The Hobbit by J. R. R.

Tolkien
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party
1. What are some of the features of a hobbit-hole? very comfortable with paneled walls, tiles and
carpeted floors, bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries, etc.
2. What is a hobbit? a very small person, no beard, chubby, wears bright colors, has curly hair,
hairy feet and the soles of their feet tough for they never wear shoes
3. What is the protagonists name? Bilbo Baggins
4. Who is Gandalf? wizard, old man with a staff
5. What does Gandalf put on the hobbits beautiful green front-door? a sign (for the dwarves so
theyd know which hobbit home to go to)
6. How many dwarves gather at Bilbos home? 13 dwarves
7. Who is the most important dwarf? Thorin Oakenshield
8. Why have the dwarves come together? to plan getting their gold back
9. What is Gandalfs opinion of Bilbo? very high opinion of Bilbo One of the bestfierce as a
dragon in a pinchmore to him than meets the eye
10. Why had Gandalf marked Bilbos door? so the dwarves would know where to go
11. What is Gandalfs decision regarding Bilbos part in the plan? Bilbo is to be the Burglar
12. What is marked in red on the Mountain map? location of the dragon
13. The hand on the map is point to what? secret entrance to the palace inside the mountain
14. Why has Gandalf decided on the use of a burglar in the plan? Warriors and Heroes were not
available to help the dwarves
15. How did the dwarves lose their treasure and their kingdom? Smaug, the dragon, came and took
over the palace inside the mountain, as well as the gold/treasure there
16. What does Gandalf give to Thorin? a map and a key
17. Describe Bilbos mundane world: safe, has routines, serene, green, laid out nicely with gardens
and pastures, no adventure or anything dangerous
18. What is the Call to Adventure? Gandalf showing up at Bilbos home
19. Who is Bilbos mentor? Gandalf

20. What are the three themes introduced in Chapter 1?

morality, greed, and pride
21. Symbols found in Chapter 1:
round door: porthole look out at life passing by
gold chain Thorin wears greed, wealth, royalty
Shire where Bilbo lives peace, insulated life, withdrawn from life and the outside world
dragon greed
map and key Heros Journey or Quest
22. Gandalfs most important quote in Chapter 1 and what does it foreshadow?
I have chosen Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for youThere is a lot more in him than
you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself.

Chapter 2: Roast Mutton

1. How does Bilbo feel in the morning when he discovers that the dwarves have left without him?
relieved yet disappointed
2. How does Bilbo find out about the note left for him by the dwarves?
Gandalf shows up and points it out to him.
3. What are the terms proffered in the note to Bilbo?
1/14 of the treasure, traveling expenses and funeral expenses paid by the dwarves if needed
4. What is Bilbos only comfort as he starts the journey in a borrowed cloak and hood?
he wont be taken for a dwarf because he hadnt a beard
5. On the first night of camping-out, why is Bilbo sent to investigate the shining red light?
because he was the burglar
6. What does Bilbo find, and how is he certain of his discovery?
3 trolls: he recognizes them by their language, how they look, and by their size
7. How is Bilbos attempt at stealing William-the-trolls purse thwarted?
the magic purse speaks out in protest
8. Why do the trolls fight amongst themselves?
they dont know what to do about Bilbo

9. How are the dwarves captured by the trolls?

the trolls put sacks over their heads
10. How does Gandalf help Bilbo and the dwarves?
he pretends to be the different voices of the trolls and gets them all arguing until the sun rises and
turns them into stone
11. What bounty does the trolls cave provide for Thorins group?
gold coins, food, 2 swords and a knife
12. When does Crossing the First Threshold happen? when Bilbo leaves the Shire
13.What is Bilbos first test and does he pass or not? Explain.
seeing who was at the fire (trolls), gets caught stealing the trolls purse, and he doesnt pass the
test because he accidentally mentions that there are others with him to the trolls and then doesnt
help them get away

Write down what you know of these characters:

Bilbo: passive, non-adventurous, moves quietly when he wants, is a very small person, has curly
hair and hairy feet, is the protagonist of the novel
Gandalf: a wizard, makes fire words, tell stories, Bilbos mentor
Thorin: too proud, very haughty, descendant of the King Under the Mountain, plays a harp, wears a
sky blue hood with a long silver tassel, has a long beard, wears a gold chain

Chapter 3: A Short Rest

1. Why is it necessary for Thorins group to find the proper path to the Misty Mountain?
If they dont take the right path, they have to start the journey all over again.
2. Who is Elrond? How does he help Thorins group?
He is the chief of the elves. He finds and reads the moon letters on the map.
3. What are moon-letters?
Moon-letters are runes read with moonlight coming behind them. The moonlight has to be exactly
the same type of moonlight under which they were originally written.
4. The moon-letters reveal what message?
Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks
and the setting sun with the last light of Durins Day will shine
upon the key hole.

5. Describe Elrond.
Chief of the elves
Fair in looks and hair
Strong as a warrior
Wise as a wizard
Venerable as a King of dwarves
Kind as summer

Chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill

1. Why are the dwarves more optimistic than Gandalf about the time it will take to reach Lonely
Mountain? The dwarves hadnt been that way for a long time and hadnt remembered how
dangerous it was and the evils that lurked on the way.
2. What is a thunderbattle?

This is when two or more thunderstorms clash together violently.

