The Things They Carry: Teaching kids about Gollum's character in sensory ways

We're all about the impact of great books on character. Sure, they also impart language arts skills, geography, history, astronomy, botany, traditions, mythology, writing skills, and more. But most importantly, great books show us how others feel and think, and help us understand why.

To get a feel for what certain characters feel, sometimes we have to look at—or better yet, feel—what they carry.

For instance, in The Hobbit, Gollum keeps a meager collection of found objects in his pocket that reveal why he is the way he is. In our workshops, we have kids reach into a linen bag and identify those broken, icky items by touch. (Yes, this includes the bat wing and goblin teeth. By the way, if you get our LitWits Kit for The Hobbit, we . . . um . . . obtain those FOR you🪳🦷🦇🪱. 🐚🕷️ ).  

Through the sense of touch, imagination, and discussion, kids discover the harsh reality of his life in the dark—why he's so broken and icky himself. They literally get a feel for Gollum's extreme loneliness, for his miserable, isolated existence iwithout any comforts, family, or friends. And they get why Bilbo, when he had the chance to kill him, chose mercy instead of a sword.

"No wonder the Ring was so important to him!” a girl exclaimed in a one of our workshops. “It’s not just that it made him disappear. It gave him one thing to be proud of."

That's the kind of insight we love to pull out of great books! These moments of "aha empathy" help us remember that we all learn from everyone, in stories and in real life—even the unlikeables. 

Want to do this activity with YOUR kids?

Come see what else we've packed into Gollum's pocket, and into the whole LitWits Kit for teaching The Hobbit! Besides character lessons, your kids will learn dialect writing and lots of other things, too—this kit holds nine activities. plus souvenirs!