5/5 the Hobbit chapter 15
Chapter 15 - The Gathering Of The Clouds
Looking at the unusual gathering of the birds, the dwarves and Bilbo sense something strange had happened. The thrush that told Bard Smaug's weak point flew towards the party and was trying to tell them something. However, they were not the descendants of Girion, so they couldn't understand what the thrush was saying. The thrush brings a great old raven called Roäc who was good and friendly with the dwarves. He tells the dwarves and hobbit (in ordinary language) that Smaug was dead. The party rejoiced the death of Smaug. They are also told that the wood elves have prepared an army for war and the people of Lake Town are seeking a share of the treasure to rebuild their town. However, Thorin was too greedy, he angrily stated that the treasure was his, and not a single coin will be given to them, he would even risk war to protect his treasure. Thorin sends messages to his relatives, for example, Dain in the Iron Hills to prepare for war. They blocked the main gate with a wall of rocks, so they had to go in and out using a ladder.
One night, the armies of wood elves and the Lake-Men came before the main gate. Representatives of the armies, which was Bard and some elves, came in front of the gate to negotiate with Thorin. Bard claimed that the Lake-Men helped Thorin and his company when he was injured and in distress, but the party only brought ruin upon Lake-Town. Thorin, whose greed towards gold was growing day by day after the death of Smaug claimed that the treasure was his inheritance, and he was never going to give any treasure to others unless the armies were going to retreat. Bard, who was a wise man, didn't want war and asked Thorin to rethink. Bilbo secretly wanted peace but was too afraid to say anything to the dwarves. When the people came to the gate again to ask Thorin's decision, Thorin shot an arrow in one of the shields of the Lake-Men. The armies announced that the mountain was besieged and no one was able to get in or out of the mountain. Their strategy was to make the party starve until they give some treasure. However, everyone except Bombur, Kili, Fili and Bilbo became very greedy, to the extent that they were prepared to fight to protect the treasure.
I thought this chapter showed how greed can destroy one's morality and personality. The dwarves value treasure so much more than other races and their greed for treasure drive their decisions. Their minds are poisoned by greed, so they are not able to think rationally, turning friends such as Lake-Men into enemies. I realized at this point that the dwarves and Smaug were actually very similar because they were all driven by mindless greed. Up until this point, I had thought that dwarves, elves and men are all supposed to be good people. It is interesting that Bombur, Kili and Fili who are the youngest dwarves in the party are not much affected by greed despite the fact that they are dwarves. I think this is because they all have different perspectives of value, for example, Bombur likes food more than other dwarves, Fili and Kili are young so their minds are more clear and not easily affected by greed. This also applies to Bilbo because he values peace more than wealth. Furthermore, I thought that Bard was a very good and wise person because he thinks about his people first even before himself.
Looking at the unusual gathering of the birds, the dwarves and Bilbo sense something strange had happened. The thrush that told Bard Smaug's weak point flew towards the party and was trying to tell them something. However, they were not the descendants of Girion, so they couldn't understand what the thrush was saying. The thrush brings a great old raven called Roäc who was good and friendly with the dwarves. He tells the dwarves and hobbit (in ordinary language) that Smaug was dead. The party rejoiced the death of Smaug. They are also told that the wood elves have prepared an army for war and the people of Lake Town are seeking a share of the treasure to rebuild their town. However, Thorin was too greedy, he angrily stated that the treasure was his, and not a single coin will be given to them, he would even risk war to protect his treasure. Thorin sends messages to his relatives, for example, Dain in the Iron Hills to prepare for war. They blocked the main gate with a wall of rocks, so they had to go in and out using a ladder.
One night, the armies of wood elves and the Lake-Men came before the main gate. Representatives of the armies, which was Bard and some elves, came in front of the gate to negotiate with Thorin. Bard claimed that the Lake-Men helped Thorin and his company when he was injured and in distress, but the party only brought ruin upon Lake-Town. Thorin, whose greed towards gold was growing day by day after the death of Smaug claimed that the treasure was his inheritance, and he was never going to give any treasure to others unless the armies were going to retreat. Bard, who was a wise man, didn't want war and asked Thorin to rethink. Bilbo secretly wanted peace but was too afraid to say anything to the dwarves. When the people came to the gate again to ask Thorin's decision, Thorin shot an arrow in one of the shields of the Lake-Men. The armies announced that the mountain was besieged and no one was able to get in or out of the mountain. Their strategy was to make the party starve until they give some treasure. However, everyone except Bombur, Kili, Fili and Bilbo became very greedy, to the extent that they were prepared to fight to protect the treasure.
I thought this chapter showed how greed can destroy one's morality and personality. The dwarves value treasure so much more than other races and their greed for treasure drive their decisions. Their minds are poisoned by greed, so they are not able to think rationally, turning friends such as Lake-Men into enemies. I realized at this point that the dwarves and Smaug were actually very similar because they were all driven by mindless greed. Up until this point, I had thought that dwarves, elves and men are all supposed to be good people. It is interesting that Bombur, Kili and Fili who are the youngest dwarves in the party are not much affected by greed despite the fact that they are dwarves. I think this is because they all have different perspectives of value, for example, Bombur likes food more than other dwarves, Fili and Kili are young so their minds are more clear and not easily affected by greed. This also applies to Bilbo because he values peace more than wealth. Furthermore, I thought that Bard was a very good and wise person because he thinks about his people first even before himself.
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