• Salt Lake City: Mostly Cloudy 76°
mostlycloudy
Deseret News
Home
  • Login/Register
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Site
    • Text Version
    • Mobile Apps
Powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
    • Cars
    • Jobs
    • Deals
powered by ksl.com
  • Marriage & Parenting
  • Family Media
  • Movie Guide
  • Calendar
  • More Family
    • TV Listings
    • Family Life Wire
Advertise with usReport this ad

How ‘Hobbit’ movie can teach important values to children

  • Print
  • Font [+] [-]
  • 6 Comments »

By Jamshid Ghazi Askar, Deseret News

Published: Friday, Dec. 14 2012 10:00 a.m. MST

Photos
  • View 4 photos »
Summary

New movie “The Hobbit” can help parents teach their children about heroes, identity, gratitude and Christian themes.

More Coverage
  • Will faster frame rate in 'The Hobbit' successfully buck 85 years of tradition?

  • 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey': 3 points for parents

  • C.S. Lewis expert Michael Wilcox gives 'Hobbit' context

  • Movie review: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' is a more lighthearted return to Middle Earth

“What we see about Bilbo is that he has this beautiful hobbit hole, this very comfortable existence. And he completely takes it for granted — he doesn’t really appreciate very much at all about his life. … What happens with Bilbo is he comes to recognize and appreciate (his life at home) much more as time goes on, so that when he returns to it his eyes are really open to it.”

Religious themes

Throughout “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” religious themes and values abound. However, whereas Tolkien’s contemporary and close friend C.S. Lewis chose to infuse a more overt Christianity into the “Chronicles of Narnia” series, Tolkien opted instead for a subtler literary embrace of Judeo-Christian values.

For instance, when Gandalf the Gray (Ian McKellen, reprising his iconic role from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) entrusts Bilbo with a special sword, he sternly admonishes the hobbit, “True courage isn’t knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one.” Those words weigh heavy with Bilbo as he has the chance to kill Gollum after their riddle game, but instead chooses to spare the life of the sad, woebegone creature.

Another example of religious themes in "Unexpected Journey" is the ever-present question of whether miraculous circumstances and last-minute rescues are the fruits of luck or providence.

“In terms of moral truths and worldview, the faith of Lewis and Tolkien does not differ because they share a similar Christianity,” Brown said. “The way it’s embedded is different: Tolkien’s Christianity was much more fundamental, much more below the surface; Lewis’ was more direct.

“Lewis had an interesting word for it: He called Tolkien’s Christianity more ‘latent’ than his, which is a good way to describe it.”

Highlighting this distinction for adolescents and teenagers could potentially open their eyes to the myriad ways faith themes play out as subtext across all sorts of movies, television and stage plays.

Jamshid Ghazi Askar is a graduate of BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School and member of the Utah State Bar. Contact him at jaskar@desnews.com or 801-236-6051.

Related Stories
  • Will faster frame rate in 'The Hobbit' successfully buck 85 years of tradition?

  • 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey': 3 points for parents

  • C.S. Lewis expert Michael Wilcox gives 'Hobbit' context

  • «Prev
  • Page:
  • 1
  • 2

Featured Comments

See all 6 comments »
raybies
Layton, UT

I saw it, and I agree there's a lot of head-popping-off violence, and it's very intense in places.

That said, some of the really strong themes that I really enjoyed were shown in the theme of courage, sacrifice, showing mercy More..

  • 8:27 a.m. Dec. 16, 2012
  • Top comment
Californian
Santa Ana, CA

I saw the movie last night in a prescreening and I would never take a child under 12-14 to it. It is very violent. The stuff nightmares are made of. My friend and I were trying to find the "Christian themes" but it was hard to do so because More..

  • 11:11 a.m. Dec. 14, 2012
  • Top comment
DesNewsReader11
Provo, UT

Hmm. Decent article, but two disagreements:

1) Contrary to Olson, the Hobbit is not about identity. Bilbo doesn't spend a single page reflecting on who he really is, nor does he "find himself" on his journey. Saying the Hobbit More..

