Someone to Run With- Post 1B

Although I have noticed many differences between the Israeli and American culture, some similarities have stricken me as slightly surprising. For instance, Grossman uses an analogy to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit in chapter one. "a magic sword, a bewitched ring, a treasure chest, and a greedy dragon watching over it" (Grossman, Pg 18). To me the analogy seems obvious, and I find it likely that he used this analogy because of Israeli students' familiarity with the book as well. Clearly, both cultures are familiar with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien.