His Dark Materials Essays

  • Women and the Reemergence of Eve in His Dark Materials

    1718 Words  | 4 Pages

    Women and the Reemergence of Eve in His Dark Materials The role of female characters in literature has gone through many transformations and radical changes. Until recently, women were often perceived as the other sex by many cultures. The remains can still be witnessed is several societies around the world. This notion obviously enabled the same view to thrive in literature. In epic fantasy, women can rarely stand alone. Many female characters’ purpose in the genre consists of the beautiful prize

  • Retellings and History in Paradise Lost and His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

    1939 Words  | 4 Pages

    While Phillip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials, does examine the “big ol’ metaphysical questions,” – the great Miltonic questions of free will, love and obedience among others – it is also about the act and art of reading. Or as Shelley King describes it, he focuses on the “process of textual interpretation and the role it plays in the framing of metaphysical questions within a culture” (106). The fantasy worlds of His Dark Materials are as shaped by the history and interpretations of

  • The Golden Compass

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Philip Pullman’s novel, The Golden Compass, raises questions by readers due to its questionable ideas on organized religion. To craft his novel, he uses different literary elements and devises that create a fantasy story that children love, and for older readers it shows secular ideals. Pullman’s greatest strength in writing his novel is said to be the way he develops his characters (Young). To understand a character, one must first know what their motivations are and what “stuff” they have. He must

  • Pullman's The Golden Compass

    1683 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pullman's first novel from the His Dark Materials collection, The Golden Compass has many imaginary and realistic modern-day aspects of the world he envisions; such as Daemons, Dust, and the Alethiometer. The Golden Compass takes place in an alternate universe with definite similarities to that of our own Earth. Slight differences, however, define this innovative and beautiful world Pullman has created for his audience. A key difference between the two worlds is the existence and association of Daemons

  • A Comparison Of God And Satan In Shakespeare's Paradise Lost

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    perhaps all they mayhem could have been avoided. Being forced to submit is a perfect example of a leader misusing their power. “To adore the conqueror? who now beholds cherub and seraph rolling in the flood with scattered arms and ensigns, till anon his swift pursuers from heaven gates discern the advantage, and descending thread us down” (Milton 1.323-327). What kind of entity is God that Satan and the Rebel Angels would assume that only kneeling down and begging for forgiveness would be the way to

  • Who Is Pullman's Use Of Place In The Golden Compass

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are five literary devices used to tell a story. One of which is place. Place is used within the story to describe a location or setting. Within the book, place sets tone and is used to set narrative. Pullman’s use of place in The Golden Compass allows him to establish epic scenery within the novel. Many people will ask “what is place?”. Place is a description of atmosphere, time period, location, social hierarchies, culture, perspectives, etc to help illustrate a setting. Place can be used

  • Tool Of The Devil: Comparing Satan in Paradise Lost and The Golden Compass

    2311 Words  | 5 Pages

    Philip Pullman, in his twist on Paradise Lost, The Golden Compass, claims that the original sin was the first, and most essential, step in human beings claiming their free will. He writes the devil (Lord Asriel) as a manipulative, selfish but ultimately admirable character. One who stands his ground and holds onto his beliefs with an intense passion. Milton’s Satan, on the other hand, comes off originally as charming, but slowly presents himself to be weak and unsure, and his ideals are eventually

  • Literary Devices Used in Pullman's, Golden Compass

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    In another minuet, there would be a second line because more and more of them were coming and more behind them ..............She remembered hurling a handful of clay at a brick burner boy bearing down on her. He’d stopped to claw the stuff out of his eyes, and then townies leaped on him…..”(253). As a result, the mini war... ... middle of paper ... ...,”..... eyes nearly lost in a sea of wrinkles” (187). As a result, that metaphor lets the reader visualize what the man’s face looked like. The

  • Analysis of Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

    1411 Words  | 3 Pages

    Analysis of Northern Lights by Philip Pullman Philip Pullman’s novel, Northern Lights, offers an impressive alternative reality which has similarities with the present day, and differences too. The story starts in Jordan College in Oxford but it is an Oxford unlike ours: the technology and the culture of the people give the impression that it is set in the late 19th century. It is a fundamentally different universe in several respects - most evidently, all humans have dæmons. The main character

