The Golden Compass, first book in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, follows Lyra’s journey to rescue her friend from the Gobblers. The book, retitled for American publication, has a multiverse structure and is criticized as anti-Christian. The film version, released in 2007, had mixed reviews and a PG-13 rating.
The Golden Compass is the American title, and now film, of the first book in author Philip Pullman’s fantasy series, His Dark Materials. Initially published in England, the book was titled Northern Lights and was retitled for American publication. The Compasso d’Oro is the first book of a trilogy and was published in 1995.
The story of The Golden Compass surrounds the fate of two children, with the main character Lyra, an orphan, who goes on a journey to rescue her friend Roger. In Pullman’s work, souls are outwardly expressed by animal figures called demons, and Lyra discovers that a group called the Gobblers, led by Mrs. Coulter, are kidnapping children. The Gobblers are actually an organization called the General Oblation Council that has intentionally experimented on children by ripping off their demons.
Before Roger is kidnapped, Lyra is given the Golden Compass. This is not a directional device, but a device used to answer questions asked by the person using it. Lyra initially cannot figure out how to use it, but she eventually becomes proficient at using it after realizing Mrs. Coulter’s connection to the Gobblers and she runs off with a group of people called the Gyptians.
Lyra fails to save Roger, but his death opens passages to parallel worlds which form the basis for the next two stories. Just like the Narnia stories, The Golden Compass has a multiverse structure. Unlike CS Lewis’s books, Pullman’s work has been criticized as significantly anti-Christian and especially against organized religion. Indeed, the Compasso d’Oro series represents a counterpoint argument against Narnia, with Lyra’s ultimate goal to depose a God who is unjust and destroy a world where politics and religion are inextricably intertwined.
Pullman says his book doesn’t have much to do with Christianity, and it is true that the children and many other characters act according to the righteous principles attributed to Christianity. Book lovers, in fact, praise the frankness and goodness, as well as the moral center of the boys. There is a significant argument in the book against theocracy that Pullman does not attempt to deny or hide. The Golden Compass and its sequels, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass stir controversy, with some religious groups strongly objecting to the books and others suggesting that their moral tone is well in line with Christian beliefs.
The Compasso d’Oro has received numerous awards, including the Carnegie Medal for children’s fiction. The film version released in 2007, although considered to have terrific special effects, was not as well received by critics. It also had a PG-13 rating, which meant that many parents decided their children shouldn’t watch the film.
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