As the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf near Beorn's house in chapter 7 of The Hobbit, Gandalf is telling the little bit that he knows about their soon-to-be host. After telling them that Beorn is a skin-changer, he makes the following curious statement: "At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own." Gandalf then... Continue Reading →
When Kili and Fili rock up on Bilbo's doorstep, they joyfully exclaim, "Let us join the throng!" Bilbo can only whimper at their use of the word "throng," as he has no idea yet how many more dwarves are about to show up. But for the young dwarves, there is an almost festive, celebratory spirit... Continue Reading →
Throughout The Hobbit, Bilbo's two halves—Baggins and Took—continue to clash. His Tookish half, representing adventure, curiosity, and a bit of wildness, has lain dormant for many, many years until the dwarves arrive on his doorstep and begin singing of the Lonely Mountain far away. Then, Tolkien writes, "Something Tookish woke up inside him." This conversion... Continue Reading →
Something Tookish 