Tom

Tom is one of the three trolls—alongside William and Bert—who waylay Thorin and Company in the Lone-lands early in their quest. He is characterized by his slow wit, crude speech, and constant hunger, traits that make him both a comic and a menacing figure. His encounter with Bilbo Baggins sets off a chain of events that nearly ends the adventure before it has properly begun, but also provides the company with their first real test and their first significant weapons.

Identity and Appearance

Tom is a large, heavy-faced troll, as evidenced by his size and the shape of his legs, which even the sheltered Bilbo immediately recognizes as unmistakably troll-like. His language is far from drawing-room fashion, marked by coarse expressions and a preoccupation with food. He is part of a trio that has been waylaying travelers in the woods near the mountains, having frightened everyone away from the district. The trolls are roasting mutton on long spits over a large fire of beech-logs when Bilbo first spies them, and Tom is quick to join in the grumbling about their diet, complaining of a lack of "manflesh" and the short supply of drink.

Role in the Troll Incident

Tom's primary role in the story is as a captor and a source of conflict. When Bilbo, attempting to prove his worth as a burglar, tries to pick William's pocket, the purse squeaks, and William grabs him. Tom immediately suggests cooking the hobbit, asking, "And can yer cook 'em?" and later picking up a skewer. He is also the one who, after Balin appears, gives "an awful howl" and calls for a sack, leading to the capture of the dwarves one by one. Tom participates in the argument over how to cook the prisoners—roasting, mincing, boiling, or sitting on them—and is ultimately turned to stone at dawn, along with his companions, when Gandalf's trickery keeps them bickering until the sun rises.

Relationship with the Other Trolls

Tom's interactions with William and Bert are marked by constant bickering and mutual insults. He calls William a "booby" and is called a "lout" in return. The three are easily manipulated by Gandalf, who mimics their voices to prolong their arguments, preventing them from killing the dwarves. Tom is the one who first spots Balin and calls for the sack, and he later fights fiercely when Bifur and Bombur resist capture. Despite their squabbling, the trolls work together to bag the dwarves, and Tom is present when they finally decide to roast them, only to be foiled by the dawn.

Fate and Significance

Tom, along with William and Bert, is turned to stone at dawn, a fate common to trolls who are caught above ground when the sun rises. The narrator notes that they "stand to this day, all alone, unless the birds perch on them." Their cave yields a key that opens their stone door, revealing a hoard of plunder, including the swords Orcrist and Glamdring, which later prove crucial in the fight against the goblins. Tom's capture of Bilbo and the dwarves, while nearly fatal, ultimately provides the company with their first major victory and the tools they need for the perils ahead. The incident also establishes Bilbo's initial, clumsy attempt at burglary and sets the pattern for his later, more successful exploits.