The story serves several purposes for readers. Since "The Hobbit" is written almost entirely from the perspective of Bilbo Baggins and contains little that he does not directly experience or at least witness, "The Quest of Erebor" provides additional insight into the events during and preceding the story. It provides an explanation of why Gandalf wished to include Bilbo in Thorin's business, and why the Dwarves were willing to accept him. This assists in placing "The Hobbit" on a more equal footing with "The Lord of the Rings"; as "The Hobbit" is essentially a children's fantasy tale, the level of suspension of disbelief is already somewhat high and such matters do not require much explanation. "The Lord of the Rings", on the other hand, has a more serious tone, and so the additional information provided in "The Quest of Erebor" helps to explain the otherwise questionable motives of the characters in "The Hobbit".