{"id":629,"date":"2011-11-04T06:00:15","date_gmt":"2011-11-04T13:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/?p=629"},"modified":"2011-10-29T12:22:14","modified_gmt":"2011-10-29T19:22:14","slug":"mark-reads-the-hobbit-chapter-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/2011\/11\/mark-reads-the-hobbit-chapter-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Reads ‘The Hobbit’: Chapter 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the tenth chapter of The Hobbit<\/em>, Bilbo and the dwarves actually have something genuinely good happen to them. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Hobbit<\/em>.<\/p>\n

CHAPTER TEN: A WARM WELCOME<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, this is kind of pleasant when you look at the entire thing! And it’s rather nice that there’s a momentary break right in the midst of this, if only because jesus shit this is getting so intense<\/em>. Even while simply dealing with the dwarves being in a bunch of barrels and getting them fed and re-supplied, Tolkien still<\/em> advances the entire group of characters so that we can see how they’ve grown.<\/p>\n

DID I EVER MENTION I LOVE CHARACTER GROWTH BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE IT<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This is the first chance for Tolkien to give a character a glimpse of the Lonely Mountain; Bilbo manages to see it when the river gives way to a great valley of marshes, streams, and pools. At the same time, the sight of this mountain sends both dread and satisfaction through Bilbo. Obviously, he’s nearing the place where Smaug is supposed to be hoarding the dwarves’ gold, but he admits to himself that he’s done a pretty good job of keeping himself and his new friends alive. And it’s moments like this, where Bilbo concedes these things to himself, that we can see him continue to accept who he is and what he’s capable of.<\/p>\n

This is also when the Long Lake is introduced; my only experience with a lake that could possibly compare to this is Lake Michigan. Well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.I have lived in California most of my life, so I do<\/em> have the Pacific Ocean close by all the time. Here, the Long Lake is yet another impossibly gigantic and overwhelming feature of the geography that Bilbo travels over. My first thought, though? OH SHIT WHAT LAKE MONSTERS ARE LURKING BENEATH THE SURFACE<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

That’s part of the surprise (and appeal) of chapter ten. I kept expecting things to go wrong yet again<\/em>. That’s what Tolkien has built into my head from the last five or six chapters. So when I learn that the town on this side of the lake is inhabited by men and<\/em> Wood-elves, I anticipated the worst. How on earth would Bilbo free the dwarves without raising suspicion? Let’s say he did; if there’s only one town, how could they hide? Tolkien doesn’t take much time to answer this question when the Wood-elves leave the barrels and the raft behind to feast in town, and Bilbo is left behind to do his work.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if it was Tolkien’s intention to write this so humorously, but I can’t help but smile and laugh at how this all unfolds. And not in a malicious way! I was worried about the state of the dwarves, after spending (what I think was) days inside those barrels, but then Bilbo’s first words to Thorin were so sassy that I couldn’t help but laugh:<\/p>\n

“Well, are you alive or are you dead?” asked Bilbo quite crossly. Perhaps he had forgotten that he had had at least one good meal more than the dwarves, and also the use of his arms and legs, not to speak of a greater allowance of air. “Are you still in prison, or are you free? If you want food, and if you want to go on with this silly adventure–it’s yours after all and not mine–you had better slap your arms and rub your legs and try and help me get the others out while there is a chance!”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
WELL, DAMN<\/em>. Mr. Sassy Gay Hobbit, I see! I mean\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.Bilbo. Bilbo<\/em>. These dwarves have BEEN IN BARRELS. For a very long time! And even after the two of them discover that only half of the remaining dwarves even respond<\/em> to knocking, Bilbo doesn’t even relent in his irritation. I get that this isn’t his adventure, but you’re far enough away from home that this sort of doesn’t matter anymore<\/em>. Still, I like this dynamic that the dwarves have with Bilbo, and vice versa. As they grow to respect one another, there’s still room for them to be curt with each other.<\/p>\n
And so Thorin, Bilbo, and then Fili and Kili set about to free all of the dwarves. I liked that they weren’t all just sore or that they didn’t pop out of their barrels being perfectly fine; it’s a lot more realistic that way. Plus, as I said, I couldn’t help but smile at how ridiculous this must have looked: a bunch of soggy, nearly-unconscious dwarves laying about on the shore of a giant lake.<\/p>\n
It’s obvious that there was really nothing left for them to do but to head into town, and it’s there that Thorin surprises me (and the guards as well): he tells the guards that he has come back<\/em> and must see the Master of the town. I know that the dwarves are from this side of the world, but I was wondering what sort of plan Thorin had to get inside. It turns out to be incredibly simple: Thorin’s reputation (or at least his family name\/grandfather) holds a whole lot of weight in this town, so much so that when the very Wood-elves who unknowingly brought the dwarves with them object to their presence, they’re overshadowed by the sheer excitement from the citizens of the place. WHICH IS PRETTY AWESOME, I MIGHT ADD. So Thror was called the King beneath the mountains? OMG WHAT DID HE DO. Was it something related to that goblin\/dwarf war that’s been referenced?<\/p>\n
Well, whatever it is, even though the Master of the town isn’t even entirely sure if this is actually<\/em> Thorin, the citizens essentially pamper the entire group for a week<\/strong>. A whole week! There is a lot of food. There is new clothing. The dwarves basically get makeovers. EXTREME DWARF MAKEOVER. Oh, and this:<\/p>\n
Then, as he had said, the dwarves’ good feeling towards the little hobbit grew stronger every day. There were no more groans or grumbles. They drank his health, and they patted him on the back, and they made a great fuss of him; which was just as well, for he was not feeling particularly cheerful.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
THIS IS SO ADORABLE. He’s becoming their friend<\/em>. Also, a hobbit with a cold. WHY DOES THAT SEEM LIKE IT WOULD BE CUTE AS WELL?<\/p>\n
While everything is quite pleasant for the group, Tolkien allows us to see how things are back at the palace where the dwarves escaped. Understandably so, the Elvinking is a tad upset at the escape of his prisoners, and he resolves to block their passage if they try to return through the forest. If<\/em> is the operative word; the Master holds the same sentiment, believing that Thorin and his band will never make to Smaug or they’ll be killed by the dragon if they do. It seems that not many people have faith in the group at all. And I get that; what these creatures are doing is ridiculous and absurd, but no one realizes what they’ve already<\/em> been through, nor how much they’ve grown in the process. That’s for us to appreciate. Because make no mistake: this group of thirteen dwarves and one little hobbit are in a much better state than they were when they set out months ago.<\/p>\n
oh god why do i think this is only going to get worse now oh god<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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