The Hobbit Lessons Learned, Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party

Here at Wizards and Whatnot, we're trying to make the fantasy fan world a more far-reaching place. We look forward to discovering new voices and enjoying classic tales and it's not just about who went to Hogwarts here. With that in mind, welcome to the first "Lessons Learned" post for a book not written by J.K. Rowling. We are going to look at things to be gleaned from The Hobbit.

"And he meant it."

In 2020, a Harry Potter fan floated the idea of reading The Lord of the Rings together and I enthusiastically said we should start with the other book about Shirefolk. One thing that we realized was how much of the story is about acceptance and understanding, but it manifests itself at first in hospitality. The book starts by introducing us to Bilbo, who lives "in a hole in the ground." He is happy with a comfortable life, but we see him greet a complete stranger with a "Good morning." We then are told that "he meant it."

Mr. Baggins could be less welcoming. He's "well-to-do" and "very respectable." When challenged on his greeting, he doesn't take a stand. He allows a difference of interpretation. And when he seems to cause offense by good-morning the wandering wizard Gandalf "as if [he] were selling buttons at the door," he makes amends immediately. This is the type of person who is sadly not as common in these days. I certainly would not be as accommodating and I've been reading this book since childhood.

While his welcoming of the dwarves and wizard the next day is comical in its disruption and the way that the hole-guests put things back to rights, it's notable that Bilbo shows an intuitive side. He welcomes Thorin and his company at firs tout of habit, but as the chapter goes on, he allows himself to empathize with these displaced dwarves and to long to take their quest as his own.

Last year, I read about "Three Noble Strains" in Celtic folklore, which are types of harp music that have an effect on stories. Thorin brings Bilbo into understanding of the quest with goltrai or "sorrow strain," but as with many types of magic, receptivity has to be a willing thing. Bilbo goes to sleep with memory of the sorrows of his new friends.

Lesson Learned: Feel free to understand

Empathy is an essential part of a life well-lived and we can and should be participants in that experience. We don't have to identify with a struggle to have compassion for those who go through them. We can welcome experiences by merely allowing space in our hearts for their reality.