The Lord of the Rings Discussion Project: Chapter 5 and Chapter 6

[jerseydevil]

I guess I should do this so I can stop feeling guilty about not getting this done.

Chapter 5: A Conspiracy Unmasked
This chapter here brings up a very important aspect of the books – and that is the close friendship between the hobbits.

The chapter starts off with them getting on the ferry after leaving Farmer Maggots and meeting up with Merry. It goes into the history of the Brandybucks as well as the founding and development of Buckland.

“A Conspiracy Unmasked� has a great peaceful, friendly tone and the imagery is very soothing, especially the first part of the chapter. This is basically the last peaceful chapter before they get thrust into the heart of the danger. They still have their innocence here.

As they move across the river to Buckland, we get a hint of Sam’s uneasiness with being on boats. This fact comes up again when they go down the Anduin. Once they cross the Brandywine they see movement on the shore they just left.


On the far stage, under the distant lamps, they could just make out a figure: it looked like a dark black bundle left behind. But as they looked it seemed to move and sway this way and that, as if searching the ground. It then crawled, or went crouching, back into the gloom beyond the lamps.


So what is this creature? I have always felt it was a Black Rider, and still do feel it is. It could, however, possibly be Gollum. Because of Jackson’s movie, the image of the Black Riders has “changed�. Going by the black riders in the movie – I think it would have been very hard to mistake the Black Riders for a “dark black bundle�. If one goes by the way I have always pictured them and as Bashki portrayed them, I think it is very easy to see how it could be a Black Rider. Then again – there is no sign of a horse if it is a Black Rider. The one reason I don’t think it is Gollum is that he would most likely have been able to swim across the river. I don’t think he would have just turned around like that.

After reaching the house, Frodo feels guilt for having lied to his friends. They have gone through all the trouble to make his new home feel and look just like Bag End. When they eat – we see their passion for mushrooms. Frodo even tells his friends to “Take your greedy hands away…� This line is sort of interesting – because he reacts almost as if they had reached for the Ring.

After dinner, Pippin tells Merry and Fatty about meeting up with the Black Riders on the way there and about the riders showing up at Farmer Maggot’s looking for Frodo. Frodo then admits that there is a connection between the riders and Bilbo’s treasure.

The way the conspiracy is revealed is great, with Merry surprisingly telling Frodo all that he had been thinking. Frodo reveals he must leave immediately and not be hindered. Slowly the closeness and the meaning of their friendship is revealed. First there is this…


“You do not understand!� Said Pippin. “You must go – and therefore we must, too. Merry and I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon’s throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet; but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure.�


They then reveal, to Frodo’s surprise, that Sam was telling them all that was going on, up to the point where Gandalf had caught him. Sam was the eyes and ears of the group and to keep an eye on Frodo.

Then comes one of the greatest speeches as far as I am concerned in the entire book. One that I am entirely upset was NOT in the movie…


….�Begging your pardon, sir! But I meant no wrong to you, Mr Frodo, nor to Mr Gandalf for that matter. He has some sense, mind you; and when you said go alone, he said no! take someone as you can trust.�

“But it does not seem that I can trust anyone,� said Frodo.

Sam looked at him unhappily. “It depends on what you want,� put in Merry. “You can trust us to stick to you through think and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of your – closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo….We are horribly afraid – but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds.�


This is a demonstration of the true friendship that is between the hobbits. How they stand by Frodo through thick and thin, the good times and the bad times. This aspect was central to the book, but only whitewashed in the movie, which was VERY disappointing.

After this – it is agreed that they will all come, except for Fatty, with Frodo. One thing I find strange is that Sam just disappears without telling his father. I’ve wondered if Fatty had ever told the Gaffer where Sam went off too. I assume that news must have gone out eventually of what was going on – but Tolkien gives no indication what the Gaffer thought about Sam missing and not returning after going to Buckland.

After deciding that they would be going on together and leaving in the morning. The way to leave needs to be determined. Frodo does not want to take an open road where everyone can see him leave. The importance of secrecy is the utmost concern on their minds. They then decide they will go through the Old Forest. Although Fatty objects, Merry declares that he has been in the forest and that it would be much safer than meeting up with the Black Riders.

Fatty’s (Fredegar Bolger) purpose is to stay behind and pretend to be Frodo and to answer any questions from people snooping around or looking for Frodo. He is to keep the charade up until Frodo and Company are safely away.

