FICTION, FANTASY, & YA - The Golden Compass

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pullman, Philip. 1995. THE GOLDEN COMPASS. New York: Yearling. ISBN 0440418321

PLOT SUMMARY
In the first installment of the His Dark Materials trilogy, Pullman pits good against evil in this fantasy novel that recounts a thrilling race against time. At the heart of this adventure is young Lyra Belacqua, a supposed orphan raised by the scholars of Jordan College at Oxford University. Lyra is accompanied on her adventures by her daemon, Pantalaimon. The story is set into motion when Lyra learns about a sinister plot to kill her “uncle”, Lord Asriel, who wants funding to explore the far reaches of the North in search of a mysterious material called “Dust”. Asriel survives the poisoning plot only to be later captured and imprisoned by the armored bears. In the meantime, Lyra sets off on a quest to find her best friend, Roger, who has been stolen by the Gobblers, a band of mysterious kidnappers. Lyra faces her journey with The Golden Compass, given to her by the Headmaster. At first Lyra does not know how to use the compass, but she learns from Fader (a wise, old Gyptian), that is a powerful tool that allows her to see into the past, present, and future. What follows is a recounting of Lyra’s adventures as she comes into contact with unique and sometimes dangerous characters such as Mrs. Coulter, John Faa, Dr. Lanselius, Iorek Byrnison, Lee Scoresby, Serafina Pekkala, and Iofur Raknison. Folded intricately throughout the story are a myriad of secrets that are hidden and revealed in twists of plot sure to keep readers on edge, including the identity of Lyra’s parents.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Golden Compass won the Carnegie Medal for outstanding children’s literature, and it is no surprise why. The book is an elaborately woven and riveting example of fantasy at its finest. In reality, the novel could be classified as high fantasy, as it includes all of the six identified motifs of fantasy: magic (as is seen in such elements as Dust and the Golden Compass), other worlds (the universe that is established AND the bridge created to the “new world”), good versus evil (the heart of this story), heroism (Lyra’s quest and coming of age), special character types (as evidenced by daemons, which are the physical embodiment of a person’s soul), and fantastic objects (the Golden Compass, itself).

Aside from Pullman’s creation of a fantastical world, he is also adept at crafting fully developed characters. The character that emerges in Lyra is astounding in its complexity. Here we have a young protagonist who is willful, rebellious, cheeky, and adventurous while at the same time maintaining her innocence and invoking loyalty and love from all who know her. Mrs. Coulter is a full-blown embodiment of evil, but in stark contrast, she has a fondness for Lyra that drives her actions. Lord Asriel is portrayed as a more complicated character who is arrogant, disliked, and devilish, but who also possesses a type of heroic majesty. It is Pullman’s character complexity that makes this novel so intriguing.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
* Winner of the 1995 Carnegie Medal (for the original version published as Northern Lights)
* Horn Book Starred Review – 1996
* Booklist Starred Review – 1996
* ALA Best Books & Notable Book – 1997
* School Library Journal Starred Review – 1996
* SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: “This is a captivating fantasy, filled with excitement, suspense, and unusual characters. There is some fine descriptive writing, filled with the kind of details that encourage suspension of disbelief.”
* BOOKLIST REVIEW: “In the first of a planned trilogy, Pullman has created a wholly developed universe, which is, as he states, much like our own, but different in many ways. A totally involving, intricately plotted fantasy that will leave readers clamoring for the sequels.”
* PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW: “As always, Pullman is a master at combining impeccable characterizations and seamless plotting, maintaining a crackling pace to create scene upon scene of almost unbearable tension. This glittering gem will leave readers of all ages eagerly awaiting the next installment of Lyra's adventures.”

CONNECTIONS
* Examine the various daemons in the book. Talk about why they change when a person is a child, but take a singular form when adulthood is reached. Discuss why each character’s daemon takes on certain unique forms.
* Have each student create a daemon for themselves. Draw or illustrate the daemon in some way. Write about the daemon, perhaps in the form of a concrete poem in the shape of a daemon.
* Compare and contrast the alternate universe in The Golden Compass with other alternate universes or worlds in books such as A Wrinkle In Time, the Harry Potter Series, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
* Chose a character from the novel and complete a character sketch or bio-poem on that character. Discuss what makes the character unique.
* Continue the journey with Lyra Belacqua and her companions:
1) Pullman, Philip. THE SUBTLE KNIFE. ISBN 0679879250
2) Pullman, Philip. THE AMBER SPYGLASS. ISBN 0440418569
3) Pullman, Philip. LYRA’S OXFORD. ISBN 0385606990