Philip Pullman's His dark materials--a multiple allegory : attacking religious superstition in The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe and Paradise lost / Leonard F. Wheat.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wheat, Leonard F., 1931-2014.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pullman, Philip, 1946- His dark materials.

Pullman, Philip.

Young adult fiction, English--History and criticism.

Young adult fiction, English.

Fantasy fiction, English--History and criticism.

Fantasy fiction, English.

Allegory.

Physical Description:

338 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books, 2008.

Summary:

Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is one of the most popular fantasy works of our time. Leonard F. Wheat demonstrates in this fascinating analysis that the trilogy is far more than a young adult's tale. At a deeper level it is a complex triple allegory-a surface story that uses 231 symbols to tell three hidden stories. As such, it is among the most profound, intellectually challenging, and thoroughly adult works ever written.

Wheat brings the hidden stories to light. He shows how Pullman symbolically retells two prominent works of British literature-C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and John Milton's Paradise Lost. Pullman's aim is to counter Lewis's pro-Christian allegory. He does this with his own anti-Christian allegory, depicting, Paradise Lost by turning Milton's story upside down, Satan, his daughter Sin, and his son Death, along with Adam's murderous son Cain, become heroes; God and Jesus become villains; and Judas, by again switching from God's side to Satan's and betraying Jesus, becomes a convert from evil to good:. This retold story depicts our society's warfare between knowledge ("Dust") and religious superstitions ("Specters"). Pullman adds a semi-allegorical third hidden story featuring Christian missionaries and Charles Darwin. Here the warfare between knowledge and superstition is resymbolized, with Darwin representing scientific knowledge and the missionaries representing superstition. Wheat's intriguing interpretation of Pullman's work is the first to point out the many allegorical features of His Dark Materials and to highlight the ingenious ways in which Pullman subtly attacks religious institutions and superstitions. Pullman fans as well as readers who are interested in fantasy or concerned about religious coercion will find Wheat's book not only stimulating but overflowing with surprises.

Contents:

Allegory 8

Pullman's View of C. S. Lewis 12

Pullman's Antireligious Perspective 16

The His Dark Materials Trilogy 19

2 Pullman's Surface Story 27

The Golden Compass (a.k.a. Northern Lights) 28

The Subtle Knife 37

The Amber Spyglass 48

3 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: C. S. Lewis's Story and His Allegory 63

The C. S. Lewis Story 64

Is This Allegory? 82

4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Retold: Pullman's Allegory 105

The LWW Allegory's Setting 106

Pullman's Narnia Allegory's Symbolic Characters 109

Other Symbols Referring to the Lewis Story 140

Review of the Symbols 146

5 Paradise Lost Retold: The Hidden Story and Its Themes 153

Paradise Lost Summarized 154

Paradise Lost Turned Upside Down 159

The Broad Theme: Knowledge vs. Religious Superstition 175

The Narrow Theme: There Is No Heaven 204

6 Paradise Lost Retold: Setting, Characters, and Events 209

The Hidden Story's Setting 209

Pullman's Paradise Lost Allegory's Symbolic Characters 212

Places, Things, and Events as Symbols 248

The Three Instruments of the Trilogy 264

Review of the Symbols 271

7 Missionaries, Darwin, and Conclusion 279

The Hidden Story's Setting 280

The Symbolic Characters 281

The Hidden Story and Where Society Is Today 294.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 301-322) and index.

ISBN:

9781591025894

1591025893

OCLC:

152580912