Wk. 2 Ch. 2 - Gandalf's trickery?

[Sparrow]

Did Gandalf trick Bilbo into leaving and joining the quest by having the dwarves go ahead and wait for Bilbo at the Green Dragon Inn, or was Gandalf just giving Bilbo a chance to sort out his feelings about the adventure? Do you think Bilbo would have gone if they were to all have departed from Bag End?

[Desi Baggins]

I think Gandalf knew that if he was not there Bilbo would not go, so he thought the best way to do it is in a rushed way that left Bilbo no time to think at all. I would like to think Bilbo would still have chosen to go even if they all woke up together and he cooked them breakfast.

[Hilary]

I think Gandalf knew that if he was not there Bilbo would not go, so he thought the best way to do it is in a rushed way that left Bilbo no time to think at all

I think Desi is right: Gandalf hoped that Bilbo's "Tookishness" would make him want to go, but he wasn't going to take any chances. Rushing Bilbo out the door the way he did left Bilbo no chance to renege.

[Greenleaf]

I agree with Desi and Hilary. I don't think Bilbo would have gone with the Dwarves if Gandalf had not been there to "prompt" him. His Tookish side had worn off by the time he woke up the next morning. If the Dwarves had waken him up, I think he could not have avoided going with them either. By leaving him alone in his hobbit-hole, perhaps Gandalf wanted to test him a little and see what Bilbo would choose to do on his own free will. But if it was a test, I think Bilbo failed it. He only passed it in the end thanks to Gandalf's "help".

[Stormrider]

He had no intention of going with them after seeing the breakfast mess that was left! He had barely cleaned up and was sitting down to a second breakfast thinking going after dragon's treasure was nonsense at his age! I think Bilbo was under the assumption, too, that they had decided against taking him along anyway, much to his relief!

Bilbo would not have seen Thorin's note on the mantelpiece in time either if Gandalf had not directed him that way!

I don't think it was really trickery but more like good timing on Gandalf's part. If he had not arrived at barely the last moment to rush Bilbo out the door, Bilbo would not have made the appointment! Bilbo, afterall, had promised to join the Dwarves on their quest the night before.

Gandalf had to make sure his "chosen" burglar was timely and trustworthy or what would the Dwarves think! They already had their doubts about Bilbo as it was!

[Stormrider]

Considering the mess that Bilbo found when he woke up the next morning, I wonder what he would have done if he had seen Thorin's note on the mantel before (or before he got too far) with the clean-up. Bilbo seems to be very particular about his belonging and home. I wonder if he would have been torn to leave the house a mess, pack, and meet the Dwarves or whether he would have cleaned the house (perhaps very quickly) first.