The Hobbit Questions and Answers
The Hobbit
In Chapter 16, what is Bilbo's reasoning for giving Bard and the others the Arkenstone?
Bilbo gives the Arkenstone of Thrain, 'the Heart of the Mountain', to Bard to aid him in his bargaining with Thorin. Bilbo recognizes the importance of the jewel, telling Bard that "it is also the...
The Hobbit
When talking to Smaug, what eipthets does Bilbo use to describe himself?
Epithets are similar to nicknames; they are alternate titles for something or someone which describe some specific quality or characteristic. Bilbo uses epithets to describe himself because he...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, what are Bilbo's abilities and skills?
In The Hobbit, Bilbo is chosen for the task of accompanying the Dwarves as their Burglar. Because of the general anonymity and small stature of the Hobbits, Bilbo's role as the Burglar is...
The Hobbit
In the novel The Hobbit, how does Bilbo change throughout chapters 1 through 8?
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is as much a coming-of-age story of Bilbo Baggins as it is a tale of adventure. In the first chapter of the story we see Bilbo as a contented domestic figure,...
The Hobbit
How does Bilbo describe himself when Smaug asks who he is and where he comes from?
Bilbo encounters Smaug the dragon in chapter twelve of The Hobbit. Bilbo is wearing his ring, which makes him invisible, but Smaug can still smell him. Smaug does not recognize the smell, and...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, whose fault is the ancient feud between the dwarves and elves?
As in most ancient feuds, both sides believe that they are in the right and that the opposing side is the instigator of the feud. The dwarves and elves are no exception to the rule. Their feud...
The Hobbit
How do Bilbo Baggins's actions reveal something about his strengths or weaknesses in handling the conflict in The...
One of Bilbo’s strengths in handling conflicts is that he is adaptable. One of his weaknesses is that he is stubborn. Bilbo is one clever hobbit. The fact that he is able to adapt to new...
The Hobbit
In the first chapter of The Hobbit, when Gandalf is talking to Bilbo, has Bilbo asked to go on an adventure?
Bilbo gets excited about Gandalf’s previous adventures, and Gandalf interprets that as Bilbo asking to take him on an adventure. Respectable hobbits do not go on adventures. The Shire frowns upon...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, what are the "call to adventure" and "meeting the mentor" segments of the Hero's Journey?
In the Hero’s Journey, the hero is an ordinary person who embarks on a journey of self-discovery to become a hero. In The Hobbit, Bilbo is a happy-go-lucky and somewhat hapless Hobbit who ends up...
The Hobbit
Describe what happens to Bilbo during his first attempt at burglarizing in The Hobbit.
Bibo's first assignment as a burglar is to investigate the source of the light that his party sees in chapter 2. Bilbo, being an amateur burglar with no proper experience, finds that his first...
The Hobbit
What character traits descibe Gandalf from the book The Hobbit?
The grey wizard Gandalf is one of the best known and most beloved characters from J. R. R. Tolkien's novels, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The narrator introduces him as an adventurous...
The Hobbit
What is the difference between the ways Bilbo and the dwarves reacts to Rivendell?
When Gandalf takes them to Rivendell, we learn that Bilbo loves the elves and loves being there. However, the dwarves and the elves have had a tense history, so the dwarves are more on edge with...
The Hobbit
What news does Balin bring of the land of the mountain in The Hobbit?
Balin brings news that Lake-town and Dale have been rebuilt. After his adventures, Bilbo returns home and begins to write about his journey. One day an old friend appears at his hobbit-hole....
The Hobbit
What happened to permit Thorin to fit the key into the key hole? What rune and moon letters prophesied this?
The key to which you refer is a small, “long-barrelled” silver key that Gandalf gives to Thorin at the meeting in Bilbo’s home, along with the map to the secret entrance to the Lonely Mountain....
The Hobbit
What news did Gandalf receive that made him decide to rejoin Bilbo and the dwarves in The Hobbit?
We discover that Gandalf has re-entered the narrative after leaving the dwarves at Beorn's house when Bilbo decides to steal the Arkenstone and take it as bargaining power to Bard and the Elves to...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, why did Bilbo and the dwarves stray away from the path in Chapter 8?
