Session 1 Summary

[Tony Meade]

(See attachments for PDF version)

SESSION 1

Chapter one is the transition between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as it was supposed to be a sequel.

• The Long-Expected Party was the seed of the core idea for the story.
• The name “The Shire” is not used in The Hobbit and was not used in the original drafts.
• Hobbit culture is not explained well in The Hobbit, besides the Took/Baggins dichotomy, using Bilbo as the example.

The “new white gate” stands out.

• The gate is built especially for the party, so that Bilbo could have a place to greet guests and give away presents.
• Bilbo is compared to a king giving away gifts, as in the Dwarvish poem in The Hobbit.
• Thorin erects a wall at the gate, and refuses to give anything away, so he’s a bad king.
• Bilbo is being a good king at Hobbit scale.
• This is a Hobbit tradition, though this scale and expense is unusual.

Hobbits like to get presents even when they have no need for them.

• Are Hobbits materialistic? Not in a big way, but in a petty way, yes.
• Is the reason for the tradition of giving away presents on birthdays because Hobbits want to get more presents more often?
• Hobbits can be freeloaders, at times

Hobbits are not the romanticized, idealistic people in many fans’ imagination.

• Hobbits are subject to all the foibles and sins of humans, but in a small, provincial way.
• Hobbits are cheeky and not above minor skullduggery.

The tone of the scene:

• Bilbo gets heckled when trying to address the crowd. They are teasing Bilbo at his own party. This is hobbitry.
• Hobbits usually don’t take themselves or each other seriously. The Sackville-Bagginses are the exception.

The Gaffer does not talk about Bilbo in this way. Only Bilbo’s peers and relations do this.

• Sam also doesn’t do this, while Frodo, Merry and Pippin do.

The dancers on the table are obviously young.

• It’s a Took and a Brandybuck doing the dancing.
• The merrymaking is threatening to overtake Bilbo’s speech.

No Cottons or Gamgees in the tent. They are not related.

• No reference to Sam being there. He would be quite young at the time.
• Frodo is significantly older than the other hobbits.
• Would Sam be invited at all?
• Bilbo is very generous to the poor hobbits around him.

On the special presents left behind by Bilbo:

• It’s important that all of the recipients are friends and relations, and Bilbo is teasing them, sometimes harshly.
• The gifts are actually very expensive and generous.

Is it strange that the Hobbits have umbrellas?

• This is one of two anachronisms, along with the clock.
• The reference to the freight train is not an anachronism; it’s a simile by the modern narrator.
• The tone and worldbuilding of the first chapter are very close to that of The Hobbit.

What is the joke on Dora Baggins?

• Is this kind or ironic?
• Is he saying that her letters were worthless, or his?
• She is Bilbo’s junior, even at 99.
• Is he saying that the wastepaper basket is a place to put her advice?

Is the joke on Angelica harsh?

• Is the mirror supposed to make her prettier or less pretty?
• Why a convex mirror?

Each note is a lesson to the recipient.

• Most recipients would laugh and not grumble.

Based on The Hobbit, the hobbits sound boring, but they are shown not to be in The Fellowship of the Ring.

• Humility matters to hobbit culture.
• Hobbit culture is clearly nonviolent, based on the impolite nature. They have no fear of violent reprisals.
• Hobbits can afford to be laid back, because they are sheltered.
• Hobbit children are much less staid than their adult relatives, but the elders are still apt to do their petty avarice and freeloading.

The Gaffer’s conversation:

• Note: The name Nokes is re-used in Smith of Wooton Major.
• Hobbits are naturally suspicious, and apt to look for scandals and gossip.
• The Gaffer is leading his audience to ask him to recount stories that they’ve already heard.

On Hobbit xenophobia:

• A primary term for Hobbit culture is parochial. They look at people even in the next town as foreigners.
• The Brandybucks are considered strange because of their location on the other side of the Brandywine River and against the Old Forest.

Is being a miller suspect?

• Yes, in medieval literature, because of the social position.
• Not usually in this fashion. Sandyman is personally unpleasant.

On the mainstream Hobbit outlook:

• The Gaffer is showing normal Hobbit culture by saying that trouble came of boating, but Sandyman is clearly crossing a cultural line by accusing Frodo’s parents of a murder-suicide.
• Fat jokes are definitely a thing in Tolkien’s fiction.
• When the word “jools” is italicized, it is Tolkien highlighting both the accent and the lack of learning.
• The fact that Gaffer uses the expression “meaning no harm” when referring to Bilbo teaching Sam to read, he is coming up against his own, and probably the culture’s, assumption that it could be dangerous.
• The objection to Sam’s interest in adventure and legendary things isn’t just the impracticality, it is also seen as something aristocratic and above people of their station.
• The Tooks are the highest status of the Hobbits, and also the most adventurous, so this pattern holds.
• The Gaffer’s views on Hobbit culture are in part formed by living next to Bilbo.
• Bilbo would be seen as a huge exception to mainstream Hobbit culture.

Sandyman and the Gaffer then change places in the conversation.

• Sandyman now expresses mainstream culture.
• The Gaffer now defends Bilbo’s outlandishness, because he’s his neighbor.
• Bilbo’s queerness lies in his kindness and generosity.
• The Gaffer’s dig about beer seems to point to Sandyman’s stinginess and unkindness.

END OF SESSION

 

[Haerangil]

Umbrellas exist since about 2400 years, i'm just saying...

But yeah, sure, Hobbits are more 18-19. Century british rural folk than anything else... still, i find little, not even mechanical Clocks, Mackintoshs or Watermills, which could NOT be rationalized within the logic of JRRT's universe.

 

[Tony Meade]

If you guys want to discuss things within the episode, that's fine. Just keep in mind that this is to preserve a record of what was discussed in the session itself for future reference.