Book Note: His Dark Materials Trilogy

A few months ago---November, to be precise---one of my friends started talking to me about the movie The Golden Compass and an article she'd read in the newspaper. "After reading that article," she told me, "I have decided that that movie, and the book its based on, and its author, are all evil. You cannot ever see that movie, right?" She went on to tell me about what the article had claimed, that the trilogy is about killing God, and how there was an email being circulated that proved the whole thing.

Well, I was a little bit stunned, to put it mildly. I'd read about half of The Golden Compass a few months ago, and not found it to be particularly anti-religious---well, maybe a little bit, but certainly not to the extent she was describing. But what bothered me the most about this discussion was her telling me that I could not read this book. Because of a newspaper article and an email? That cinched it---rebellious Amy took over and bought the omnibus edition of His Dark Materials.

I returned to that original conversation many times in my mind as I read these novels. How ironic is it that there's an email going around telling you what to think about a book that argues for thinking for yourself? For me, the controversy over these books comes down to this question: do you read only to have your personal beliefs confirmed and reconfirmed? Or do you read because you want to think? Honestly, a book that is challenging to a person's beliefs can, if you let it, actually strengthen your beliefs, because you want to prove the author wrong. And, in my mind, a spiritual belief that is swayed on the basis of a novel might not have been the strongest belief in the first place.

Because here's the deal: part of that circulating email is correct. Pullman's basic conceit for the novels is the idea that God and religion are the reasons for evil in this world, and thus must be destroyed. The characters in the novels wage a war against God and the angels; ministers in the churches are aware of this war and do everything dastardly to put a stop to it. That is the trilogy's basic theme, but filling out the details is a strong, well-conceived and very living main character, Lyra Belaqua. And then, in the second novel, you meet another strong character, Will. The first novel, especially, is stunning, a thoroughly creative fantasy. (And by "thoroughly creative" I mean "not derivative of Tolkein" as so many fantasies are.) You meet original characters---I love, love the armored bear, Lee and his daemon Hester, and the ex-nun Mary---and fantastic landscapes. Original thought and creativity.

The other conceit in the novel is the idea that there are thousands and thousands of different worlds in other universes---places you could never get to by space travel, completely outside of our existence. Some of them are very similar to our world---the world Lyra lives in, for example---and some are completely foreign, peopled by strange creatures. But all the worlds in all the universes are experiencing the same destruction, a sort of withering of humanity. Part of the story is figuring out why this is happening and how they are able to stop it.

Honestly, it's hard to write about 933 pages in one blog entry. So I'm going to stick with my largest impressions. First off, this is a novel about making choices, and how choices determine everything---even if there is such a thing as fate, in our minds we still have to make a choice. In a way, I think all those multiple universes exist because of choices---as if there were just the original choice, at the very beginning of everything, and the choice created something alternate, the world that would exist if a different choice were made. But we still have to live in the reality we create with our choices or, as Will says, "When you choose on way out of many, all the ways you don't take are snuffed out like candles, as if they'd never existed. At the moment all Will's choices existed at once. But to keep them all in existence meant doing nothing. He had to choose, after all."

Of course, due to Pullman's original intent, only the protagonists realize this about choice. Well, protagonist might not be the right word---in this novel, the tension lies between those who think religion is bad and those who think it is good. Which really is an interesting dichotomy, no matter your beliefs. One of the witches in the novel says that there are "cruelties and horrors all committed in the name of the Authority [God], all designed to destroy the joys and the truthfulness of life." And honestly: plenty of horrible things are done in the name of religion. The argument I had, though, with Pullman's viewpoint, is that it is all so black and white. All the good characters think religion needs to be destroyed, and all the evil characters hide behind religion as a shield that allows them to do evil. And the God he presents is not the Heavenly Father I know. He is Satan-like, wanting only to control humanity, not to let them grow and discover and learn things. I don't think God is like this at all.

Of course, that might be my mind not-thinking, controlled by my religion. And in the end, the novel's main point is that religion limits you from making choices and thinking for yourself. But this is an ancient argument: all those rules that religion presents only limit your freedom. In my reality---the one I have created with my own choices---the "rules" actually give you freedom, because they help you avoid what is prisoning and captive-making in this world.  If God were really trying to take away our free agency, as Pullman suggests, then He would bind our hands and make it impossible for us to make decisions.  Instead, He tells us what to avoid and suggests what the consequences will be. And it is only by thinking for ourselves that we discover who we are.

