: The story contrasts the corrupting nature of greed (represented by Smaug's hoard) with the steadfast loyalty Bilbo shows to his companions.
: While Bilbo misses the comfort of his hobbit-hole, the dwarves are driven by a deep desire to reclaim their ancestral homeland.
: The wizard Gandalf the Grey approaches Bilbo in the Shire, recruiting him as a "burglar" for a company of 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield.