Summary
Chapter 11
The company finds that Smaug has burned all the green life of the Lonely Mountains. They investigated the main entrance on the south side and Bilbo eventually finds a narrow passage which happens to be where the secret door. However, they realized that they forgot the riddle on how to open the door that Elfond revealed in the moonlight. They try to break it open, but it doesn't budge. Later on, Bilbo remembers how to open the door and tells the others what it is. They wait for the sun's last light to where a single ray of light centers on a specific area on the door. A rock falls revealing the keyhole and Thorin quickly inserts the key. The door unlocks and the company stares at the depths of the mountain.
Chapter 12
The company enters the secret door. Thorin volunteers Bilbo to inside at scout around the area. Bilbo wears his ring allowing him to become invisible. Bilbo sees a red gold dragon with a fiery breath, sharp claws, and diamond strong skin. Smaug is asleep and Bilbo takes a golden cup to show the dwarves.While Bilbo show the dwarves the magnificent golden cup, Smaug takes a careful account of his treasure and he goes on a huge rage when he discovered that the cup was missing.
Smaug finds ponies at the foot of the mountain. He chases and devours them causing Bilbo and the dwarves to be frightened. Smaug goes back to sleep and Bilbo goes back to the lair only to find that Smaug was faking it. However, Smaug can only smell Bilbo, and Bilbo talks in riddles to lower Smaug's anger. The hobbit was able find a small patch on the dragon's underbelly that has no scales protection and he manages to escape Smaug's flames. Bilbo tells the dwarves what he saw and how Smaug will target the city of Lake Town after solving the riddles. Smaug roars loudly in anger and Thorin keeps repeating "the Arkenstone". The dwarves manage to close the door just as the avalanche falls down causing them to be trap.
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| Stolen gold cup |
Smaug finds ponies at the foot of the mountain. He chases and devours them causing Bilbo and the dwarves to be frightened. Smaug goes back to sleep and Bilbo goes back to the lair only to find that Smaug was faking it. However, Smaug can only smell Bilbo, and Bilbo talks in riddles to lower Smaug's anger. The hobbit was able find a small patch on the dragon's underbelly that has no scales protection and he manages to escape Smaug's flames. Bilbo tells the dwarves what he saw and how Smaug will target the city of Lake Town after solving the riddles. Smaug roars loudly in anger and Thorin keeps repeating "the Arkenstone". The dwarves manage to close the door just as the avalanche falls down causing them to be trap.
Review
The dwarves are more stubborn than they usually are. They are determined to get inside and get their gold back. Their greed almost kills Bilbo and caused them to be trap inside the mountain. I think that this will cause Bilbo to not only develop more courage and heroism, but also will frustrate him to the point of having doubt on the dwarves. I believe that Tolkien created the dragon Smaug because of the the European mythological stories that he read and studied. He also used Bilbo's near-death experience with Smaug to allude how Tolkien near deaths in WWI.
"It was an unfortunate remark, for the dragon spouted terrific flames at him....Luckily the whole head and jaws could not squeeze in, but the nostrils sent forth fire and vapour to pursue him, and he was nearly overcome, and stumbled blindly on in great pain and fear." (page 227; paragraph 3)
I believe that Tolkien wrote this to represent his personal experience of WWI. Tolkien uses phrases like "sent forth fire and vapour" and "great pain and fear" to show a small glimpse of what near-death felt like during WWI. Overall, I believe these two chapters is just the beginning of a much larger story.
"It was an unfortunate remark, for the dragon spouted terrific flames at him....Luckily the whole head and jaws could not squeeze in, but the nostrils sent forth fire and vapour to pursue him, and he was nearly overcome, and stumbled blindly on in great pain and fear." (page 227; paragraph 3)
I believe that Tolkien wrote this to represent his personal experience of WWI. Tolkien uses phrases like "sent forth fire and vapour" and "great pain and fear" to show a small glimpse of what near-death felt like during WWI. Overall, I believe these two chapters is just the beginning of a much larger story.
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