[jerseydevil]

Chapter 6: The Old Forest
There really isn’t much to say about the Old Forest. I have mixed feelings about the chapter. I used to hang out in the woods all the time and I love the imagery of this chapter. It really brings you into the forest, but on the other hand – it really doesn’t add much to the characterization or the plot of the story.

As usual – Tolkien brings the reader right into the story and makes them feel like they are in the story with the Hobbits. This I feel is one of Tolkien’s great strengths in his story telling. Reading – you can hear the birds, the twigs snapping, you can feel the dread and finality of leaving the shire as the gate clangs shut after they enter the Old Forest. Sadky – this is what is missing from the movies. Never really feeling a part of them – but instead just observing.

Going through the Old Forest, one feels the eeriness and the dread. The paths keep shifting, drawing them into the forest and toward the Withywindle valley. This is a prelude to the Fangorn Forest.

As they go further, they become sleepy. They unknowingly are being lolled to sleep by the forest. They end up falling asleep by and old grey willow tree. Sam was the least affected and fought off the sleep. He heard a splash and a sound like a door and lock shutting. He found Frodo in the water with a great tree root holding him down. After Sam helps Frodo out, Frodo tells Sam – “…the beastly tree threw me in!� This is the first indication that the trees are actually dangerous.

Upon coming to where the others had fallen asleep – they find only their legs sticking out. After trying desperately to pull Merry and Pippin out, they decide they will start a fire around the tree. After getting the fire going, they hear Merry cry “Put it out! Put it out! He’ll squeeze me in two, if you don’t. He says so!�

After putting out the fire and failing at freeing their friends, they start to run around and scream for help. All this time it seems as if the willow tree has been mocking them.

Suddenly there is the sound of singing. It is our introduction to Tom Bombadil. Tom is described as not being very tall, but taller than a hobbit, he wears a old battered hat with a tall crown and a blue feather, and wears yellow boots with a blue coat. He is wrinkled with lines of laughter, his face is red, he has a long brown beard and his eyes are blue. Tom speaks in a sing-song way.

Upon coming to the hobbits, he is told of their plight. And goes up to Old Man Willow…


Tom put his mouth to the crack and began singing into it in a low voice. The could not catch the words, but evidently Merry was aroused. His legs began to kick. Tom sprang away, and breaking off a hanging branch smote the side of the willow with it. “You let them out again, Old Man Willow!� he said. “What be you a-thinking of? You should not be waking. Eat earth! Dig deep! Drink water! Go to sleep! Bombadil is talking!� He then seized Merry’s feet and drew him out of the suddenly widening crack.


After rescuing the hobbits from Old Man Willow, he tells the hobbits they shall come home with him where Goldberry is waiting. As they start to follow, they are unable to keep up with Tom and he disappears before them. He sings to them that “we will be waiting�

Dust came as they were still making their way through the woods to Tom’s house. I have gotten the feeling that the trees are in some ways glaring at them. Upset that their catch has gotten away by this statement “they (the hobbits) caught sight of queer gnarled and knobbly faces that gloomed dark against the twilight, and leered down at them from the high bank and the edges of the wood.� Now that they are under the protection of Tom – the trees won’t hurt them, but they aren’t happy about it either.

Once they leave the woods, the come upon the lawn and path leading to Tom Bombadil’s house. They come upon the house with Tom and Goldberry singing welcome to them.

Tom Bombadil is the strangest and most mysterious of all the characters I think in Lord of the Rings. There is really no explaination for him. In some ways the book seems to drag on a bit at this point.

I like this chapter to a point to where I think part of it should have been included in the movie, I do not think it is completely essential to the story though.

[Valandil]

Interesting... I would have never thought of the 'black bundle' as being anything OTHER than a Black Rider. It seems a natural to leave your horse at the bank and walk out onto a dock - and I figured the 'bundle' appearance was from stooping over to sniff - and maybe the view being obscured a bit by the fog.

A subtle thing I only recently thought about. The end of Chapter 5 tells us the first of several significant dreams that Frodo has. In this dream he is first looking from a window over a 'dark sea of tangled trees' with sounds of creatures crawling and snuffling down below - and then the dream shifts and he's before a White Tower near the Sea itself. Maybe we need a separate thread to discuss the various dreams as a whole, but what do the rest of you think of this dream itself. What does it mean? Why does he dream it (IOW, where does the dream come from?)?

