Dialectical Journal For The Hobbit

Chapter 2
Bilbo wakes up late the morning after Gandalf’s visit. He is a little relieved to see the dwarves had left without him. He had just plopped down to have a nice breakfast when Gandalf arrives and urgencies him off to the Green Dragon Inn where Thorin, and the rest of the dwarves have been waiting for Bilbo. They head east on the path with Bilbo already sulking about having to leave his wonderful hobbit hole without making preparations. It begins to rain and by the time dusk approaches the whole company is tired, hungry, and annoyed at Gandalf’s disappearance earlier that day. Suddenly they see the light which seems to be of a fire in the distance. They move closer to investigate it, and Bilbo is sent ahead in his primary mission as burglar. As he approaches a glade in the woods Bilbo sees three enormous trolls squatting around a fire feasting upon mutton. Bilbo tries to steal one of the troll’s money purses, but they hear a noise and seize him. Trolls will eat almost anything, but they are also irritable and not very smart. They proceed fight about how to interrogate Bilbo.
The commotion attracts the dwarves who come to the clearing one at a time. The trolls stop fighting just long enough to hide amongst the trees and throw a sack over each dwarf. Soon they have everyone

tied up except Bilbo whom they’ve forgotten. The trolls decide to cook the dwarves, but a voice which sounds like one of the trolls starts an argument, and the three trolls fight again. This fighting goes on for quite some time until the trolls notice that it is almost dawn. The sun peeks over the horizon and the trolls all freeze in the sunlight as they turn stone never moving again.
Gandalf then steps into the clearing. He had been impersonating the trolls to keep the trolls arguing until morning. He and Bilbo release the dwarves who are shaken but otherwise unharmed. Searching nearby they find the trolls’ lair and a number of weapons, gold, and supplies which they take as payment for their pains.
Chapter 3
As the company starts on their journey once more at dawn of the next day Gandalf explains that he had checked the road ahead up to the last safe stop along their way. This stop is Rivendell a city of elves located beyond the Edge of the Wild near the foothills of the Misty Mountains which they will have to pass. As the company approaches Rivendell a number of elves approach them and invite them to eat and rest. During their stay they meet Elrond the chief elf who is “as strong as a warrior, as wise as a wizard, as venerable as a king of dwarves, and as kind as summer.”
Elrond can interpret the ancient runes found on the company’s new weapons and on Thorin’s map of the mountain. The swords taken from the trolls he tells they are renowned goblin-killers from the great goblin wars. Gandalf’s sword is called Glamdring, and Thorin’s is named Orcrist. On Thorin’s map Elrond is able to read moon letters writing visible only in the light of the moon that describe how to find the secret entrance on the Lonely Mountain. The group is in high spirits when they depart from Rivendell. Everyone is prepared for the road ahead.
Chapter 4
Bilbo and the others progress to the Misty Mountains. Thanks to Elrond’s and Gandalf’s advice they are able to find a decent pass over the highland range among the many drop-offs. The climb still is long and treacherous. A ferocious thunderstorm breaks forcing them to find shelter. Luckily Fili and Kili find a cave in a side of the mountain. They bring in the ponies and make camp for the evening.
In the middle of the night Bilbo wakes suddenly just in time to see an enormous crack that has opened in the cavern wall. He yells and out of the crack jump dozens of goblins who carry off each member of the company except Gandalf who heard Bilbo’s yell. The goblins transport the dwarves and the hobbit down into the mountain to a huge chamber where the Great Goblin sits. He wants to know why dwarves are in this region and what they are doing in his mountain. Thorin tries to explain the storm, but one of the goblins brings the sword that Thorin took from the trolls which he had when he was captured. This sword Orcrist is well-known among the goblins.
The goblins go into a bling rage and the Great Goblin lunges at Thorin to kill him. Just at that moment the torches that were lighting the cavern go out and the great fire in the chamber throws its sparks onto the goblins. In the confusion sword flashes and strikes down the Great Goblin. Then a voice guides the captives out of the cavern. It is Gandalf who leads them through the passages and deeper into the mountain. The goblins follow hastily after them, and one of the goblins catches up to the dwarf Dori who has been carrying Bilbo on his back. Bilbo falls off and goes down into the darkness, strikes his head on the ground, and loses consciousness.
Chapter 5
When Bilbo becomes conscious again he can see nothing in the deep black dark around him. Feeling around on the floor he comes across a ring which he puts in his pocket. He has no idea where the exit lies or where the group is. Picking a path that he feels he had been on when he was traveling with the dwarves he comes across a lake. There he discovers an outlandish creature named Gollum. When Gollum sees Bilbo obviously lost he is interested and hungry so he approaches the hobbit. Bilbo brandishes his sword when he hears Gollum.
Gollum does not want to contend with the sword so he wants to play a riddle game.

If Gollum’s riddle stumps Bilbo he will devour Bilbo, but if Bilbo’s stumps Gollum Gollum will show Bilbo the way out. Bilbo must agree, and they begin asking each other riddles. In the end Bilbo wins through a bit of trickery and of a mistake. Referring to the ring he had found he asks to himself, “What have I got in my pocket?” and Gollum says he must receive three guesses, but still cannot guess the right answer. Gollum does not intend to let his meal get away so easily. He goes to his island in the lake to get his precious, golden, ring that makes its wearer invisible the very ring that Bilbo had

found.
Unable to find the ring Gollum becomes furious and suspects Bilbo of stealing it and runs at him in rage. Bilbo happens to slip on the ring while putting his hand in his pocket and Gollum runs right past him. Realizing the ring’s power Bilbo follows Gollum who heads toward the exit thinking that Bilbo is running towards that way. When Gollum gets near the exit he stops because there are goblins around it. Bilbo leaps over him runs past the goblins unnoticed thanks to the ring and just barely manages to squeeze through the door into freedom.
Chapter 6
Fleeing from the goblins and still invisible Bilbo looks back and realizes that he made it to the other side of the mountain. Walking along he stumbles upon Gandalf and the dwarves who have been wondering where he was. The hobbit slides off the ring and shocks them and then explains how he made his way out. However he refrains from mentioning his discovery of the ring.
Gandalf implores the assembly to get moving again since only sunbeams are keeping the goblins from chasing after them. The group is a slight bit north of where they had intended to be, and they have a tough country to cross. Evening comes as they pass through a grove of trees. They hear the violent howl of wolves and barely have time to scamper up into trees before the wolves descend upon them. The beasts are actually Wargs. The Wargs are allies of goblins and they notify the goblins. The goblins arrive and, laughing at the company’s predicament light fires under the trees in which Gandalf, the dwarves, and Bilbo are hiding.
Gandalf prepares to attack the goblins hoping to kill as many as he can before they kill him. Luckily for them the Lord of the Eagles has seen the fires from his roost in the mountains. With a number of other eagles he swoops down, picks up the travelers, and flies them to safety. They are happy to provide food and rest for the weary travelers, who then continue on their journey.