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| What Bilbo’s Riddles Teach Us About Fear, Wit, and Unexpecte http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=341513 |
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| Author: | france1312 [ May 13th, 2025, 5:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | What Bilbo’s Riddles Teach Us About Fear, Wit, and Unexpecte |
The first time I read The Hobbit, I was nine years old, using a flashlight under the covers when I was supposed to be asleep. It was the chapter “Riddles in the Dark” that did something to me. Not the dragon, not the trolls. It was Bilbo, alone in the blackness, facing Gollum with nothing but riddles and trembling determination. That chapter didn’t just spark my love for Tolkien—it shaped the way I understand fear, cleverness, and the quiet kind of bravery that doesn’t come with swords or songs. Now, as an adult (and lifelong rereader of The Hobbit), I find myself returning to Gollum’s cave more often than expected. It’s more than a pivotal scene—it’s a mirror of something universal: what we do when we’re completely out of our depth. Let’s talk about why that moment matters more than we might think—and what we can still learn from a barefoot burglar and a creature whispering riddles in the dark. The Power of Riddles: Language as Survival In many fantasy novels, power comes from weapons or magic. But in Gollum’s cave, Bilbo has neither. What he does have is language. And it’s that, not brute strength, that allows him to survive. Words as Shields Riddles, in this scene, act like both a game and a battleground. Each riddle buys Bilbo time. Each answer keeps him alive. In a way, it’s Tolkien reminding us that cleverness, memory, and calm thinking under pressure are often stronger than brute force. As someone who’s struggled with social anxiety, this scene has always hit home. Sometimes, the sharpest tool you have in a tense moment is your ability to pause, think, and respond—especially when everything in you wants to panic. Gollum and Bilbo: Fear Facing Fear What’s often overlooked is that Gollum is just as afraid of Bilbo as Bilbo is of him. They’re both lost, both lonely, both playing a game because they don’t know what else to do. It’s easy to paint Gollum as the villain, and sure—he’s terrifying. But he’s also deeply pitiful, driven by desperation and isolation. And Bilbo? He doesn’t fight him. He doesn’t lash out. He tries to outthink him, and eventually, to escape without violence. That balance—seeing danger and sympathy at once—is something Tolkien does masterfully. And it teaches us something rare: that courage can come with compassion, not just conquest. The Real Turning Point Isn’t the Ring Yes, the ring is what shifts the story. But I’d argue the real turning point in The Hobbit is Bilbo’s decision not to kill Gollum when he has the chance. Mercy Over Power It’s one of the quietest scenes in the book, and yet one of the most powerful. Bilbo, invisible, holding a sword, has every advantage. And he hesitates—not out of fear, but out of pity. That moment stays with you, especially as you grow older. It reminds us that the strongest choices are often the ones no one else sees. The kind that don’t make headlines but shape who we become. And it adds a layer of richness when we meet Gollum again in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo's journey would be impossible without Bilbo’s moment of mercy decades earlier. Riddles in Modern Life: Finding Clarity in Chaos You don’t have to be in a dark cave to feel lost. Life throws plenty of riddles our way—some trivial, some terrifying. And sometimes, the best we can do is take a breath and answer one at a time. Honestly, I’ve found my own “riddle in the dark” moments in the least expected places. Just last month, during a long, weirdly stressful week, I found myself trying to relax by playing a random mobile game a friend had sent me. It was called crazy cattle 3d, and to this day I have no idea why it exists. It involves cartoon cows running around in total chaos, and somehow, it worked. It cleared my mind in the same way a well-placed riddle sometimes does—distracting, odd, but oddly grounding. It made me laugh. It reminded me not to take everything so seriously. It reminded me, in its own ridiculous way, of Bilbo’s journey—stumbling into something confusing, then finding a way through it with unexpected grace. Why “Riddles in the Dark” Still Resonates Today Whether you're reading The Hobbit for the first time or the fifteenth, this chapter stands out because it feels so human. It’s about fear, and survival, and making decisions that define you when no one is watching. It’s Not About the Outcome Bilbo doesn’t come out of that cave as a hero. He comes out confused, shaken, and unsure of what he’s just done. But he’s changed. And isn’t that what all the best stories do? I think that’s why the scene sticks with us. Because we’ve all had to bluff our way through something. We’ve all had moments where the “right answer” wasn’t clear until we were already saying it. And we’ve all, at some point, had to find the courage to walk forward even when we were shaking. Final Thoughts: We Are All Bilbo (Sometimes) You don’t have to be a burglar—or a hobbit—to relate to Bilbo. You just have to have been scared and kept going anyway. That’s what “Riddles in the Dark” teaches best. Tolkien didn’t need an army or a dragon to make that chapter unforgettable. Just a cave, two lost souls, and a handful of riddles. That’s all it took to show us that the greatest journeys begin not with bravado, but with hesitation—and heart. |
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| Author: | LisandrRatke [ May 14th, 2025, 9:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Bilbo’s Riddles Teach Us About Fear, Wit, and Unexp |
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| Author: | Evgenii [ May 16th, 2025, 5:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Bilbo’s Riddles Teach Us About Fear, Wit, and Unexp |
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