[jerseydevil]

I was actually going to mention the dreams. I was trying to figure out if that was some sort of forshadowing. But it only seems to me like the most likely - to be going over to the west.

As for leaving the horse on the bank while going on the dock. That's not the case in the movie. :p Seriously though - I don't find it really odd to walk or ride a horse slowly onto a dock. This part reminds me a lot of colonial and revolutionary New Jersey. We had many ferries like this at that time. They used to take their horses onto the ferries to cross the rivers, such as the Delaware - so they would have to bring horses onto the docks.

[Valandil]

Maybe the Nazgul's horse had some scary premonition about water? :p ;)

[Rían]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
I guess I should do this so I can stop feeling guilty about not getting this done. Yeah, we all have those busy/difficult/whatever times in life where we just can't do a project like we really want to :( , and just have to do the best we can and go with it. I think we all understand, and hope things are going better for you. Thanks for getting it up, and it's a nice summary!


This chapter here brings up a very important aspect of the books – and that is the close friendship between the hobbits. The dialogue between the hobbits throughout the whole book is absolutely brilliant - and shows MUCH more effectively their real friendship than just stating something like "The hobbits were all extremely close friends, and would do anything for each other."

So what is this creature? I have always felt it was a Black Rider, and still do feel it is. Yes, I agree with the consensus so far that it's a Black Rider. I think there's even something to that effect in "Letters" - I'll see if I can find it.

The way the conspiracy is revealed is great, with Merry surprisingly telling Frodo all that he had been thinking.
This was another brilliant twist - and I love how he portrays Frodo's complete oblivion to the fact that his friends know pretty much everything. It also shows Frodo, even at this early time, that his friends can be trusted with important secrets.

Then comes one of the greatest speeches as far as I am concerned in the entire book. One that I am entirely upset was NOT in the movie… I LOVE that speech. And how they set Frodo straight as to what the true meaning of "trust" is.

This aspect was central to the book, but only whitewashed in the movie, which was VERY disappointing. Yeah, I can just see them now, talking about how the hobbits' showing their deep friendship and integrity too early in the movie would destroy the "journeys" they had to make - I'm SICK of that stupid phrase! Like they somehow didn't have "journeys" before the Ring?

They then decide they will go through the Old Forest. I love Fatty's little toss-away line - something like I hope you won't need to be saved before the day's over - and of course, they DO need to be saved! :D

Fatty’s (Fredegar Bolger) purpose is to stay behind and pretend to be Frodo and to answer any questions from people snooping around or looking for Frodo. He is to keep the charade up until Frodo and Company are safely away. This seemed to be a bit of a mistake to me in the book. They can clearly see that Frodo was terrified of the Black Riders, yet Fatty blithly agrees to stay, when it has to be very obvious that the Black Riders will come to the house? Does anyone else understand this?

[Rían]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
As usual – Tolkien brings the reader right into the story and makes them feel like they are in the story with the Hobbits. This I feel is one of Tolkien’s great strengths in his story telling. Reading – you can hear the birds, the twigs snapping, you can feel the dread and finality of leaving the shire as the gate clangs shut after they enter the Old Forest. I've read the books many times, and it still amazes me how I can "feel" the landscape around me.

Upon coming to where the others had fallen asleep – they find only their legs sticking out. After trying desperately to pull Merry and Pippin out, they decide they will start a fire around the tree. After getting the fire going, they hear Merry cry “Put it out! Put it out! He’ll squeeze me in two, if you don’t. He says so!� I had nightmares for many years about the trees in the Wizard of Oz movie. Old Man Willow just gives me the creeps! They're obviously related.

It is our introduction to Tom Bombadil. Ah, Tom ...

(I told JD that I took chapters 7 and 8 on purpose, because I always had trouble with Tom Bom, and I wanted to force myself to get into it more!) :D

Now that they are under the protection of Tom – the trees won’t hurt them, but they aren’t happy about it either. Yeah, that's the feeling I get, too.

