Dig Deeper: The Author Behind “The Golden Compass”

This December 7th, New York-based New Line Cinema is releasing the film “The Golden Compass”, which is based on English author Philip Pullman’s 1995 novel, “Northern Lights”, and is the first book in the writer’s “His Dark Materials” fantasy trilogy. Rostered with marquis names like Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Sam Elliott, this nearly $200 million production chronicles 12-year-old Lyra Belacqua as she wanders through far-flung locations and far-fetched circumstances, tangling with the forces of evil to rescue her friend, Roger Parslow. Up front the story appears to be a rather straightforward, albeit ingenious and lavishly stylized, re-telling of the age-old motif of an unlikely underdog against all odds. As such, the film should resonate well with audiences accustomed to big-screen spectacle heavy with computer-generated graphics and a compelling storyline. It’s what is down under the surface that has critics from religious circles –and many parents –bristling.

“It's very well written and it works as fantasy, but Phil Pullman himself saw this as a way to critique Christianity,” said Dr. Gene Veith, in an interview with Lutheran Hour Ministries. Veith is provost and professor of literature at Patrick Henry College in Virginia. “Just as C.S. Lewis is trying to open children's minds and imaginations to Christianity, Philip Pullman in his books is trying to open children's minds and imaginations to atheism,” he added.

Interview with Dr. Veith - part I
Interview with Dr. Veith - part II

Essentially, Pullman feels it’s the disreputable church, called the “Magisterium” in “The Golden Compass”, wielding its coercive power and unbending dogma in the name of God that is a major problem. Cited in a New Yorker article, he is quoted as saying, “Every single religion that has a monotheistic god ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don’t accept him” www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/12/26/051226fa_fact.

Throughout Pullman’s trilogy, ideas are expressed in allegorical layers of meaning, and the film captures this by rendering “Dust” as evidence of original sin. Also, Lyra’s personal daemon (demon), Pantalaimon –who is essentially her soul in the form of a talking animal –partners with her in search of her friend, Roger. To flesh out his story, Pullman pulls concepts from physics, theology, philosophy, and metaphysics to build his fiction.

When asked about any divine connection to this world, the 61-year-old Pullman pulls no punches. “I’m an atheist. There’s no God here. There never was. But if you go out into the vastness of space, well, I’m not so sure. On that level, I’m an agnostic,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125644900.html.

It’s that sort of unveiled comment, as well as what’s considered to be the subversive undercurrent of Pullman’s trilogy overall, that has pricked the ears of religious leaders. According to a Web site fond of urban legends, “The Golden Compass… follows the adventure of a streetwise girl who travels through multiple worlds populated by witches, armor-plated bears, and sinister ecclesiastical assassins to defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God” http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp. Other high-profile detractors of this film are groups like Focus on the Family, the Catholic League in the United States, the American Family Association, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Calls to boycott the movie and the author’s written trilogy have been the subject of tens of thousands of e-mails sent around the country.

When pondering the criticism his trilogy has taken from religious circles, Pullman seems rather surprised at how little censure has actually come his way. Compared to the pounding J.K.Rowling received over details in her Harry Potter series, Pullman considers himself virtually unscathed. “I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak. I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people –mainly from America's Bible Belt –who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft, obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God,” he told the Sydney reporter.

Pullman’s atheistic and anti-God rhetoric aside, the big-screen rendition of his book will likely fare well with legions of fans primed to see how the author’s ideas play out on film. Estimates of worldwide sales for “His Dark Materials” volumes range from 12 to 15 million copies, and his works have been translated into nearly 40 languages. Texts from his trilogy have received critical acclaim as well. “Northern Lights” took the Carnegie Medal for Children’s Literature in 1995, and “The Amber Spyglass” won The Whitbread Prize in 2001.

While works of fiction run the gamut as to content and presentation, it is recommended with any text or movie that individuals investigate just what is being consumed. Often agendas are in operation that may not be readily apparent from a cursory read or an uninformed viewing. There may be much wonder to behold in viewing “The Golden Compass” as it hits theaters this holiday season. But the lure of bells and whistles and the rush to be entertained shouldn’t preclude a thorough examination of what you’re watching and where your dollars are going.