The Hobbit comprehension
An Adventure
This week I thought I would mix it up with my own comprehension using a passage from The Hobbit.
You can read and download a PDF copy of the comprehension here.
Solutions
Questions
For the following questions embed short quotes to support your opinions, except when the questions says ‘use your own words’.
Does Bilbo recognise Gandalf at first? [3]
No, Tolkein implies that Bilbo fails to notice Gandalf by describing him simply as ‘an old man with a staff’. Further, Gandalf is wearing ‘a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak’ and ‘a silver scarf’, so it’s strongly suggested that Bilbo can’t see Gandalf very well underneath all his clothing.
Embed means to insert the quotes naturally within your answer as I model here, rather than introduce quotes with ugly phrases such as ‘it says in the quote’ or not at all, just dropping quotes in.
Write down 3 words Bilbo uses to describe adventures. [3]
Bilbo describes adventures as ‘Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things!’
Because all of the adjectives are in the same sentence you don’t need individual quotation marks around each adjective but can simply embed the sentence like this.
How would you describe Bilbo’s mood before Gandalf starts talking about adventures? [3]
Bilbo feels happy and carefree. The narrator notes that when he wished Gandalf ‘Good morning!’ that ‘he meant it’. Additionally, Bilbo says it’s ‘a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco’ and he starts blowing smoke rings outside of his home, suggesting he is at ease and not in a rush to do anything.
What does Bilbo think of Gandalf’s plan to recruit a hobbit for an adventure? [3]
Bilbo finds it strange that Gandalf should try to recruit a hobbit for an adventure because, as he says, ‘We [Hobbits] are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures’. Here Bilbo refers to hobbits and their general simple nature, and from this description we can assume otter hobbits are like Bilbo who live quiet lives of leisure.
What does Bilbo twice ask of Gandalf? [1]
Bilbo asks for Gandalf’s ‘pardon’.
Explain the difference in meaning between Bilbo’s first good morning and his second. Use your own words [2]
At first, Bilbo simply wishes Gandalf a good morning and it’s a sincere friendly greeting, borne out of a genuine cheerfulness, but the second ‘good morning’ means goodbye. It’s a polite signal to Gandalf that Bilbo wishes to end the conversation.
How does Bilbo react when he recognises Gandalf? [3]
When Bilbo finally recognises the wizard, he is surprised, happy and nostalgic. He repeats, ‘Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me!’ The exclamation marks and repetition emphasise his surprise and the exclamation ‘Good gracious me!’ his joy at seeing an old friend again. Then he nostalgically goes on to recount stories involving Gandalf.
Write down 3 flowers Bilbo refers to. [3]
The three flowers Bilbo refers to are ‘lilies and snapdragons and laburnums’.
What does the narrator mean when he says Bilbo was not ‘so prosy as he liked to believe?’ Use your own words [3]
Bilbo is not as common or dull as he liked to believe in the sense that, although hobbits generally don’t like adventures or much excitement, part of Bilbo does want adventure.
This interpretation makes most sense in this context because Bilbo is refusing Gandalf’s call to adventure while still showing a yearning for one.
How does Bilbo react when he invites him on an adventure? [3]
Bilbo becomes anxious and flustered when invited on an adventure. His speech is very frantic. He replies to Gandalf, ‘Sorry! I don't want any adventures, thank you. Not today. Good morning!’ Essentially, he does his best to be polite and friendly while bringing the conversation to an end as quick as he can, in order to avoid Gandalf’s adventure.
Explain the line ‘Wizards after all are wizards’. Use your own words [2]
Wizards are powerful and persuasive beings who you don’t want to cross or upset.
Challenge questions
What impression do you get of Bilbo based on the passage? [6]
Bilbo like other hobbits, enjoys an easy life of leisure. He loves simple pleasures like sitting outdoors to read his morning letters while smoking. Additionally, he likes tea and cake, as he has ‘a second cake’ in the morning which gives the impression that his life is quite comfortable and cosy, which is the way he generally likes it.
However, there is a part of Bilbo which yearns for adventure which is why the narrator notes to the reader, You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe’ in the middle of Bilbo recounting stories of Gandalf telling ‘wonderful tales at parties’ which inspired young hobbits to go on their own adventures. Bilbo’s tone is nostalgic and admiring, suggesting that he likes the thought of going on an adventure or at least a bit more excitement in his life.
Total marks available: 35
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