Tom Bombadil is the strangest and most mysterious of all the characters I think in Lord of the Rings. There is really no explaination for him. In some ways the book seems to drag on a bit at this point. When my husband consented to read LoTR with me, he was falling asleep during the Tom Bom parts, so I just cut my losses and skipped over everything, and just gave him a 2-minute summary so the Barrow Downs chapter would make sense. (I also had to cut out much of the Entmoot scenes later on, because he started nodding off again. I guess Tolkien just really has something about trees.) To me, the whole "derry dol" stuff just really has a major potential to turn off new readers, and if I recommend the books to people, I actually warn them about those chapters ("just hang in there through the first few chapters, esp. the Tom Bombadil ones!")

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by RÃ*an

When my husband consented to read LoTR with me, he was falling asleep during the Tom Bom parts, so I just cut my losses and skipped over everything, and just gave him a 2-minute summary so the Barrow Downs chapter would make sense. (I also had to cut out much of the Entmoot scenes later on, because he started nodding off again. I guess Tolkien just really has something about trees.) To me, the whole "derry dol" stuff just really has a major potential to turn off new readers, and if I recommend the books to people, I actually warn them about those chapters ("just hang in there through the first few chapters, esp. the Tom Bombadil ones!")

*gasp*! oh the humanity! :p I love the Barrow Downs! it's my favorite part of the book for some reason. I also love The Old Forest and Tom. I think that these chapters hold alot of unanswered things in them (Tom, Goldberry, the barrow wights...what exactly are they? ) I think that these things are what make those chapters so appealing....the mystery of it I suppose.

[Rían]

Oh, I love the Barrow Downs, too! Really creepy! I just skipped all theTom stuff before the Barrow Downs.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

excellent intro JD,
I will comment and discuss later, when i can find my books! :o

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Last Child of Ungoliant
excellent intro JD,
Thanks. Not exactly sure how good they are. As I said - not a lot of in depth discussion material in them.

I meant to post this with my intro - but I forgot. I took this picture at the Hancock House in southern New Jersey (a 18th century house where the British massacred 30 people during the Revolution).

http://www.fotmb.com/entmoot/oldManWillow_look_alike.jpg

The person that does the tours at the house gave an interesting story. From what she was told - about 20 years ago or so there was a middle school field trip to the house. At that time the hole in tree was much bigger. Big enough for a middle schooler to fit into. The students were warned to stay away from the tree. Boy being boys I guess - one decided they were going to explore and see what was in the tree. He attempted to climbed through the hole, but ended up getting stuck halfway and couldn't get out.

After several hours they finally managed to rescue him. The person who runs the house said at first she didn't know if it was true or not, but then three people at different times told her the same story while viewing the house. She said it reminded her of Old Man Willow and that is why I decided to take the picture.

I thought I would post this picture. Even though it's not a willow tree - it is interesting.

Here is a picture as it looks on the property. It's the large tree between the Swedish colonial cabin and the house.
http://www.fotmb.com/entmoot/oldManWillow_on_property.jpg

In Princeton there is also a tree with a "face" that looks like an ent. That picture appeared in our paper the one day.

[Artanis]

Originally posted by jerseydevil
There really isn’t much to say about the Old Forest. I have mixed feelings about the chapter. I used to hang out in the woods all the time and I love the imagery of this chapter. It really brings you into the forest, but on the other hand – it really doesn’t add much to the characterization or the plot of the story.While the latter is true, I still enjoyed this part of the book. It's incredibly creepy, you just know from the moment the Hobbits enter the forest that something unpleasant is going to happen to them. The trees closing in on them and continuously forcing them further and deeper into the forest. The feeling of watchfulness.

Originally posted by Valandil
A subtle thing I only recently thought about. The end of Chapter 5 tells us the first of several significant dreams that Frodo has. In this dream he is first looking from a window over a 'dark sea of tangled trees' with sounds of creatures crawling and snuffling down below - and then the dream shifts and he's before a White Tower near the Sea itself. Maybe we need a separate thread to discuss the various dreams as a whole, but what do the rest of you think of this dream itself. What does it mean? Why does he dream it (IOW, where does the dream come from?)?
I really don't know about the first part of the dream, but it is maybe a projection of Frodo's own fear of what lies before him. I imagine the last part of the dream is given to him by someone as a comfort and encouragement, pointing to a possible event in the future (going west). My guess is that Frodo as Ring-bearer has already become particularly receptive for signs like this.