3. What kind of shelter do Fili and Kili find for the group? What does Gandalf ask them about the
shelter?
A cave
He asks whether they checked the cave carefully.
4. How does Bilbos dream help the group? He dreamed of many bad things, cracks opening in the
cave walls amongst them. He woke up to see the cracks were real and shouted out, waking
everyone.
5. Who captures Bilbo and the dwarves? Why isnt Gandalf captured?
The goblins capture everyone but Gandalf, who disappears.
6. What do goblins do with their prisoners and their slaves?
Goblins work their prisoners and slaves until they die of lack of air and sunshine.
7. How does the Great Goblin react when he sees the sword worn by Thorin? Why?
The two swords taken from the trolls are greatly hated by the goblins, especially Thorins sword,
Biter, which was known to have killed hundreds of goblins in the past.
8. What are Biter and Beater and how do they help Thorins group?
These are the Goblin names for the two troll swords Thorin and Gandalf have. They are used to cut
through the chains.
Thorin carries a sword named Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver. The goblins call it Biter.
Gandalf carries a sword named Glamdring the Foe-hammer. The goblins call it Beater.

9. What happens to Bilbo as he is being carried on Doris back?

He rolls off Doris shoulders, bumped his head, and was knocked out.
10. Goblins are the antonym of whom? Elves
11. Goblin-town is the antonym of what two places? The Shire and Rivendell

Chapter 5: Riddles in the Dark

1. What does Bilbo find on the floor of the tunnel? What does he do with it?
A gold ring. He puts it in his pocket.
2. What does Bilbo still have in his possession from the cave of the trolls? His sword.
3. How do hobbits differ from ordinary people?
He has a fund of wisdom and wise sayings, is used to tunnels, has a good sense of direction
underground, can move very quietly, hides easily, and recovers easily from falls and bruises.
4. What is Gollum? What does it look like? What does it look like? What does it eat?
He is a small, slimy creature, dark in color. He has two big, round pale eyes in a thin face and big
feet. He eats fish and goblins.
5. What does Gollum always call himself? My precious
6. What competition does Gollum suggest to Bilbo? a riddle competition
7. What does Gollum want from his island? his gold ring
8. Why doesnt Bilbo kill Gollum?
He feels it is unfair since he is invisible and Gollum doesnt have a sword. He also feels sorry for
him.
9. How does Bilbo escape from Gollum and the goblins?
Follows Gollum to the passage that leads to the back door, jumps over Gollum, sneaks past the
goblins, gets stuck in the door but manages to squeeze through it and get out.

Chapter 6: Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire

1. What does Bilbo discover about his position as he walks along the path?
He is beyond the Misty Mountains, on the edge of the Land Beyond. (He is on the other side of the
mountain.)
2. What does Gandalf think should be done about Bilbo?
That he should be rescued by them.

3. What causes the dwarves and Gandalf to think Bilbo is very clever?
H escaped the goblins, Gollum, and got past their lookout, Balin.
4. Does Bilbo tell Thorins group about Gollums ring? Explain.
No, because he doesnt think it is the right time. He really likes all the praise hes getting.
5. What does the group find in the glade? What do they do about it?
Finds wolves gathering. The group climbs trees to escape them.
6. Why are the wolves gathering? to wait for the goblins and plan that nights attack on the villages
7. Why are the wolves guarding the trees in which the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf are sitting?
The wolves think the travelers are spies for the villagers and want to keep them in the trees to they
cant warn the villagers. They also know the goblins will be able to climb the trees to get them.
8. What does the wizard use to attack the wolves? pine cones lit with special fire
9. How does the wizards ploy backfire? the goblins use the fire he made to put their trees on fire to
smoke them out.
10. Why and how do the eagles help the treed adventurers escape? the eagles dont like goblins,
they know Gandalf from before, and so they grab the travelers and fly away.

Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings

1. After the eagles deposit the adventurers on the top of the rock, what does Gandalf announce to
them?
He announces he has pressing business elsewhere and will be leaving them soon.
2. Why does Beorn believe the story told to him by Gandalf?
That night he went to the burnt glade, captured a wolf and goblin, and verified Gandalfs story.
3. What will Beorn give to the travelers for their journey?
ponies, a horse, food, supplies
4. What is Beorns warning to the travelers?
Do not eat or drink from the forest, and to stay on the path no matter what.
5. Where are the travelers when Gandalf leaves them?
On the edge of Mirkwood.

Chapter 8: Flies and Spiders

1. How do the travelers get across the enchanted stream?
Bilbo spots the boat on the opposite side of the stream. Fili throws a rope that has a hook on the end
and grapples the boat. He and the dwarves pull it to them. Fili throws another rope with a hook on
the end and snags it onto a tree. This way they can pull themselves across the stream.
2. Why do the travelers leave the path? What happens?
They see torch light and are so hungry they decide to risk going off the path. They see wood elves
feasting. However, the moment they go into the clearing the fires are extinguished and they are left
in darkness the wood -elves and feast disappears. Now they are off the path and lost.
3. What does Bilbo accomplish that makes him feel bolder?
He kills a spider with his sword, named Sting, all by himself.
4. What has captured the dwarves? Spiders
5. How does Bilbo rescue the dwarves from the spiders?
He taunts them with a mean song, throws rocks at them, kills some, and then leads them away from
the dwarves so that he can double back and free the dwarves.
6. Does knowing about the magic ring lessen the dwarves opinion of Bilbo? Why or why not?
No, it actually increases their opinion of him. They know that he is also using his wits, along with
the ring, to get things done.
7. What happens to Thorin? He is captured by the wood- elves. The king interrogates him to no
avail, and in anger throws him in the dungeon until he decides to tell the king why he is in his
woods.