Philip Pullman is a British author known for His Dark Materials trilogy, which deals with adult themes. He was born in Norwich, England, and his books often explore family relationships and orphaned children. Pullman attended Exeter College, Oxford, and began teaching children while writing plays and comedy books. His Dark Materials was published between 1996 and 2000, and the books are controversial for their criticism of the Christian Church and adult content. Pullman has also criticized The Chronicles of Narnia for being harmful to children. Despite being overshadowed by JK Rowling, Pullman’s contribution to children’s literature deserves recognition.
Philip Pullman, born in England in 1946, is a British scholar and author, best known for writing the controversial His Dark Materials trilogy. Although Pullman’s novels are ostensibly for children, they have attracted the attention of adults, especially His Dark Materials, because the books deal with many adult themes and issues.
Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England, and his father was a Royal Air Force pilot. Philip and his mother moved with his father’s duties until his father’s death in 1953. Many of Pullman’s books deal with the themes of orphaned or fatherless children and family relationships. His mother remarried and moved the family to Australia, where Philip Pullman was first exposed to comics and fantasy literature.
In 1963, Philip Pullman attended Exeter College, Oxford and, after graduating, married Judith Speller and began teaching children. Pullman also wrote school plays and published several comedy books and collections, starting in 1972 with the publication of The Haunted Storm, which won the New English Library’s Young Writers Award. Many of his books are set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, indicating an interest in the social, political and economic structures of that period.
In 1988, Philip Pullman began teaching at Westminster College, Oxford and in 1993 began writing Northern Lights, published as The Golden Compass in the United States. Northern Lights, the first book of His Dark Materials, was published in 1996. This was followed up in 1997 with The Subtle Knife and the last book in the series, The Amber Spyglass was published in 2000.
His Dark Materials begins in Oxford, albeit a different version than what actually exists. However, Pullman’s familiarity with Oxford and England in general is evident in the books, which cover a vast territory in space, time and other universes. The books are considered controversial because they speak very emphatically against many of the teachings of the Christian Church and even suggest an ultimate overthrow of God himself. Additionally, the books contain adult content that some parents deem inappropriate for children. Despite this, the series has won numerous awards.
Philip Pullman entered the public debate about Christianity and the role of the Church, speaking very critically of another popular children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Pullman argues that The Chronicles of Narnia is simply a tool for Christian propaganda and that the books are oppressive and harmful to children. Debated opponents said that Philip Pullman was a pleasant man to discuss issues with, rarely resorting to personal attacks and instead choosing to criticize the material over the content.
Pullman’s writing is reasonably well done, but the focus of his books is on content. His characters often make difficult moral choices and are sometimes forced to betray those they love. His Dark Materials takes the subjects of love, death and religion very seriously, and some religious critics have suggested that Pullman’s work be used in serious discussions of Christianity and the Church, while others choose to denounce him.
Philip Pullman’s contribution to the body of English children’s literature has been somewhat overshadowed by the work of JK Rowling, but deserves recognition in its own right. His Dark Materials is an excellent food for thought for all ages, religious and non-religious.
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