Originally posted by RÃ*an
This seemed to be a bit of a mistake to me in the book. They can clearly see that Frodo was terrified of the Black Riders, yet Fatty blithly agrees to stay, when it has to be very obvious that the Black Riders will come to the house? Does anyone else understand this?I think that in spite of the Hobbit's encounters with the Nazgul, they have no idea yet what terrible evil they represent. If they had known the full danger, they may have acted differently. Besides, it was reasonable to think that the riders would follow Frodo, and not care about those left behind. I don't think they ever considered the possibility of the riders mistaking Fatty for Frodo, which perhaps they would be likely to do, if they had not sensed that the Ring was already gone.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Artanis
I think that in spite of the Hobbit's encounters with the Nazgul, they have no idea yet what terrible evil they represent. If they had known the full danger, they may have acted differently. I suppose they still thought they were pretty safe in the Shire, too, even tho Frodo talked with Gildor about the Black Riders ...

Besides, it was reasonable to think that the riders would follow Frodo, and not care about those left behind.
It was the idea of keeping up the appearance of Frodo living there that bothered me and seemed uncharacteristically bad judgement for Frodo - it made it likely the riders would come by for a little visit to Crickhollow, which they did.

I don't think they ever considered the possibility of the riders mistaking Fatty for Frodo...
Rider 1 : Hey, is that the Baggins guy we're after?
Rider 2 : I don't know, mate - them Hobbits all look alike to me! :D


I guess it just boils down to this whole idea of terrible danger was just too foreign to them still, even with Gildor's warnings.

[Valandil]

Well - remember too that Merry, Pippin, Fatty and maybe Sam had already made this plan... and that Merry and Fatty had only just heard about the Black Riders. It wasn't Frodo's plan - and I think they stuck with it for lack of a better thing to do. Fatty 'filling in' for Frodo was meant to fool local inhabitants. I don't think they counted on (maybe even thought about) a visit from the Black Riders.

Plus, Fatty seemed to fear the Old Forest (which he had heard bad stories about for his whole life) more than he feared the Black Riders (whom he had only just heard a little about for the first time).

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Valandil
I don't think they counted on (maybe even thought about) a visit from the Black Riders.
I disagree with this - because they mention the possibility of Fatty meeting the Black Riders.


"Well, that's that," said Pippin. "On the whole I would rather have our job than Fatty's - waiting here till Black Riders come."

[Valandil]

Hmmm... OK then, strike the 'maybe even thought about' part. But still, it WAS just a matter of sticking with the plan they had already made... and Fatty anyway appeared to be more scared of the Old Forest than of the Black Riders.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Valandil
... and Fatty anyway appeared to be more scared of the Old Forest than of the Black Riders. Yes, that's a good point. And in the safe-feeling little house, the memories of Black Riders start to dim - and the more I think about it, I think it's natural that they'd slip back into their old comfortable thinking that they're safe.

[Valandil]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
Yes, that's a good point. And in the safe-feeling little house, the memories of Black Riders start to dim - and the more I think about it, I think it's natural that they'd slip back into their old comfortable thinking that they're safe.

Yeah - those hobbits just won't listen to anyone! They chide the Elves that they "say both 'yes' and 'no' " when asked for advice. Hobbits, otoh, will ask for advice and not take it.

;) :p

[The Gaffer]

Having re-read The Old Forest, I think it marks an important transition in the writing. It's as if the hobbits are leaving the mundane world and entering a kind of ethereal realm, where songs come to life and mysterious powers run through the earth, air and water.

In particular, the way Tolkien describes the river valley where Old Man Willow lives is incredibly vivid: a beautiful, hazy summer heat that you can almost taste.

The last line:And with that song the hobbits stood upon the threshold, and a golden light was about them
is like they are getting a spiritual awakening at the end of an arduous journey.

I'm quite glad they didn't render it in film; no way would PJ have got it right. It was a delight to come across it again and not have any film images cluttering up my mental picture of it.

[Valandil]

Originally posted by The Gaffer
Having re-read The Old Forest, I think it marks an important transition in the writing. It's as if the hobbits are leaving the mundane world and entering a kind of ethereal realm, where songs come to life and mysterious powers run through the earth, air and water.

