[carton253]

What I like is that Tolkien made the Hobbits so human. As Chapter One moves on - there is so much in the Hobbits that we can identify with. We may not hide when the horrid relation comes to the door, but we look at our caller ID and let the machine get it instead.

When reading The Hobbit, I knew the book worked on a much deeper level when not only Thorin died, but Fili and Kili also. I remember saying outloud... "Not Fili and Kili..." And crying... then laughing at myself for crying over dwarves!

Tolkien also has a wicked wit... and not only do his characters say funny things, but the situations they find themselves in are funny. Humor bypasses the head and goes straight to the heart.

At first, I didn't like the idea that Bilbo was going away. I didn't know if I would like this Frodo... but by giving Frodo a colorful supporting cast... causing us to like them and showing us Frodo through their eyes, Tolkien very adroitly weans us from Bilbo to Frodo and before we know it we are off on another adventure. Not with 13 grumpy dwarves, but with 4 Hobbits that we have come to like within the first chapter or two.

[ecurbh]

I know I can certainly relate to hiding from the "relations". I did that a couple of weeks ago when my roommate's annoying little brother stopped by while I was trying to get some stuff done. Luckily, I had the stereo off, so he did not know I was there. I love Gandalf's line when Frodo refuses to answer the door:

"If you don’t let me in, Frodo, I shall blow your door right down your hole and out through the hill."