My earliest memory of The Hobbit is my father reading it to me when I was young. I remember cuddling with pillows as my dad read the adventures of Bilbo Baggins. He loved that book and really wanted me to like it too. I did. When we finished the book, he went on to read The Fellowship of the Ring. At least he started it, I think I finished it on my own. The elves were always my favorite. I for one really like when an author takes a legend like goblins, elves, dwarfs, wizards and the like, and takes it and makes it their own. I will forever think of elves as the elves in this book, no matter what other story comes along and defines them as something else. J.R.R. Tolkien has ruined me for other elves! :-)
I love the way that Tolkien writes. No one writes like Tolkien, no one has and I don't think that anyone will. I feel the same way about Jane Austen. You can always tell if she has written it, because it has a lilt to it. Tolkien is the same way. His writing is unique and many will try to copy it but I don't think that anyone really ever will. For your reading pleasure: "His heart was filled and pierced with enchantment and with the desire of dwarves; and he gazed motionless, almost forgetting the frightful guardian, at the gold beyond price and count." (pg 169) Now, Tolkien could have just said that Bilbo was enchanted with the gold in front of him, but he doesn't. Instead he uses this flowing and descriptive language that really gives the reader a sense of how Bilbo was feeling.
I am going to mention one thing before I move on to more quotes that I love. Tolkien's characters are flawed. There is no character that is perfect. All have faults and all make mistakes. I love that about him. I struggle to embrace my faults and I love that even the heroes in these stories make mistakes and have to deal with them. Tolkien could be considered a Christian writer, he wrote many a speech and essay on the subject. I think that this is the reason his characters are flawed, because humans are flawed. The real judge of a good person, is what they do when they make a mistake, not if they make a mistake at all.
"Above him the sleeping dragon lay, a dire menace even in his sleep. He grasped a great two-handled cup, as heavy as he could carry, and cast one fearful eye upwards. Smaug stirred a wing, opened one claw, the rumble of his snoring changed its note." (pg 168-169) I highlighted this passage for the same reason that I highlighted the other one. Tolkien could have just said that he grabbed the cup and ran. Instead he allows the reader to become a part of the story. The reader feels what Bilbo felt. Hears what he would have heard. Beautiful writing.
"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live hear him." These are words of advice. Leave out the dragon as a literal object, it is a metaphor. I see it as, if you are threatened by someone who is a part of your life, it does no good to not pay attention to him. I like how it doesn't say that the dragon is all you should think about, just don't leave it out of your calculations. I have a student coming back into my class that got expelled last year, now he is back. It has really been worrying me. If I follow this quote's advice, then I cannot leave him out of my calculations, however I should not lay awake thinking about how terrible it might end up being.
"His rage passes description--the sort of rage that is only seen when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before wanted or used." (pg 170) Social commentary anyone? I am blessed, I do have all that I need. Bilbo took a cup from a huge pile of gold, large enough for a dragon to sleep on. The dragon never took notice of it before, not until it was taken from him. Ever notice that? You never miss something until it is gone.
"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!" (pg 178) Ok, I used to frequent a bar here in town. (I am a teacher, sometimes I just need a beer!) This quote was written on a bathroom stall in one particular bar. I am not sure this is what Tolkien had in mind when he wrote this book. It took me a while to remember where I had read that quote before. But it is true, never laugh at live dragons, it is really not a good idea.
Last but not least, we have to mention the ring. The one Ring... The ring that caused all the events in The Lord of the Rings, I love how the story flows, there are no holes, the ring is the same ring in both books. Gollum is the same Gollum in both stories, he is still driven by want of the ring. The ring still has power over him.
The Hobbit is a wonderful story and a great lead-in to the more in depth Lord of the Rings to follow. My perfect pairing for this book is anywhere. It doesn't matter where you are, the story and setting will suck you in. It doesn't matter if you are in a doctor's office, in bed before you fall asleep or in a coffee shop, you will not care. You will be in a world of dwarfs, elves and hobbits.
I am really excited for the Peter Jackson adaptation of this story. He did the Lord of the Rings justice and if anyone can make The Hobbit come alive, I think he has a good shot. Here's hoping!
Next up, I may as well keep the trend going, Lord of the Rings it is! Fellowship of the Ring is up first!
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