Interesting thought. Personally, I never had the averse reaction to these chapters which some mention. (didn't even mind the 'ring-a-ding-dillo' :p ) I imagined it was because upon reaching that point in my first reading, at the age of 13 or 14, it didn't seem at all inconsonant with 'The Hobbit' and the earlier chapters of LOTR. So... even if some feel it doesn't fit with the rest of the story too well, it fit in to that point... so maybe the rest just doesn't fit as well with IT! ;) Of course, I may just have less sensibilities than some about what properly 'fits' here... I just happen to like it all. :)

[Nurvingiel]

Great write-up JD. :) (Couldn't resist taking a couple digs at the movie eh? :evil: )

Chapter 5:

I agree that Chapter 5 is extremely important in solidifying the Hobbit's friendship. One aspect that I also feel is brought out in this chapter is how Merry, Frodo, and Pippin are friends with Sam on a different level. Your own quote outlines this perfectly for me.
“You do not understand!� Said Pippin. “You must go – and therefore we must, too. Merry and I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon’s throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet; but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure.�
Pippin refers to himself and Merry separately from Sam. This subtle difference indicates the class difference present in their friendship.
The nature of their friendship changes over the course of the book, but at this point, Frodo, Merry and Pippin are good friends. Sam is also a friend to all of them, but is also regarded as Frodo's servant since he's his gardener.
This is what Hobbit culture is like, and it's something we certainly have no concept of in today's Canadian society (I can't speak for anyone else's country). There's the gentlehobbits, who are like a class above regular Hobbits. Sam is a regular Hobbit, and Frodo, Merry and Pippin, who are all related, are the upper class - gentlehobbits. I believe it's the Gaffer who refers to Frodo as "a real gentlehobbit".
I'm not sure if this is necessarily a positive or negative aspect, but it's certainly an important factor. Would Sam's loyalty to Frodo have been as strong if he hadn't been his servant originally? By the time they reached Mount Doom, they were definitely great friends and equals. Even then, I don't feel the servant-master aspect of their relationship was entirely erased. (Insert apropriate quote here.) Pippin and Merry probably regarded him as an equal by the end, possibly before that.
In the Scouring of the Shire, Merry, Sam, and Pippin all distinguished themselves equally in battle, and Sam later went on to become Mayor of Hobbiton many times (11?).
All this is not to say that Merry, Pippin, and Frodo looked down on Sam. They were equals, but at the same time, of different classes. I don't understand the concept of class and therefore can't explain it, but I do believe it was an important factor in the friendship of the four Hobbits.

Chapter 6:

What you say about the Old Forest not adding to much to the characterization or the plot of the story is interesting. Compared to many other chapters in the book, there isn't a lot of character development. The Old Forest is an elaborate plot device. It serves to introduce Tom Bombadil (also a plot device), and to find a plausible explanation as to why the Nazgul totally lost their trail until Bree. The Old Forest let the Hobbits give the Black Riders the slip. It introduced Tom, without whom they obviously wouldn't have been able to get through the Barrow-Downs. Here is also where Merry receives the blade which helped kill the Nazgul Captain later. All of these are important devices to advancing the story, and Tolkien deliveres them in his typical fashion - exciting, subtle, and totally involving the reader.

[The Gaffer]

Good points, Nurv.

I think of Chapter 6 as the start of the kind of spiritual sub-plot.

[BTW, Valandil, I don't think of this in a negative way either. The fact that Tom talks in silly rhymes just adds to the extremity of it. It's sillier and more serious than the mundane Shire. Let's face it, the idea of halflings living in a hole in the ground is pretty silly to begin with...]

It also shatters the cosy familiarity of the Shire. Suddenly the world is very different, very "Other" and the hobbits are helpless wanderers.

Tolkien repeatedly uses the device in LOTR of saying that something "seems" to be the case (or "as if" or "like") when there's a very strong implication that they actually are literally the case.

An example here being the ruts and vegetation that seem to give way to the right and down, but not to the left and up.

Tom later states that it's hard for hobbits to escape Old Man Willow's traps: a pretty strong indication that this "seeming" was actually true.

This ambiguity adds hugely to the fun.

That seems to be a sensible thing to say about this chapter..;)

[Olmer]

Here is my observation.
Mostly of it have been already mentioned and discussed, but any way, I'm copying from my old notes. Maybe a few things will be of some interest.

This chapter reveals hobbits in very important aspect : as an extremely loyal friends, and , also, it depict the last time when the company really enjoyed themselves not being burdened with an unknown dangers of the laying ahead quest.

