An Unexpected Party:
Bilbo Baggins is smoking his pipe and minding his own business when one day the wizard Gandalf arrives at his front door. Gandalf asks if Bilbo would be interested in going on an adventure, but Bilbo declines. He invites the wizard to come over for tea some time so as not to seem rude, but excuses himself not wanting anything to do with adventures. The next afternoon his doorbell rings and a Dwarf pushes past him and sits down to eat by Bilbos table. He’s followed promptly by 12 others of his kind and Gandalf. An unexpected party begins.
It soon becomes clear that Gandalf has volunteered Bilbo to be a burglar for the Dwarves on their adventure. Bilbo of course wants none of this and the Dwarves don’t find the Hobbit suited at all, but Gandalf sees something in Bilbo.
Gandalf brings out an old map and shows the company a secret entrance to which Thorin the chief Dward holds a key, and Thorin tells Bilbo the tale of his people and Smaug the dragon. After some discussion, Bilbo shows his guests to his guest-quarters and goes to bed to spend a night in troubled sleep.
What are we told about Hobbits and their customs in this chapter? What are the two sides of Bilbo Baggins? What did you first make of the Dwarves and how did Bilbo manage during his trials? How does Bilbo function as a contrast to the Dwarves and Gandalf and the dragon? Join us in #thehalloffire as we discuss ‘An unexpected Party’ – Chapter I of ‘The Hobbit’.
Times:
Saturday Chat:
5:30pm ET (17:30)
[also 11:30pm (23:30) CET and 9:30am Sunday (09:30) AET]
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7:00 pm (19:00) CET
[also 1:00pm (13:00) ET and 5:00am (05:00) Monday morning AET]
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