Of course, the ultimate question about this novel: would I let my kids read it? Before that original discussion way back in November, Haley actually picked up my library copy of The Golden Compass, but she didn't keep reading it because it was too difficult. She's a strong reader, so that says something---these really aren't easy books anyway, and just because the characters in them are children doesn't make them necessarily children's novels, no matter where they are shelved. Still, if they wanted to read them, I would let them. I think that parents need to pay attention and know what their kids are reading (not simply hand them The Valley of the Horses when they're 15 and highly impressionable, for example!). I think it would spark incredible discussions about our faith and beliefs and the nature of God.

But I also think you shouldn't just take my word for it, or the newspaper's or some random email. If Pullman's work has done anything for me, it has strengthened my belief in the need for everyone  to think for themselves.

Comments

[Tatiana]

thank you for a brilliant review of HDM and some ideas on religion.

more to that, i loved what you said about books to re-/confirm beliefs and those to make one think.

[hwalk]

Bravo to you! You've made the best point about this series than anything I've heard.

[Becky]

Great review. I love it when a review can take you away from the plot of a book and explain what you took away from the experience of reading it. I'm not very successful in my reviews in this way. I think you achieved the perfect balance!

I can't wait to read these books! Thanks for loaning them to me. Now I can decide for myself! ;)

[Wendy]

It was great reading what you had to say about the book, Amy! I got that email and did pass it on to a few people, in fact. But I definitely appreciate what you said about it, and I really don't like that your friend said you can't read the book or see the movie. I'm so often to say, "who says?" when I get instructions like that! Anyway, I agree with so much of what you said here--I admit, after I had sent that email out, one of my friends of the same mind as you had similar thoughts and I was embarrassed that I'd not thought through it more before sending it on . . . I hate that I do that sometimes.

[jamie `]

your post was very thought provoking. It made me think about my feelings about the Harry Potter series when some people were in an uproar, saying it was promoting witchcraft when I saw it simply as a story of good and evil with beautiful lessons about love and friendship set in a very fanciful, fun, very original setting. They had to work to develop skills, had to work together, deal with bullies, figure out where their talents and weaknesses were...

I dont' know if I'll read HDM, so far they haven't interested me but it was good to hear your thoughts and have an opportunity to think about it at least.

[Cindy]

Thanks for a great review. I too got that dreaded email but quickly deleted it. I am also of the idea that no one tells me how I should feel or act towards something I don't know anything about.
THANKS for an open and honest review.

[Cris]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I have also received that email, more than once. As I read your post I kept wondering if you'd allow your kids to read the books, but figured that you would. I haven't read the books and my kids are still to young, but I am going to buy the books and read them myself. I like to be challenged and I like to know what other people think, feel, beleive. I am learning that, with my kids, it is better to discuss things openly - this way I can share my thoughts on the subject and they can ask any questions that they have - I want them to come to me for this type of discussion (especially where so much controversy is involved) rather than wonder and ask others. Anyhow, loved your thoughts and input ~ thank you!

[Kim]

Thank you for a great review, Amy. My son has read HDM, and I've thought of reading it. When we've shared books, we usually have good conversations about them. I wish I could dissect a book like you do - I get caught up in the story and usually find myself just enjoying the adventure. I'll try to be mindful of your words when I do read HDM.

[Kasandra Mathieson]

Amy....so happy to run into this review!! Thanks for tackling it. I too received that email a couple of times and from people who knew nothing of the book. My daughter Danielle read the whole series and loved it... she wrote us a long email about what she thought. People were surprised and shocked that we would go see the movie.... Really enjoyed it and found it fascinating, your blog makes me more determined that I need to read the books themselves! Thanks you......from Kas

[Wendy]

I'm with you when someone starts to clamor about not reading a book because it is evil. I want to find out for myself what my own take is on a book. I also agree thoroughly with your argument about free will (if God were intent upon binding our hands to do His will alone, he very well could have removed our free will. He didn't.). Moreover, painting something in such broad black-and-white strokes fails to communicate the depth of variation. There are Christians who make me embarrassed to be lumped in the same category because their actions are not in line at all with what I believe or how I would respond.

Since reading Chabon's book and your review, I will definitely put HDM on my list. I'm sure, even if I disagree with Pullman's worldview, I will find plenty to learn from his writing skills.