the path or else they won't survive. Then they send the ponies back to Beorn and plunge into the forest without Gandolf. In the forest it is very dark and gloomy where in some parts you couldn't even see your hand infront of your face. Then the dwarves and Bilbo have to cross the stream that is thought to be enchanted. While stepping off of the boat to get across Bofur falls into the stream that Beorn told them not to drink or bathe in. Bofur immediatly falls asleep after he is pulled out of the stream. This is not the forest part that we just read. It was to be about the wargs and goblins chasing them up the trees. ~Mrs. Best 3/14

March 23, 2011

I have been on an extremely exciting adventure since February 5th, 2010. This was the day my family picked up our puppy who we later named Bailey. Driving to Cedarburg was one of the most exciting moments of my life because I have been waiting for a dog since I was very young. We had not been able to get a dog before then because my brother had asthma, but finally the doctor said Hayden's asthma had gotten a lot better so we could get a dog. We walked into the house of the breeder and saw two cute puppies. When the breeder handed Bailey to us, we knew she would be an amazing dog.

Getting Bailey has helped me grow in many ways. It has taught me how to have patience because Bailey sometimes does things that we don't want her to do, like going to the bathroom in the house and chewing up my expensive pencils. I have learned to not yell at her but to put her in her kennel so she learns to not do these things again. It has also taught me responsibilty because I need to take Bailey outside to go to the bathroom and I need to take her for walks. Lastly, it has taught me how to love an animal like a brother or sister. Bailey and I play tug of war together, and sometimes we even get a little mad at each other. But that will never change how much I love her. I have changed through this adventure of having a dog. Now I know how much fun it is to have a dog and how much I can love an animal. ~ Great connection, but would have liked you to relate it back to Mr. Baggins as well. ~Mrs. Best

**//Hobbit Question 4 March 29, 2011 //**

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%; line-height: 23px;">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.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%; line-height: 23px;">If Thorin could have lived, I think he would have regretted his greed. Thorin knew before he died that Bilbo gave the Arkenstone to Bard and the Elvenking as a way to make him share. Bilbo knew Thorin would buy it back since the Arkenstone was so important to him. Bilbo says, "This is the Arkenstone of Thrain, the Heart of the Mountain; and it is also the heart of Thorin. He values it above river of gold. I give it to you" (page 272-273). This caused a huge war and many died, including Thorin. On Thorin's death bed he was forced to think about what his values actually were, and he then apologized to Bilbo after the war on his death bed. He said, "Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate" (page 290). Thorin said he wanted to be friends with Bilbo and that he wished he could take back all the bad things he said and did. In this same quote, Bilbo says that he realizes he cannot take the gold and silver with him. Thorin understands at that point that friendship and spending time with friends is more important than material things. He explains this when he says, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world" (page 290). Thorin realizes before his death that there is more about living than being rich. I do think he would have regretted his greed if he could have lived.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%; line-height: 23px;">I think Tolkien is trying to teach us that having good friends is more important than having a lot of material things like Ipods, phones, and computers. He stresses that friendship will help us enjoy life more than material things will. He is also trying to tell us that we cannot buy true friends, and that we have to be a good friend to have a good friend. Lastly,Tolkien is trying to get across that if we are too greedy, we will not be looked at as a good person and we might not go to Heaven. This book teaches many good lessons we can learn from about friendship and priorities. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">~ I agree. You made good choices for textual citations. ~Mrs. Best