8th Grade
Religious Text
970L
The Story of David and Goliath
The Book of Samuel
1611
Passage Summary:
In this passage, the translation taken from the New King James Version Bible, the young and small shepherd David takes up the giant enemy warrior Goliath’s challenge for battle in a true underdog fashion.
When and How to Pair:
Have students read this text after they have completed chapter eight of The Hobbit, in order to introduce them to idea of “the unlikely hero” as a literary motif. Pair “The Story of David and Goliath” with The Hobbit: Chapter Eight, and ask students to compare these two unlikely heroes, David and Bilbo, and to discuss how they are able to defeat their much larger foes. How has Bilbo been changed by his confrontation with the spiders, and why do you think this change takes place?