Every month, we release a discussion guide to accompany our latest travel book club pick (our January pick is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien).
Every January, I pick an adventure book for us to read together, a story that fits the high of fresh starts, a story that inspires us to go after our biggest travel dreams.
At first, The Hobbit may not seem like that type of story, but in many ways, it is. When Bilbo Baggins’ Tookish side awakens, he is filled with the desire to “go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves”. Bilbo says yes to adventure (with a little more than a little nudge from Gandalf). He learns to believe in himself (and his own resourcefulness) as he journeys through landscapes far beyond his comfort zone.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is a book that never fails to show me what it looks like to say yes to adventure. Here’s our book club reading guide for The Hobbit.
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J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, a good-natured, garden-loving homebody content with the tiny joys in life. When Gandalf, the wandering wizard, arrives with an opportunity for Bilbo to go on an adventure, Bilbo says no (and no and no again). Then, unexpectedly (to his own surprise), yes. He travels with Thorin And Company through Middle-Earth to the Lonely Mountain where Smaug, the dragon, lies and helps a band of dwarves claim a treasure. He sees mountains and valleys and glades.
The Hobbit Discussion Questions
- How do you feel about Bilbo’s initial reaction to Gandalf’s call for adventure? How would you react to the opportunity for adventure?
- Why do you think Bilbo ended up joining Thorin And Company?
- Which of the dwarves (if any) did you resonate with the most?
- How does the presence (or absence) of Gandalf affect characters’ actions in The Hobbit?
- Thorin and Company stop at many different locations during their journey. Which place did you enjoy reading about the most?
- What makes a character evil? To what extent (if any) is Gollum an evil character?
- What stood out to you the most about Bilbo’s interaction with Smaug?
- How does Bilbo’s attitude towards being a burglar change over the course of The Hobbit?
- How do you feel about the way the story was told? If you could make one change to the storytelling structure, what would it be?
- “This is the story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost his neighbors respect but he gained – well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.” What do you think Bilbo Baggins gained by the end of his adventure?
Read Next: 40 Hobbit Quotes To Inspire Your Next Adventure
About Eden Travel Book Club
Eden Travel Book Club is a monthly book club for travel and book lovers. Here, you’ll find unique travel book recommendations, reading lists that spotlight memoirs and essays and stories in translation, and of course our monthly travel book club pick. At the start of each month, we release a discussion guide (straight to your inbox) to accompany our latest book club selection. Feel free to use these discussion questions as journal prompts for your next cozy solo cafe journal date or as an outline for a book club night with friends. Welcome to our bookish travel community.
> How did you feel about Bilbo’s initial reaction to adventure?
I think he’s very grounded and aware of his own limitations and fears. I found it very refreshing to have a protagonist be both interested in adventure, but also consider his weaknesses before jumping into it. (Even if it did require a bit of a push)
> How does the presence (or lack thereof) of Gandalf affect characters’ actions?
Gandalf is definitely the voice of reason and wisdom in the team. Many of the naive (or even bad) ideas that Bilbo and the Dwarves have tended to lead the group into more trouble, but when Gandalf is there, he guides them away from making foolish decisions. (Side note: I get the feeling he holds back a lot of his abilities throughout the adventure)
> How did you feel about Gollum?
I think he’s weird. Why does he play a game of riddles with someone he considers food? 🤔
> Do you think Gollum is truly evil?
Yup
> What role does greed play in this story?
I felt that greed was the center of corruption for many of the characters.
> Would you read the Lord Of The Rings trilogy after this?
I certainly will! I’ve seen a bit of the movies, but I was very hesitant on the idea of reading them because I heard how long it was, and I tend to shy away from large books. But after reading a bit of the Hobbit (sorry I didn’t finish it yet), I’m very excited to finish it and start on the Lord Of The Rings!
I found Bilbo’s character to be quite refreshing as well! In so many of the fantasy books I’ve read, the main characters are confidently rebellious and self-assured in their ability to go on an adventure (even if the undertaking might seem too much). Bilbo’s resilience is part of what made him endearing.
I do think Gandalf feels very much like a father figure, especially at the start of the story. The group is very much dependent on Gandalf at the start to pull them out of trouble. He steps in at the right time. Later on, they have to fend for themselves and this allows them to grow in their friendships with each other (as they are more dependent on each other). Bilbo especially steps up during this time. This is probably going to sound strange but at times, Gandalf reminded me of the training wheels on a bicycle (a really weird description – I know). I do feel that his absences are what made Bilbo stronger.
In terms of the riddles, I feel like Gollum is more lost in evil than evil, if that makes sense. There’s a childlike element to him wanting to play riddles (that matches how he speaks) and there’s another part that is deeply dark and probably just wants to finish off Bilbo. But he might also just really like riddles 😂
No problem with not finishing The Hobbit! As I always say with the book club, “You can join in regardless of whether you’ve read, not read, or DNF’d the book!” 😊 I’m really glad this book piqued your interest in Lord Of The Rings. I haven’t read the series yet either (the books are so large and intimidating) but I’d love to (especially since I’ve heard the world is more complex and there are more stakes).
The early parts of the story had a lot more naivete to them. Bilbo’s decisions (when it came to the Trolls) came from a lack of experience. I enjoyed how each perilous situation made Bilbo stronger and you see that strength slowly unfold over the book.
I do appreciate how much Gandalf stood by Bilbo and believed in Bilbo. I think that his encouragement (and strength in his own decision to bring Bilbo as the burglar) really added to Bilbo’s growth.
I didn’t realize how short The Hobbit was! I thought it was going to be really big like Lord Of The Rings. This book took me by surprise because there was way more singing and conversation and dialogue than what I expected. I thought they were going to fight their way more.
That’s so true! There was way more singing and dialogue than I expected too! While I personally loved the merriment and the joyous tone that was kept as a result, I did feel like those elements of the storytelling made Bilbo’s interaction with Smaug a bit anticlimactic.
I did not finish the book. The world was imaginative I’ll give it that but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the storytelling. It felt very impersonal. I know this is a classic so I’m scared to change anything about it (also Tolkein fans might off me) but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was written in first person.