These poetic categories I thought were all in some way used to describe the way people felt about their lives as well as others. For example -"Bilbo could hear the goblins beginning a horrible song-.
Fifteen bird on five firtrees,.
their feathers were fanned in a fiery breeze,.
But, funny little birds, they had no wings!.
O what shall we do with the funny little things?.
Roast" em alive, or stew them in a pot;.
fry them, boil them and eat them hot?.
T o describe this scene, Bilbo, Gandalf and the thirteen dwarves, were high up in trees trying to hide from the goblins, but they were not fooled. As they were in trees they had no where to go because the goblins had encircled them. Now they would eat them. Pg. (107-108) .
I found that the many poems in this novel reflect on the age and time in which the scene is set in, as well as being a reflection of personal feelings. .
The poems, (which all have a rhyming scheme and are either social comments or philosophical reflections), to me look at the book almost through "another" world. In this I mean that I could relate to the poem, but I could also relate to the storyline and scene in which it is being told. .
Riddling .
Apart from the poetic writings in the story, riddles are also used. As in chapter 5, from page (79-84), at which Bilbo becomes lost in the "Mines of Moria" (once a mine to the great dwarves, but now in control by the evil goblins). He stumbles across a "unique", in an unattractive way, creature named Gollum, who wishes to eat Bilbo. But Bilbo had his eye daunting sword, named "Sting" (which turns blue when evil is near), at which Gollum then pretends to be friendly before trying to eat him. In fear, he asks Bilbo if they could exchange riddles. If Bilbo lost, he would be eaten, if he won, he would be led out of the mines. Gollum exchanged the first.
What has roots as nobody sees,.
Is taller than trees.
Up, up it goes,.
And yet never grows?.
Bilbo answer the first one correctly, as "Mountain, I suppose.