The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This time through I noticed the theme of Providence throughout the story. So many seemingly random events are orchestrated for a higher purpose: Gandalf's choosing of Bilbo as the "burglar"; the fact that Bilbo and the dwarves happen to be at Rivendell on Midsummer's Day Eve, which happens to be the only night they can read the runes on Thorin's map; Bilbo's discovery of the Ring in the darkness of a cave; the fish that jumps out of the water and thus gives Bilbo the answer to one of Gollum's riddles that had him completely stumped; the fact that the dwarves and Bilbo are standing by the grey stone on Durin's Day as the thrush knocks and the setting sun shines light upon the keyhole.

The narrator refers to Bilbo's "good luck" throughout the book, but at the very, very end of the book, he brings out the role of Providence. Several years after the adventure, Bilbo is sitting in his living room with Balin and Gandalf, and he learns that all is well at the Lonely Mountain. Dale is rebuilt; the dwarves and the men and the elves are all getting along. Lake-town's new Master is wise and kind. Balin even tells Bilbo, "They are making sons which say that in his day the rivers run with gold."

"Then the prophecies of the old songs have turned out to be true, after a fashion!" said Bilbo.

"Of course!" said Gandalf. "And why should not they prove true? Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"

View all my reviews