Summary
Chapter 13
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| The Arkenstone |
Chapter 14
The story's setting switches to Lake Town where the people gather archers to shoot the dragon and buckets of water to extinguish the flames. Smaug sets the roofs on fire and the arrows bounce harmlessly of his diamond-like skin.
"Fire leaped from thatched roofs and wooden beam-ends as he hurtled down and past and round again, though all had been drenched with water before he came. Once more water was flung by a hundred hands wherever a spark appeared....Another swoop and another, and another house and then another sprang afire and fell; and still no arrow hindered Smaug or hurt him more than a fly from the marshes." (page
A thrush lands on one of the archers who is the captain. The archer's name is Bard and the thrush tells him about Smaug's Achilles's heel in a small spot of its left breast. Bard shoots his last arrow and it flies towards the weak point killing Smaug. Smaug crashes into the town completely destroying it. The surviving townspeople thought that the dwarves were dead and realized that there is an empty mountain filled with treasure that they can take. News of the unguarded treasure spread like wildfire bringing the Elvenking and his army who came to help the humans. Together, they march towards the mountain where most of them believed that no one is in there.
"Fire leaped from thatched roofs and wooden beam-ends as he hurtled down and past and round again, though all had been drenched with water before he came. Once more water was flung by a hundred hands wherever a spark appeared....Another swoop and another, and another house and then another sprang afire and fell; and still no arrow hindered Smaug or hurt him more than a fly from the marshes." (page
A thrush lands on one of the archers who is the captain. The archer's name is Bard and the thrush tells him about Smaug's Achilles's heel in a small spot of its left breast. Bard shoots his last arrow and it flies towards the weak point killing Smaug. Smaug crashes into the town completely destroying it. The surviving townspeople thought that the dwarves were dead and realized that there is an empty mountain filled with treasure that they can take. News of the unguarded treasure spread like wildfire bringing the Elvenking and his army who came to help the humans. Together, they march towards the mountain where most of them believed that no one is in there.
Review
Chapter 13 reveals a gem called the Arkenstone and Bilbo finds it, but we do not know what does he want with it. What we do understand is that the dwarves recklessness caused him to do it. The narrator tells us that dwarves are greedy when it comes to treasure which reflect Tolkien's inspirations
of creating them based on old European legends. I also think that the reason Bilbo is alive is because of his wits. If the company had taken another warrior, this warrior would had fallen against Smaug easily. Thus, Gandalf did a very smart move to add a hobbit into the journey.
When Smaug was burning the town, it is just like every legendary dragon story. A dangerous dragon with armorlike scaled hide, fire-breath, and a love for treasure. It attacks the helpless people and in every story...there is a hero. For Tolkien, this hero is the archer captain, Bard. Bard was told by a thrush about Smaug's weakness. Tolkien says that there are certain birds used as messengers who have an ability to talk to people.
of creating them based on old European legends. I also think that the reason Bilbo is alive is because of his wits. If the company had taken another warrior, this warrior would had fallen against Smaug easily. Thus, Gandalf did a very smart move to add a hobbit into the journey.
When Smaug was burning the town, it is just like every legendary dragon story. A dangerous dragon with armorlike scaled hide, fire-breath, and a love for treasure. It attacks the helpless people and in every story...there is a hero. For Tolkien, this hero is the archer captain, Bard. Bard was told by a thrush about Smaug's weakness. Tolkien says that there are certain birds used as messengers who have an ability to talk to people.
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| Destruction of Lake Town |
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