A lot of people see themselves in Gollum, for various reasons, such as addiction. For me it is the war within myself between the good and the bad. What I loved at the end of the movie anyway, is that there were 3 eagles that came with Gandalf to rescue them. Gollum could have been redeemed, what he had done in the past was not unforgivable. It gives me hope for myself in my struggles; hope being a huge theme in Lord of the Rings.

Hehe.

It is actually revealed at one point that Gollum was from a race much like the hobbits of the shire. But that all changed the day he found the ring... As Smeagol (his name), he was a well-liked and good person, but the power of the ring overcame him and turned him into what he was

Hehe!