  • 10:14 a.m. Dec. 21, 2012
  • Top comment
Comments
Leave a comment »

DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments

About the Author
Jamshid Ghazi Askar

Jamshid Ghazi Askar

Jamshid Ghazi Askar is an enterprise reporter covering Values in the Media for the Deseret News.

A proud half-Iranian born in Los Angeles, Mr. Askar spent his formative years growing up in Orange County. more ..

  • Connect:
Advertise with usReport this ad
What You May Have Missed
  • No kid is an island: homeschool co-ops give social opportunities to children who learn at home
  • Life of prayer: Attitudes and beliefs about prayer evolve in old age
  • Watch a video tribute to Sister Frances J. Monson
Sample morning edition email
Advertise with usReport this ad
Most Popular
Across Site
In Family
  • 18-year-old musician dies after inspiring...
  • Photo of inspiring message in Oklahoma rubble...
  • Life lessons from 'Toy Story,' 'Up' and 6...
  • Abused parents: Tykes deliver crushing blows,...
  • Woman uses public punishment to teach a...
  • Salt Lake City has highest rate of same-sex...
  • J.J. Abrams dedicates 'Star Trek: Into...
  • Concert review: Imagine Dragons win over...
  • Josh Powell made 'admission of guilt' in...
  • Wright Words: Oklahoma tornado provides...
  • 'Tattooed Mormon' Al Fox shares her...
  • Tornado relief spurs LDS Church, Layton's...
  • Utah Jazz: No lottery luck, so Jazz remain in...
  • Couples registry gets preliminary nod from...
  • 18-year-old musician dies after inspiring...
  • Fire chief says search almost complete in...
Get The Deseret News Everywhere

Subscribe

Mobile

Facebook

Twitter

RSS

Email

Most Commented
Across Site
In Family
  • Fly a flag for Cody: Army confirms Utah... 10
  • French president signs gay marriage... 5
  • Former middle-class moms choose new... 5
  • Abused parents: Tykes deliver crushing... 4
  • Salt Lake City has highest rate of... 3
  • Viral photos encourage moms to 'set... 3
  • Woman uses public punishment to teach a... 3
  • Taking back family dinner: A healthy,... 2
  • Letters: No welfare, ever 70
  • Mitt Romney talks IRS, AP records,... 65
  • High school baseball: 5A, 4A state... 56
  • Mia Love announces she's officially... 43
  • BYU football to receive 6-figure payout... 40
  • BYU football: Mendenhall calls 2012... 39
  • Prophet calls for tolerance, kindness... 39
  • Journalists criticize Obama... 38
Advertise with usReport this ad
Advertise with usReport this ad
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
Home »
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Lists
  • Movies
  • Columnists
  • Watch It
News »
  • Utah news
  • World & Nation
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Education
  • Salt Lake County
  • Utah County
  • Davis County
  • Police/Courts
  • Legislature
  • Weather
  • Immigration
  • News Wire
Sports »
  • Utah Jazz
  • Sports Picks
  • BYU Cougars
  • Utah Utes
  • Utah State Aggies
  • Real Salt Lake
  • Salt Lake Bees
  • High school sports
  • Rock
  • Harmon
  • Watch It
  • Scores and Stats
  • On TV
  • NFL
  • MLB
  • Weber State Wildcats
  • Grizzlies
  • Utah Valley Wolverines
  • Southern Utah University
  • Sports Wire
Opinion »
  • Editorials
  • Op-Eds
  • Letters
  • Political Cartoons
Faith »
  • Featured Faiths
  • Mormon Times
  • LDS Church News
  • Mission Reunions
  • Faith Wire
Family »
  • Marriage & Parenting
  • Family Media
  • Movie Guide
  • Calendar
  • TV Listings
  • Family Life Wire
Special Sections »
  • Education Week
  • LDS General Conference
  • Mormons in America
  • Olympics
  • Outdoor Retailer
  • Rugby
  • Sports Picks
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • Utah Blaze
  • Utah Grizzlies
  • Print Subscription
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • Feedback
  • Jobs
  • RSS
  • E-Edition
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal notices
  • Advertise with us
Advertise with usReport this ad
Connect tracking