CCBC-Net Archives
[CCBC-Net] VERY dark materials
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Sharon Grover <Sgrove>
Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 09:55:44 -0400
I thought I would share a little of my experience with His Dark Materials and how middle school readers here in Arlington, Virginia, have talked about them.
Since the publication of The Golden Compass, that segment of sophisticated fantasy/science fiction readers in my Teen Advisory Board groups has been fascinated with Pullman's trilogy. They have eagerly waited for each installment, always gnashing their teeth against the long wait. In discussions about the first two books, they have eloquently described how much they like the intricacy of the stories, their sense of bonding with certain characters and their loathing of others, their enjoyment of the worlds that Pullman has created.
There was, in these disucssions of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, not one mention of religion--not even from kids I knew to be personally involved in religious practices. This was mysterious to me as an adult reader, realizing that Pullman was building to some crescendo against organized religion. But, I know very well that kids read where they are and thought that the religious aspects of the books was not important enough for them to talk about it.
When I read The Amber Spyglass, I wondered how the kids would manage to brush this away, and they didn't. We had a very spirited discussion of the story, the characters, the terrible things that happened, the ghost children, the new worlds, and--original sin. I asked them how they felt about Pullman's obvious views on religion (which they absolutely "got"). Some of them were offended, some of them were interested, ALL of them felt it was his right to say whatever he wanted to in his books and that people who didn't agree, didn't have to read them. One girl's comment was, "Isn't that what free speech is all about anyway?"
Sharon Grover Youth Services Collection Development Arlington County Dept. of Libraries 1015 N. Quincy Street Arlington, VA 22201 703/228Y80 (Voice Mail) 703/228Y98 (FAX) sgrove at co.arlington.va.us
Received on Fri 04 May 2001 08:55:44 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 04 May 2001 09:55:44 -0400
I thought I would share a little of my experience with His Dark Materials and how middle school readers here in Arlington, Virginia, have talked about them.
Since the publication of The Golden Compass, that segment of sophisticated fantasy/science fiction readers in my Teen Advisory Board groups has been fascinated with Pullman's trilogy. They have eagerly waited for each installment, always gnashing their teeth against the long wait. In discussions about the first two books, they have eloquently described how much they like the intricacy of the stories, their sense of bonding with certain characters and their loathing of others, their enjoyment of the worlds that Pullman has created.
There was, in these disucssions of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, not one mention of religion--not even from kids I knew to be personally involved in religious practices. This was mysterious to me as an adult reader, realizing that Pullman was building to some crescendo against organized religion. But, I know very well that kids read where they are and thought that the religious aspects of the books was not important enough for them to talk about it.
When I read The Amber Spyglass, I wondered how the kids would manage to brush this away, and they didn't. We had a very spirited discussion of the story, the characters, the terrible things that happened, the ghost children, the new worlds, and--original sin. I asked them how they felt about Pullman's obvious views on religion (which they absolutely "got"). Some of them were offended, some of them were interested, ALL of them felt it was his right to say whatever he wanted to in his books and that people who didn't agree, didn't have to read them. One girl's comment was, "Isn't that what free speech is all about anyway?"
Sharon Grover Youth Services Collection Development Arlington County Dept. of Libraries 1015 N. Quincy Street Arlington, VA 22201 703/228Y80 (Voice Mail) 703/228Y98 (FAX) sgrove at co.arlington.va.us
Received on Fri 04 May 2001 08:55:44 AM CDT
