The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - LotR -- Book 1 - Chapter 01 - A Long-Expected Party

Boromir88 · 06-21-2004, 08:30 AM

Hobbits have some "odd" (atleast what general people would think of as odd) traditions. Adventurous hobbits (Bilbo, Frodo...etc) were often thought of as "weird" or "un-hobbitlike." Some of these traditions which just would not make sense to us, is like the hobbit birthday parties. Where whoever's birthday it is instead of getting presents they give hobbits at their party presents. This is a concept we as humans are unfamiliar with, giving instead of receiving during our birthdays. I didn't know what to make of it besides Tolkien maybe trying to say we should give more instead of receive. Of course the birthday hobbit did recieve presents as well, but this act of giving shows maybe the "kindness" and "love" of the hobbits but also shows their touch of greed. I will have to search for the correct quote, but I'm pretty sure somewhere in this first chapter it states many hobbits weren't happy with the presents they recieved from the birthday boy/girl. So, there is a short, slightly "evil" side to the hobbits of greedy expecting newer, better, presents. Some of the hobbits were quite please with their presents, Gaffer Gamgee recieved a whole load of stuff and Rory Brandybuck was pleased with the old wineyards he recieved.

06-21-2004, 08:30 AM	#6
Boromir88 Laconic Loreman Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: USA Posts: 7,559	Hobbit traditions Hobbits have some "odd" (atleast what general people would think of as odd) traditions. Adventurous hobbits (Bilbo, Frodo...etc) were often thought of as "weird" or "un-hobbitlike." Some of these traditions which just would not make sense to us, is like the hobbit birthday parties. Where whoever's birthday it is instead of getting presents they give hobbits at their party presents. This is a concept we as humans are unfamiliar with, giving instead of receiving during our birthdays. I didn't know what to make of it besides Tolkien maybe trying to say we should give more instead of receive. Of course the birthday hobbit did recieve presents as well, but this act of giving shows maybe the "kindness" and "love" of the hobbits but also shows their touch of greed. I will have to search for the correct quote, but I'm pretty sure somewhere in this first chapter it states many hobbits weren't happy with the presents they recieved from the birthday boy/girl. So, there is a short, slightly "evil" side to the hobbits of greedy expecting newer, better, presents. Some of the hobbits were quite please with their presents, Gaffer Gamgee recieved a whole load of stuff and Rory Brandybuck was pleased with the old wineyards he recieved.