“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”—J. R. R. Tolkien
Did these famous words whet your appetite for adventure or stir a longing to read more?
To be honest, these famous opening lines did not originally draw me in. Also, the real Max has never read The Hobbit, but her brother has. I did, however, include this book in Max and Her Stacks because it piqued the interest of many of my sixteen-year-old male students. Many of my female students also admitted to favoring the fantasy genre.
As a result, I found it fitting to include a character with “ginormous courage” who helped to influence Max on her reading journey.
Originally, it took a little courage for me to teach this book because it wasn’t my cuppa tea. (I know, Tolkien would have left off “tea.”) 😊
At any rate, I struggled with this fantasy genre at first. However, I learned to appreciate the clever riddles between Bilbo and Gollum, and I discovered this book to be a wonderful coming-of-age story for my high school students. I also unearthed the book’s profound symbolism when I began studying Tolkien’s background.
Joseph Loconte analyzes Bilbo’s “ginormous courage” in his book The War for Middle Earth when he quotes the following passage:
Somehow the killing of the giant spider, all alone by himself in the dark without the help of the wizard or the dwarves or anyone else, made a great difference to Mr. Baggins. He felt a different person, and much fiercer and bolder.
“Is this not the recollection of a soldier in the Great War?” says Loconte.
When I taught Tbe Hobbit, I loved sharing Tolkien’s back story. His connection to British literature allowed me to introduce my students to Beowulf and epic themes of good vs. evil. One great story led me to teach another. Most importantly, Tolkien’s overall theme of courage gave me an important life lesson to share with impressionable young teens. My students’ projects of hobbit holes, maps, wizard hats, and puppets proved many of them enjoyed the journey.
After retiring from teaching and finding more time to read, I discovered a world of devotionals based on many of the texts I taught. Sarah Arthur’s Walking with Bilbo helped me keep The Hobbit alive and well.
In the introduction to her devotional, Arthur explores the motives that start us out on the adventure of faith:
The hero of The Hobbit may seem an unlikely candidate for profound spiritual reflection. . . . Bilbo’s very chosen-ness and his subsequent response have much to teach us about what it means to be called for a purpose larger than we could ever dream or imagine.
What starts us on the adventure? What does God see in us that we can’t yet see in ourselves? How do we rise to the challenges we face along the road?
Oh, yes! This book is a great faith-filled travel guide. From chapters on “Traveling Light” to “Adventures End,” I recommend this book for hobbit lovers and readers of all genres.
As I have grown in my own reading journey over the years, I have learned to at least sample books outside my preferred genres. Like the real Max, who may not favor the fantasy genre, she and I continue to explore new paths to help us grow as readers and lifelong learners.
If the children you know haven’t yet found their reading niche, nudge them out of their hobbit holes and encourage them to try a new adventure. Who knows? They might discover a precious gold ring or a world of books they never knew existed. The greatest adventure might just be what lies ahead!
“It does not do to leave a dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”—J. R. R. Tolkien
“There is a seed of courage hidden (often deeply, it is true) in the heart of the fattest and most timid hobbit, waiting for some final and desperate danger to make it grow.”—J. R. R. Tolkien
“You have to be willing to take the risk, pack your bags, hit the road, even miss a good meal or two, in order to have the kinds of experiences that will rock your world and change your life.”—Sarah Arthur
Proverbs 4:10-27; Proverbs 22:6; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 5:15; 2 Corinthians 11:26
