The Hobbit and Refusing the Call

[sistermagpie]

The concept, I mean. According to Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth there are these stages the hero passes through as part of that big uber-story where the hero has a thousand faces (and one of them is Luke Skywalker).

I was thinking about this concept this week because I finally saw The Hobbit and really enjoyed it. I've been resenting the fact

Comments

[samaranth]

That was one of the first of the ‘mirror’ moments for me, that silent, empty Bag End. It reminded me strongly of one of the concluding scenes of ROTK when Frodo is wandering around, just prior to leaving for the Grey Havens. The contrast of noise and frenzy with silence and...nothing.

I think book Frodo did resist, but it was over a longer period and very subtly expressed. He kept putting off leaving the Shire until it was almost too late. Perhaps it’s not quite to the point of ‘refusal’, but I think there was a reluctance to think in those ‘I must do this now’ terms, to accept he actually did have to make the move. Movie Frodo followed the same path, just got there quicker (in the space of a minute!)

Pervy hobbit fanciers - what fun that would have been! Lucky you.

[sistermagpie]

Oh yes, it totally reminded me of that. And yet somehow it's a very different silence because of the context. Bilbo's is a silence filled with a missed chance. Frodo is the result of the experience.

That's what I remembered from the book too. He's resisting, he's reluctant, he reeeeally doesn't want to go. But I wouldn't say he refuses the call, because he doesn't actually say no. Gandalf doesn't ever have to consider other options. He's terrified, but given the situation he doesn't really feel like he can say no because there's nobody else to do it!

[golden_berry]

It may, as you said, be stating the obvious, but I love how you stated it in this post. Thank you!

[sistermagpie]

Thank you! I'm glad anybody enjoyed reading it!

[merylmarie]

Very well observed, thanks! I think PJ did handle film Bilbo's decision well. In the book, Gandalf comes back and hustles him out of there, robbing Bilbo of that moment of "dammit, I'm not going to miss this!"

Like samaranth, I connected Bilbo's empty house to the moment in ROTK where Frodo is at home feeling lost. Unlike Bilbo, his return wasn't enough to make him content. No amount of books could fill the great void left by the Ring. :(

It was wonderful to spend the better part of a day with you and Oselle and Baylor in Middle-earth. The years fell away, and our Tolkien-love shone bright again. A happy way to head into the new year!

[sistermagpie]

I really liked the arc Bilbo had about the trip in general, how he has that initial feeling of "I can't miss this!" but then worries that he's just a burden. He hasn't even begun to really think about the moment where he's going to be expected to sneak into the dragon's den!

It was a wonderful way to spend the new year with you guys!