The Hobbit SparkNotes Literature Guide: Volume 33  (English, Paperback, SparkNotes J.R.R.)

Bilbo Baggins discovers that it is not wise to wish a Wizard good morning, especially if one doesn’t want to get mixed up in his business. The Hobbit is a classic fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Summary of the Book

In the hole in the ground, there lived Bilbo Baggins. Mr. Baggins was satisfied with his home, for he was a hobbit, and above all, that meant a love for the good life. He enjoyed eating breakfast under the sun, brunch under a tree, noon tea by the pond, lunch with a Took, luncheon by himself, snacks at high tea with a pipe, and dinner in the comfort of his home. He didn’t like adventures, and he preferred to stay home most of the time. But he knew his manners, so when a tall man showed up in front of his gate, he knew that he had to wish him a good morning. What he did not expect was that this was no ordinary old man. No, if anything, his wide-brimmed hat and staff should have given him away. He was Gandalf the Grey, THE Gandalf the grey, infamous Wizard and charlatan. He had a reputation for whisking young Hobbits away and getting them mixed up in his adventures, but he was also famous for his rather impressive fireworks. Bilbo should have known then that inviting him for dinner was a mistake, a rather big mistake. In a few days, he finds himself playing host to a rather unruly bunch of 13 superstitious dwarves who wanted a fourteenth member for their team. The job involved entering a rather compromised treasury and extracting an item of interest without arousing the suspicion of the person in charge of its protection. It seemed easy enough, and despite his wishes, Bilbo found himself wanting to take part. But then the Dwarves told him about Smaug, the “person” protecting the “item of interest”. Smaug didn’t like thieves, he particularly hated burglars. He liked his gold, just like all other Dragons.

About J. R. R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English novelist, poet, philologist, and university professor. He is best remembered for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings was adapted into an Academy Award-winning movie trilogy by Peter Jackson. The Hobbit has been adapted into a hit trilogy, and the final part was released in 2014.