Everything you ever wanted to know about food, weed, and ale but were afraid to ask

[GaladrieloftheOlden]

Okay, I'll admit I goofed around a bit with the title, but haven't you noticed that it seems like mostly the hobbits' conversation centers very much on food (especially of the vegetable sort [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ) and ale or weed? Or, for a change, hot bath water. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] I was wondering- do any of you have theories as to where this- errm, obsession (to put it mildly) with edible items come from?

I have a partial one, which rises generally from this quoting of the Proffesor:

The Hobbits are just rustic English people, made small in size because it reflects the generally small reach of their imagination.

I think that maybe Hobbit-minds are simply not developed enough to often get their thoughts up onto a level above the basic idea of food. Of course, food is not really a problem in the Shire, but I think their minds still work on the instinct basis.
What are your theories? Feel free to disagree with me in the extreme [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

~Wandering slowly away in search of carrots- Menelien

[ April 30, 2003: Message edited by: GaladrieloftheOlden ]

[MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie]

I think it is because they are an isolated peoples who are only concerned with what happens in their land. So, they tend to focus on things like food and beer and weed. They like the nice quiet life, which, to me, seems like a very relaxing one. There are no real worries so they have the time to focus on that other stuff. They're supposed to be simple folk, so what do simple folk talk about? Simple stuff, like food, weed, and beer. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Yes, I don't know if I'd say that they act on an instinctual basis, some of them (i.e. the obvious choices Bilbo & Frodo) are quite good at thinking abstractly. Bilbo's a scholar and an artist, and Frodo's some kind of seer.

I'm more likely to go with Willie's idea and say they talk about what they like, and what they like is having their little home of their own with good food and a fire, and now and again some hot bath water.

And of course, weed and a good beer.

[Selmo]

Perhaps the Hobbits obsession with food reflects Tolkien's own feelings.

He lived through two periods when the UK was under siege by German submarines. He experienced severe shortages of beer, tobacco and food, almost to the point of starvation.

Selmo

[Peri]

Well, they do eat, like, NINE meals a day. I think that hobbits seem to be so concerned over trifle, little things because they have such carefree, laid-back lives. They (unlike others) have the time to talk about such things. They don't concern themselves with the world outside their own. Very peaceful creatures.

[Niluial]

Hmm tricky question but I seem to agree with everyone above!

[Annúnlótëiel]

I agree w. pretty much everything. They are just happy as long as they have basic necessities, they don't need anymore. Basic is food, drink, house. Once they have that they just want to have fun and the tradtions of many cultures is to enjoy your meals. Eating perhaps is a form of entertainment. One prepeares food with care and presents it to family and friedns, meal time is also a time to socialize with friends and family.

For this reason i think they eat so much, they like to be together and have fun! ^_^

Cutie hobbits! ^-^

[Ophelia]

But why do you think it's an obsession? Maybe they just like to have a full stomach all the time (like me [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] ) . [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[the guy who be short]

Maybe, in hobbit history, there was a great shortage of food. They declined in size from normal men so as to need less energy. Their thoughts in this starvation were always on food because they needed it to survive.
But once this starvation had ended, their thoughts were still centred on food as a result.
Thats quite a plausible theory i made up on the spot there! It also explains why theyre smaller than other men.

By the way, I dont think JRRT ever thought about any of this. I think we're taking all this way too deep and way too seriously.

[Liriodendron]

Oh! That's GOOD! Ha ha! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] The hobbits who obsessed the most, managed to eat the most, passing the "food obsession" genes along (as they were shrinking! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] ) Sooner, or later, this obsessing began to drive them batty, thus the need for lots of ale and weed! [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

"Only the fat survive"

[ June 15, 2003: Message edited by: Liriodendron ]

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Maybe it's because that's all we ever talk about in England? Well no, actually at the moment we talk a lot of LOTR and a bit about Orlando Bloom. Oh and Posh'n'Becks. And the perennial favourite: the weather.

Actually I think it's simply because they had very little else to go on about. They had few cares or troubles, and it showed how "simple" they were. On the other hand there were things they were interested in, dancing, writing to friends,etc. We don't really get into the minds of many Hobbits so we can't tell.