The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass

Before watching The Golden Compass, I couldn’t help but do a little research on the background of the story.  Based on the British Series, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass (the North America title) was originally released as Northern Skies in England in 1995. The Golden Compass was the first in the trilogy and was successful enough to be made into a hit movie starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliot and Dakota Blue Richards as the young and adventurous Lyra Belacqua. Told as a fantasy novel, the story revolves around the young Lyra Belacqua and the journey she makes through time and space to save the ones she loves. It is beautiful coming of age story as Lyra travels through a series of parallel universes against the backdrop of adventurous and sometimes life threatening events, with friends, enemies and animal spirits.

            Having not read the book and only watching the film, the story was a bit confusing at times. Much of the story revolves around the powerful Magisterium (which is obvious it represents religion-specifically the Catholic Church?!)  The almighty Magisterium is looking to rid all tolerance and free thinking, therefore their mission to destroy all alethiometers, which is also known as a truth teller (what looks to us like a compass). We learn they have succeeded and have obliterated every compass except for one in which only one can read, precious little Lyra. Most of the story follows Lyra on an epic journey to find her friends who have been taken by the Gobblers and to save her Uncle. Throughout the story, we learn that everyone in this alternate world (that looks very similar to earth) has an animal spirit that walks along the side of humans. They are also referred to as daemons. Children’s daemons are able to change shape and form, while at a certain age an adult’s daemon, takes on its permanent form.

            Like any typical tween or young adult novel, it’s a story of a child growing up and finding who they are and what their voice is. In this case, we learn early on that Lyra is an orphan. Not growing up with a parent, Lyra is this young girl who is trying to make sense of the world around her despite her upbringing and little guidance. Most of the story focuses on Lyra being the only person who can read this compass and finding the confidence and pride she needs that she is the one who will save all these worlds from clashing and going to war with one another. This young girl is the protagonist of the story and will rise to become a leader and the voice of all the orphan children she must save in the first novel. I think this story is an excellent source of literature for young children, particularly to ‘tween’ age children, this is the age where children start to make sense of the world and their place in it.