Dipping My Toes In
Everytime I read the description of Bag End I want to live there. It sounds so comfortable and nice. Especially later in the chapter when we get an idea of everything in his pantries. I think I could be happy with Bilbo's pre-adventure life. Of course, it rarely registers that he's wealthy enough that he doesn't have to work. I suppose I wouldn't really complain about any life that comes with a nice house, plenty of food, and no necessity of earning a living.
Speaking of his pantries, does anyone still practice the kind of hospitality presented here? Strangers show up on your door unannounced and you invite them in without a question. Moreso, you not only feed them, but let them custom order anything they desire that's within your capacity to provide. It seems to me we take a different view of strangers and even guests these days.
As I was reading this I was struck by how much Rowling borrowed the idea of adventure as a bad thing in her depiction of the Dursleys. They aspire to everything a respectable Hobbit does. And while I can understand what the authors describe and see it around me to an extent, I don't think the society I live in emphasizes quite the same thing in quite the same way. People want to be "normal" and fit in, but without the same abhorence of "adventure" precisely. I wonder if this is just the way I see it, or if it's something that's more pronounced in Britain than the U.S?
Speaking of his pantries, does anyone still practice the kind of hospitality presented here? Strangers show up on your door unannounced and you invite them in without a question. Moreso, you not only feed them, but let them custom order anything they desire that's within your capacity to provide. It seems to me we take a different view of strangers and even guests these days.
As I was reading this I was struck by how much Rowling borrowed the idea of adventure as a bad thing in her depiction of the Dursleys. They aspire to everything a respectable Hobbit does. And while I can understand what the authors describe and see it around me to an extent, I don't think the society I live in emphasizes quite the same thing in quite the same way. People want to be "normal" and fit in, but without the same abhorence of "adventure" precisely. I wonder if this is just the way I see it, or if it's something that's more pronounced in Britain than the U.S?
posted by Degolar | 12:43 PM
2 Comments:
Interesting. I have been trying to remember anything about this book because I did read it in Jr. High. I remember I liked it, but the only specific thing I can recall is the Hobbit world, a very wonderful place. The LOTR movies made me want to read this book again, not the others, because I saw Bag End.
And it is does seem that when we get together with friends it involves going out, not staying in. It's like we need an "event" as an excuse to get together.
Although Bilbo presents himself as an open and gracious host, he really doesn't want to socialize with scandalous Gandalf or the heathen dwarves. That strikes me as very British.
It may also be due to the fact he didn't have to work hard to have money... so he may hold others to a higher standard of respectability.
Whether Rowling borrowed from here, or just British mentality in general, I couldn't tell. During Princess Diana's funeral, I remembered hearing [something to the effect of] Prince Charles telling his half-grown sons not to appear anything but composed, especially in front of the cameras and public. The 'keep a stiff upper lip' mentality.
It just seemed especially harsh, given they were boys, given to being closer to their mother. And she was a mother seemingly more interested in being a parent than being a royal.
Rather back to the topic at hand... Americans may not entertain hospitality the same way. Earned or not, the US tends to have the image of being hard workers, obsessed with financial stability. Working for every dollar possible tends to shorten one's social availability. Seemingly, we would be behind most all the major European societies, placing value more on tangible investments, rather than the emotional ones.
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