We have a glimpse of surrounding where Frodo originally came from. It is “ virtually a small independent country,� where people more close to nature, more “out-doorish�, hunting and fishing, but at the same time they more aware of the perils of the outside world. �The Bucklanders keep theirs doors locked after the dark�, and they even keep enough of gate-guards for sufficient resistance of the outsiders attacks.

While crossing the river the hobbits had been reminded that the chase is not over, yet; the Black Riders missed them by a few minutes. �In the far stage, under the distant lamps, they could just make out a figure: it looked like a dark black bundle left behind. But as they looked it seems to move and sway this way and that, as it searching the ground.�

The Crickhollow, Frodo’s new dwelling place, gives an impression of very nice, secluded place, not “the hole in the ground�, but a “countrified house�. I wonder what has happened to this house after Frodo’s depart for Valinor? Was it also sold out or was it given to Meriadoc’s family? Seems it would be a extremely impractical to let such pleasant place, where Frodo felt at home right away, just waste away, unoccupied.

Even knowing that Frodo’s stay in this house would be brief, his friends went into a trouble to arrange Frodo’s things in the way it had been in the Bag End , just to add more to Frodo’s pleasant and enjoyable feeling of a familiarity. They even arranged a bath in three bathtubs, which gave a great enjoyment to the company wearied out by the trip.
There was a laughter and splashing, songs and jokes about who will take the bath first:� Eldest first, or quickest first?�, mocking at Pippin :�You will be last either way, Master Peregrin�.
I can feel the merriment of the scene, this is the last peaceful moments of theirs previous carefree hobbit’s life .

At the dinner they are jokingly fighting over the hobbit’s most favorite food -mushrooms, resorting Frodo to give a reason to serve them himself:� They’re mine! Given to me…and I‘ll serve them� . Later in the book we will found a disturbing familiarity of this expression when Frodo and Gollum will be talking about the Ring. I think , at this point Tolkien gives a hint of Frodo’s future amplified possessiveness of the Ring.

After the dinner they discussed the past scary experience. Frodo, feeling guilty for all the trouble his friends went through to make his new home comfortable while he must leave it soon, keeps silent about the whole chase matter. But the observing hobbits came to conclusion that Old Maggot had a very close guess. After that Frodo had to unhappily admit to his friends that he is leaving. And here comes the best part of the chapter in the shiny light revealing the real friendship, I would say, a brotherhood between the hobbits, their willingness to stand by friend “through thick and thin - to the bitter end�.
To Frodo’s astonishment they revealed to him that , what he regarded as a secret, was well known by conspirators. And, as concerned friends, they were aware that something going on and closely watched Frodo for some time , knowing that the “the Ring is no laughing matter� and that they scared, but nevertheless they will try their best to help him.� You cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone…We are your friends, Frodo.�
And this is, ladies and gentlemen, what called the TRUE FRIENDSHIP.

http://img-fan.theonering.net/rolozo/images/phenix/conspiracy.jpg

The revelation of his secret lifted a stone from Frodo’s heart and allowed to get to more immediate problem: which way to take to evade the Black Riders. And the only unexpected direction is going into the queery and dangerous Old Forest.
The forest, which is regular hobbits avoiding at all the time, save inquisitive and adventurous Merry and the old farmer Maggot, who shrewd enough and careful enough not to get into troubles over there.

One of Frodo’s friends blithely volunteered to �play Frodo� for dodging the Riders from the right track, and all of them agreed that it is an excellent plan and, seems, Frodo agreed that it is sound enough.
It shows that even having such terrifying experience they still not fully comprehend of what terrible and deadly evil the Riders are, and being in the safe heaven of Shire the feeling of the danger became dull and kind like distant. Which , of course, was a deplorable mistake.

The night before the journey Frodo saw a premonition dream of being near the sea and seeing the white tower, a foretelling of the end of long journey , which he was about to begin.

P.S. The picture is "Conspiracy" by Carol Emery Phenix.

[Rían]

Originally posted by The Gaffer
An example here being the ruts and vegetation that seem to give way to the right and down, but not to the left and up. Yeah, that part is rather creepy ... "we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!"

[Nurvingiel]

Lol Rian. :D

Nice notes Olmer *impressed*. :) I think you made some very good observations there, backed up with appropriate quotes.

