Legacies and Hobbits: Life Lessons Learned from The Hobbit

I want to leave a legacy for my children.

This thought has been closer to the forefront of my mind because I’ve been to two funerals in the last ten days. Both women were grandmothers, and one was a great-grandmother. They loved their families deeply and left many happy memories.

But memories aren’t all I want to leave behind. I want to leave a legacy – not riches or things, but a passion for following Christ’s call and being “all that I can be” in Him. So, you might ask, what does this have to do with The Hobbit? If you think of Gandalf as the parent figure and Bilbo as the child, you can see some of this “leaving a legacy” in action.

What does Gandalf “leave” Bilbo? Gandalf awakens a sense of adventure in Bilbo. Before Gandalf arrived, he had no place for adventure. He says that adventures are “nasty disturbing uncomfortable things” that make you late for dinner. At the end, he returns home with treasure and his magic ring. Ever after, he was a friend of elves and dwarves, as well as the wizard. Do I awaken a sense of adventure in my children? Do I step out of my comfort zone, at God’s bidding, and face the adventure of trusting Him to see me through?

Gandalf also allows Bilbo to encounter adversity and trials, with the result that not only the dwarves, but Bilbo himself, learns that there is more to the hobbit than it seemed on the surface. Do I allow my children to face adversity, or do I shield them and rescue them from tough times? Do I allow them to see me struggle and persevere even when things are tough? Do I point them to God, the only one who can really protect them from evil?

Life Lessons Learned from The Hobbit — Marilyn, her mom, and daughter

Bilbo also learns that he has a responsibility to others outside his immediate circle. Gandalf introduces him to the dwarves and sends him on an adventure where he becomes friends with elves, men, and even meets Gollum. Am I teaching my children to see beneath the surface and to embrace friendships with many different people? Am I teaching them to have compassion on those who are suffering all around the world?

These are some of the lessons I see portrayed in The Hobbit. What lessons have you learned? What legacy will you leave?

Get the most out of your homeschool Language Arts program by including a Literature Study Guide along with reading the book. 7Sisters Literature Study Guide for The Hobbit includes great background information, vocabulary, and comprehension work with NO busywork. The study guide includes instructions for meaningful, leveling-up activities if your homeschool high schooler is aiming for a more powerful honors Language Arts credit.

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Legacies and Hobbits: Life Lessons Learned from The Hobbit