Let us remember that in Chapter Eight the dwarves and Bilbo appear to be in a dire situation. They are walking through the middle of an enormous forest with no hope or sign of ever reaching the end...
The Hobbit
What comparisons and contrasts can you make between the dwarves' desire and greed and that of Smaug in The Hobbit?...
The difference between Smaug and the dwarves is that the dwarves’ relatives created the treasures, and Smaug just steals them. When Gandalf and the dwarves arrive at Bilbo’s house to explain the...
The Hobbit
How does Bilbo show leadership and courage in The Hobbit?
Bilbo’s increase in confidence and courage is the defining aspect of his character arc. At the beginning of the novel, he is shut away content in his Hobbit hole, happy to remain separate and...
The Hobbit
Describe the hobbit's house, briefly.
Bilbo's house is described in lavish detail in the opening pages of the book. It is said to have a round door, painted bright green, which led into a hole. Importantly, the hole is neither too wet...
The Hobbit
Why did Dain's army attack first in The Hobbit?
Dain is Thorin’s cousin, and the battle begins because Thorin assumes that Bard is going to steal his treasure. Smaug the dragon is hoarding treasure that once belonged to Thorin the drawf’s...
The Hobbit
Why did the Elvenking set aside his anger at Thorin and decide that he would not begin a war for gold?
In Chapter 17 of The Hobbit, Thorin is acting quite stubborn about giving up any of the dragon's horde. As he says, "My mind does not change with the rising and setting of a few suns." Things get...
The Hobbit
What does Bilbo Baggins in Tolkien's The Hobbit look like?
In the beginning of the classic fantasy The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Bilbo Baggins has the appearance of a typical hobbit. He does not vary drastically from his normal looks until The Fellowship...
The Hobbit
What are examples of the elements of fantasy in The Hobbit chapters 1–6?
Much of the delight of The Hobbit comes from the fantasy elements that abound in the Middle Earth, a place full of creatures that don't exist in the real world. Thus, things like the creatures and...
The Hobbit
What is Beorn's advice for the journey through Mirkwood?
Beorn provides lodging to the company of dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf on their way to the Lonely Mountain. Beorn knows that their next route will take them through the dark forest of Mirkwood, so...
The Hobbit
What does Bilbo Baggins feel as he goes on his adventure in The Hobbit?
Bilbo feels extremely unsettled at the thought of going on an adventure, for he had no time whatsoever to prepare for his journey. He wakes up late the morning he was supposed to meet the dwarves...
The Hobbit
How does Bilbo get Smaug to reveal Smaug's weak spot?
In The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, Bilbo is a Hobbit on an adventure. At one point during the story, he must enter the lair of the dragon Smaug, underneath a mountain. When he enters, Smaug is...
The Hobbit
What are some quotes about the Dwarves' reaction to Bilbo's plan in chapter 9?
Bilbo did not have much time to explain his plan to the dwarves. He formed the plan on the spur of the moment, taking advantage of the opportunity that presented itself when the Elvish chief guard...
The Hobbit
What's an example of Bilbo showing compassion for the Elves in The Hobbit?
Initially, Bilbo seems to be an extraordinarily self-centered hobbit, though this is not at all uncommon for members of his race. Hobbits largely keep to themselves and amuse themselves by...
The Hobbit
How does Gandalf get Beorn to welcome the dwarves and Bilbo into his home?
Beorn the "bear man" in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit does not like a lot of company, and he would certainly not willingly accept 13 dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard into his home in one...
The Hobbit
Compare and contrast Bilbo’s attitude about going down the tunnel and exploring Smaug’s hoard with the dwarves in The...
The main difference is the lack of confidence on the part of the dwarves. They have witnessed Smaug's power and are terrified of him, despite the assumption that he is sleeping as he hasn't...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, what is a "dragon-spell" and how does Bilbo get Smaug to reveal a weak spot?
The dragon, Smaug, proves to be a formidable threat to Bilbo and not just on a physical level. Although his stature is certainly frightening, he also possesses the power of "dragon-spell," which...
The Hobbit
What is the attitude toward material wealth in The Hobbit?
This is a great question and one that often gets missed when reading The Hobbit. The quest for material wealth is a driving force in this story. (Indeed, it is a major theme in Tolkien's other...
The Hobbit
During the conversation between Smaug and Bilbo in ch 12 of The Hobbit, how did Bilbo show cleverness?