The bath scene is one that I had wondered about. Is it normal for Hobbits to have three bathtubs in their homes? (Whether holes or countrified houses.) As for the unresolved house issue, I think this is one of those things that the author doesn't have to write about to explain. Frodo is sensible and thoughtful, so he probably gave it to Fatty Bolger (or Merry or someone) upon his return to the Shire, after they sorted our Sharkey and his men.

[Forkbeard]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel
Lol Rian. :D

Nice notes Olmer *impressed*. :) I think you made some very good observations there, backed up with appropriate quotes.

The bath scene is one that I had wondered about. Is it normal for Hobbits to have three bathtubs in their homes? (Whether holes or countrified houses.) As for the unresolved house issue, I think

Well, I'm assuming a home without modern plumbing, since the hobbits seem to be pre-industrial. This means that the bathtubs are 3 large tubs, large enough to hold a hobbit each. I would think most homes would have 3 or 4 such tubs for all sorts of chores besides bathing.

FB

[Nurvingiel]

I'm sure you're right there Forkbeard, good thinking. This means it would take a great deal of effort to heat the water for three separate baths! Probably on ordinary occasions they would take turns in one bath, starting with the cleanest probably.

... the eldest first or the quickest first? Either way you are last Pippin... (or something like that). :D

[cee2lee2]

I have to confess that the bath song is one of my favorite cozy moments from these early chapters.


Really don't have anything to add to the excellent discussion here. Just wanted to let y'all know that I've been enjoying and learning from everyone's insights.

[Elanor the Fair]

Originally posted by Nurvingiel

The nature of their friendship changes over the course of the book, but at this point, Frodo, Merry and Pippin are good friends.



I frequently ponder on the enigma of Pippin and Frodo being close friends considering the age difference between them. Frodo is an adult hobbit aged 50 and Pippin is in his tweens - 29 or so. This would be quite an age difference for close friendship. Is it because of their kinship or because of the anti-aging properties of the ring? I know it is not uncommon for friendship to span age differences, however, a few years earlier, Pippin would have been a child while Frodo was an adult. I would have thought the relationship between them would have been more like the relationship between Bilbo and Frodo, however, their relationship in the book is more like that of buddies.

[Artanis]

I've thought about this too Elanor. In one of the first chapters it is told that children loved to come to Bag End and listen to Bilbo's stories, and that many of them continued to visit Frodo after Bilbo was gone. I think Frodo, Merry and Pip found together because they were alike in many ways, and different from the other Hobbits, in Hobbiton at least. 20 years is a considerable age difference, but the age difference between Bilbo and Frodo was 78 years, which is quite different.

[Earniel]

One of Frodo’s friends blithely volunteered to �play Frodo� for dodging the Riders from the right track, and all of them agreed that it is an excellent plan and, seems, Frodo agreed that it is sound enough.
It shows that even having such terrifying experience they still not fully comprehend of what terrible and deadly evil the Riders are, and being in the safe heaven of Shire the feeling of the danger became dull and kind like distant. Which , of course, was a deplorable mistake.
I think it mainly shows that's the nature of Hobbits and possibly one of the reasons for their typical resilliance to evil. Suppose you live in a quiet, peaceful community like Hobbiton. They have little clue what goes on in the world beyond the Shire. The only things that are remotely scary are stories of the Old Forest and the occasional 'big' ruffian that causes a bit of commotion. Hobbits seem to have developed this marvelous natural trait of thinking 'oh, it won't be that bad; if I don't think about it, it'll go away'. If you tell them something is terrible and deadly they probably don't really believe you.

And untill here in the book you don't yet get the idea that the riders are a terrible and deadly evil. Sure, they're creepy, they have a sinister dress code and little or no manners. Trying to run over Farmer Maggot wasn't very polite of them. But they hadn't gone chopping off heads of Hobbits that crossed their path at night just yet. But with what the Hobbits knew about them then, I doubt they considered a violent break-in by the riders in the Crickhollow-house possible.

Further I don't think Fatty had to 'play' Frodo himself. All he would have to do was to make the house look lived in and occupied. And if visitors came to see Frodo he could say that Frodo was unavailable for the moment because he was taking a nap, doing some important writing or taking a walk in the countryside, something like that. Fatty would be able to keep that up for a reasonable period of time before it came out, long enough to give Frodo time to put enough distance between him and the Shire. Fatty was quite safe in that role, although after the raid on the house I doubt he would have felt that way! :p