The group begins, in this chapter, to experience the discomforts that will grow into real perils and trials by which they are tested. Rain, cold, and hunger are typical of these discomforts. Bilbo is sent into the group of trolls to investigate, foreshadowing the many times he will investigate — and be pushed beyond his customary limits — on the journey, and his attempt to steal from William's pocket is an effort to justify his role of burglar. Likewise, the trolls' capture of the dwarves foreshadows several instances of the dwarves victimization at the hands of their enemies; in future instances, Bilbo or Gandalf continue to rescue them. Gandalf's trickery of the trolls is typical of his dealing with enemies: Gandalf does not use violence nearly as often as he outwits his opponents.
The trolls are another group of fantastical creatures, like the hobbits or dwarves, but far more threatening. The fact that they turn into stone in the daylight adds to the fantasy quality of the story. Bilbo and the dwarves' discovery of food, clothing, weapons, and gold in their cave is fortuitous, and the weapons soon assume greater meaning.