  • Satan’s Downfall in John Milton’s Paradise Lost

    600 Words  | 2 Pages

    He decided to rebel after God declared his son to be above all other angels in glory and successfully persuaded one-third of God’s angels to join him in his rebellion. Together, they declared war on God and all those residing in his perfect heaven. In Milton’s Paradise Lost, Satan is initially portrayed as the hero of the epic; however, Satan soon begins transforming into various beasts, concluding with his transformation into a large serpent, making his true nature apparent to the readers. In Book

  • The Golden Compass Essay

    655 Words  | 2 Pages

    When Lyra meets the bear Lorek Byrinson, who had his armor tricked out of him, Lyra grasps a sense of courage, and decides to find his armor and let him retrieve, having trust after consulting the aleithiometer. John Faa, a Gyptian, tells Lyra that, "'He's a dangerous rogue'" (166), but "Lyra was passionate" (166). Lyra disapproves of Faa's

  • Book Review of The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    Phillip Pullman This week I chose to read the novel 'The Subtle Knife' written by Phillip Pullman. Philip Pullman was born in Norwich on 19th October 1946. The early part of his life was spent travelling all over the world, because his father and then his step father were both in the Royal Air Force. He spent part of his childhood in Australia, where he first met the wonders of comics, and grew to love Superman and Batman in particular. From the age of 11, he lived in North Wales, having

  • The Themes of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    a quest to find power and with out the love the two shared as friends, neither would be able to complete their missions. However, this is not to say the love and power are a perfect combination. To illustrate, look at Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel. “His hands, still clasped her head, tensed suddenly and drew her towards him in a passionate kiss. Lyra thought this looked more like cruelty than love” both are powerful in their own right, but neither is truly happy with the other. They cannot agree or

  • Constrasting Styles in Paradise Lost by John Milton

    611 Words  | 2 Pages

    Paradise Lost by John Milton In the excerpts from John Milton's Paradise Lost, the reader can see the various elements of style Milton uses to achieve two different effects. His diction produces a brutal tone in Passage A, while painting an idyllic picture in Passage B. Milton's sentence structure supports his diction. The syntax of Passage A is sharp, while Passage B's is more flowing. Figurative language, especially conceit, is pervasive throughout both passages, and the poetic devices

  • Symbolism In 'The Golden Compass' By Philip Pullman

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    The real subject of his book is not about mystic daemons, polar bears, or the gobblers, but instead it is about how he believes since we can recall there has been religious institutions that have somehow prevented us from being open minded individuals to things outside our

  • Finding Truth In Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass

    1395 Words  | 3 Pages

    Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass is about a young girl’s journey to find truth. Lyra, guided by her daemon, Pataliamon, is on a mission to find her father, Lord Asriel. Her goal is to return to him an all-knowing dial called an alethiometer. Driven by her curiosity about Dust, a sparkling particle found only in adults, Lyra and her daemon move into the home of a family acquaintance named Mrs. Coulter. While living with her, Lyra and her daemon learn that Mrs. Coulter runs a powerful Board that

  • Childhood Innocence And Experience In Philip Pullman's Novel 'The Golden Compass'

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    As far as adults are concerned, children are innocent. Adults look back into childhood along with their experiences and maturity, which as a result brings out the most common assumptions of childhood; innocence and experience. According to adults, children are pure, and inexperienced, which in fact is debatable. Philip Pullman’s novel the Golden Compass is an excellent representation of childhood innocence and experience. This essay will explain how innocence and experience is perceived in “the Golden

  • Question Authority In Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials'

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Philip Pullman's three book series, His Dark Materials, readers find themselves following a pair of children across a multiverse as they fight to do what they believe is right. By having his characters challenge those who are in power Pullman is is able to show readers how he believes we should live our lives. Throughout the trilogy there are a number of times in which one character questions the authority of a person who is in charge. By doing this Philip Pullman shows us how he believes we

  • Childrens Literature: The Importance Of Children's Literature

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, the popular fantasy trilogy novel talks about the journey and adventures of an adolescent protagonist Lyra through parallel worlds, this novel explores the relationship between stories, and religious identity by building the concept or idea

  • Symbolism In Plato's The Allegory Of The Cave

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    of the Cave' as a conversation between his mentor, Socrates, who inspired many of Plato's philosophical theories, and one of Socrates' students, Glaucon. The allegory symbolizes the world as a dark cave with humans as trapped prisoners, and all of our experiences shadows on a wall. Through vivid imagery, Plato’s symbolism creates a message and enlightens the minds of those who turn away from intellectualism. The allegory begins with a description of a dark cave containing people bound by chains