Philip Pullman & C S Lewis: Dissolving into the cosmos
This is the second kind of death in 'His Dark Materials', which reflects what Pullman really believes happens when we die. Our atoms disperse into the universe, and we are absorbed into the cosmic all:
When you go out of here, all the particles that make you up will loosen and float apart, just like your daemons did. If you've seen people dying, you know what that looks like. But your daemons aren't just nothing now; they're part of everything. All the atoms that were them, they've gone into the air and the wind and the trees and the earth and all the living things. They'll never vanish. They're just part of everything. And that's exactly what'll happen to you, I swear to you, I promise on my honor. You'll drift apart, it's true, but you'll be out in the open, part of everything alive again. (The Amber Spyglass, page 335)
When Will and Lyra eventually set the ghosts free...
The first ghost to leave the world of the dead was Roger. He took a step forward, and turned to look back at Lyra, and laughed in surprise as he found himself turning into the night, the starlight, the air... and then he was gone, leaving behind such a vivid little burst of happiness that Will was reminded of the bubbles in a glass of champagne. (The Amber Spyglass, page 382)
The first important thing to notice is that the reality, in this view, is that there is no continued personal existence beyond death - our personalities disappear, and our atoms are dispersed throughout the cosmos.
The second important thing to notice is the verbal sleight-of-hand by which Pullman imports into this the idea of continuing to be:
Even if it means oblivion... I'll welcome it, because it won't be nothing, we'll be alive again in a thousand blades of grass and a million leaves, we'll be falling in the raindrops and blowing in the fresh breeze, we'll be glittering in the dew under the stars and the moon out there in the physical world which is our true home and always was. (The Amber Spyglass, page 336)
This is dishonest. What he is talking about is ceasing to be. Yet look at the propaganda words he uses to describe it: - sweet, free, promise, light, joy, happiness:
That was the strangest thing. They took a few steps in the world of grass and air and silver light, and looked around, their faces transformed with joy - Mary had never seen such joy - and held out their arms as if they were embracing the whole universe; and then, as if they were made of mist or smoke, they simply drifted away, becoming part of the earth and the dew and the night breeze. (The Amber Spyglass, page 455)
To know that after a spell in the dark we'll come out again to a sweet land like this, to be free of the sky like the birds, well, that's the greatest promise anyone could wish for. (The Amber Spyglass, page 532)
So the reality (in Pullman's view) is that when you are dead, you are dead. You cease to be, in any meaningful personal sense. The only sense in which you can be said to continue to exist is through your atoms, dispersed throughout the cosmos.
But then, Pullman cheats. (How else can you describe what he is doing here?) He tries to import a sense of hope and meaning and value into a worldview that has none. This is fundamentally dishonest.
Our worldview matters tremendously. Pullman hates Lewis because, in Pullman's own worldview, death is the end of any meaningful personal existence. The here and now is all there is.
If you believe that, then of course, death is to be feared and rejected more than anything else. Of course it seems miserable to kill of your heroes at the end of the story. But C. S. Lewis didn't believe that. For him, there was a heaven to look forward to, and life there was going to be infinitely better than anything this world has to offer. Death really was the gateway to a great reward.
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Web Sites
The Golden Compass - the official web site of the movie.
His Dark Materials web site, containing many interviews and news stories.
The Bridge To the Stars - a 'His Dark Materials' fan site, with the latest news and info on the HDM books, movie and stage version, as well as an active discussion forum
The Truth in 'The Golden Compass' - a video from Tony Watkins, Culturewatch
'Dark Matter: a thinking fan's guide to Philip Pullman', by Tony Watkins - a collection of resources including Tony's book about Philip Pullman and a briefing paper for churches on The Golden Compass.
'Hollywood Jesus' Philip Pullman resource center
Pullman vs. The Magisterium, by Terry Mattingly
The
Golden Compass: Pointing in the Wrong Direction - Steve Cable, Research
Associate of Probe Ministries, gives his response to The Golden Compass.
The
Golden Compass - Christianity Today contributor Peter T. Chattaway's
review of the movie.
Thinking
Christian Blog Tom Gilson's blog review of the His
Dark Materials trilogy.
The
Golden Compass: A Briefing for Concerned Parents - Dr
R. Albert Mohler, Jr outlines the worldview and
the agenda that lies behind the His Dark Materials trilogy.
The
Golden Compass: A Primer on Atheism - Russ Wise explains The Golden
Compass as a primer of Atheism, and presents suggestions of how Christians,
especially parents, can respond.
Atheism
For Kids - Gene Edward Veith examines the attack on C.S. Lewis and
The Chronicles of Narnia as the behind the scenes passion of author Philip
Pullman.
'The most dangerous author in Britain'? Article from 'The Mail on Sunday', 27th January 2002. "Philip Pullman is being hailed as the new C. S. Lewis after being awarded the Whitbread Book of the Year prize for his latest novel aimed at children: The Amber Spyglass. The judges described it as visionary, but Peter Hitchens reveals that the author appears to have his own sinister agenda..."
See also: 'A labour of loathing.' Peter Hitchens on the worship of Philip Pullman, who has set out to destroy Narnia. From 'The Spectator', 18 January 2003