In Chapter Twelve, entitled "Inside Information," of The Hobbit, Bilbo shows great cleverness when he plays to Smaug's pride by flattering the dragon to trick him into revealing his weakness. The...
The Hobbit
What are 3 characteristics of a wizard?
First, wizards in The Hobbit are spirits. They come to Middle-earth in human form to help protect humans, dwarves, elves, and other free peoples from the evil of Sauron. Second, they have magical...
The Hobbit
How did Bilbo feel about the adventure after killing the spider in The Hobbit?
Bilbo has mixed feelings, including excitement, worry, and pride, after killing the spiders and rescuing the dwarves. After Bilbo drives the spiders away, his secret concerning the magic ring must...
The Hobbit
What causes the door to appear in The Hobbit? Should the dwarves have predicted this event? Why didn't they?
The dwarves and Bilbo learn from Elrond's reading of the moon letters—letters than can only be discerned when moonlight falls on them—that they can open the door when the following occurs: Stand...
The Hobbit
Describe the ways in which Bilbo gains self confidence throughout J. R. Tolkiein's The Hobbit. Please also add some...
One scene where Bilbo gains self-confidence is in chapter 9, when he helps Thorin and the other dwarves escape from the Elvenking's palace. Bilbo avoids being locked up by using his magic ring. The...
The Hobbit
What is a good thesis for J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit?
A good thesis is going to make an argument. That's the point of a thesis. It can't be a statement of fact, because then there is nothing for the paper to argue for and support. The thesis statement...
The Hobbit
Where do hobbits live in The Hobbit?
Hobbits live in luxurious underground houses called hobbit-holes. Hobbits live in The Shire. Bilbo lives in Hobbiton, although there are other nearby towns. The Shire is rural and composed mostly...
The Hobbit
Gandalf read runes, "five feet high the door and three may walk abreast." What would happen at the secret entrance if...
If that were all to be seen on the map, then nothing would have happened. The fact of the matter is that the door was a magical, enchanted door, only to be opened with the special key carried by...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, who is Elrond and how does he help the company?
In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Elrond Peredhil is the Lord of the elf city of Rivendell. He shows hospitality to the traveling company, giving them much-needed food, rest, and companionship....
The Hobbit
Why does Bilbo refuse the treasure at the end of the adventure?
Bard does offer Bilbo a significant amount of treasure at the end of the adventure, saying to him, "I would reward you most richly of all." However, while Bilbo does not actually refuse all the...
The Hobbit
What is a short summary of The Hobbit?
The fantasy novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien takes place in an imaginary land called Middle-Earth. It concerns the adventures of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins as he joins 13 dwarves and a wizard...
The Hobbit
What are the differences between the Tookses and the Baggineses?
Very good question and one which centers on the internal conflict within Bilbo Baggins himself - as a Baggins, he is respectable and "normal", but the Tookish part of him makes him yearn for...
The Hobbit
What is the purpose of the songs in The Hobbit?
I will help you with your question by providing a few examples that illustrate the purpose of the songs. In Chapter 1, “An Unexpected Party,” we come across two songs sung by Bilbo’s surprise...
The Hobbit
What are some quotes showing Bilbo Baggins's character development?
The Hobbit brings us the beloved character of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit with more to him than at first appears. Here are some quotes from the book which give us a glimpse into Bilbo's character...
The Hobbit
What is the season and month in each chapter of The Hobbit? What is the importance of the time of the year?
As described in the other answer, The Hobbit (published in 1937) begins in April and ends in November. This answer will cover the significance of these seasons in terms of J. R. R. Tolkien's...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, what name does Bilbo give his sword and why?
In a major turning point of The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins manages to kill the enormous spider of Mirkwood, thus saving himself and his comrades from being eaten by the creature who had bound them in...
The Hobbit
In The Hobbit, what is The Hill?
In the book, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, one of the settings is a section north of Hobbiton, called Hobbiton Hill or simply The Hill, which is considered the most prestigious area in which to...
The Hobbit
Why do the wood elves capture Thorin in The Hobbit?
The wood-elves, not to be confused with the evil high-elves, are actually good people. It's just that they're more than a little wary of strangers. So when they find Thorin wandering through a...
Showing 1-50 of 359