Young Writers Society

*Just an author research paper for my college Advanced Composition course.*

Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman is a modern day fantasy writer of children’s books. He has written many books in his lifetime, but the most notable are The Sally Lockhart Quartet and his famous (or infamous depending on who is asked) His Dark Materials (Howard 2). The religion of the time period in which he grew up, major events in his life, and famous authors influenced his writing.

Philip Pullman was born October 17, 1946, one year after the end of World War Two (Howard 2). When he was seven years old, Philip Pullman’s father died in a plane crash in Kenya while serving the Royal Air Force. Soon after, Pullman moved to Great Britain with his grandparents where he learned of his love for storytelling. At age eight, Pullman’s mother married another Royal Air Force pilot who was his father’s friend, and they traveled from base to base around the world, until they eventually settled in Australia. Pullman later moved back to England and there he attended Oxford University for his bachelor’s in Literature. He was the first person in his family to do so. He went on to teach junior high for twelve years until he began doing college lectures. Many of the topics in his lectures included Victorian Literature and folktales. When he first began writing, he aimed at an adult audience, but found himself to be unsuccessful. He then moved on to writing children’s and young adult books, where he has won many award for the novels he has written in this genre (Howard 2).

The time period in which Pullman grew up in greatly influenced the themes in his stories. One such theme that has earned him much respect and loathing are the religious themes found in his series His Dark Materials. Evidence of influence in his religious themes is revealed in his interview with Huw Spanner titled “Heat and Dust: Pullman Interview.” In the interview, Pullman states that his hostility towards religion in his stories really comes from history, how religion has killed and persecuted all in the purpose of their version of God’s name. Pullman states, “Every single religion that has a monotheistic god ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don’t accept him. Wherever you look in history, you find that. It’s still going on” (Heat and Dust 2). Also in his interview, Pullman stated how he believed Christianity “is a very powerful and convincing mistake” (Heat and Dust 3). He says that they are “powerful” because they have “convinced” people about their beliefs of where we came from and what we’re doing here. (Heat and Dust 3). Some evidence found in Pullman’s works of his dislike of religion can be found at the end of his series His Dark Materials. The chapter titled “Authority’s End” is probably what earned him the most dislike from the religious community. As the chapter’s title suggests, the Authority [God] dies. Pullman describes the Authority as being weak and feeble at the end of his life (His Dark Materials 848). As a gust comes through, he begins to dissolve and eventually vanishes. (His Dark Materials 848).

In Pullman’s biography, written by William L. Howard, it stated that, “He formed a deep attachment to his grandfather, an Anglican clergyman, whose storytelling left a lasting impression on the youth” (Howard). The Anglican religion, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, is described it as, “one who emphasizes biblical faith, personal conversion, piety, and, in general, the Protestant rather than the Catholic heritage of the Anglican Communion” (Encyclopedia Britannica). From this definition, it is possible to see that his grandfather most likely emphasized reading the Bible when Pullman lived with him. This is evident in Pullman’s work, His Dark Materials, because he uses many biblical stories such as the fall of Adam and Eve (Lenz 126). In Pullman’s His Dark Material, Lyra is the second Eve, Will is the second Adam, and Dr. Mary Malone is the second Serpent (Lenz 135).

Another thing which influenced the religious themes in his writings is the major changes to religion at that time. In the year of 1965, the II Vatican Council met. According to documents found on their website, the major topic they discussed was how religion would fit into a world where everything was changing rapidly. Some of the changes that they insisted on making are shown in this statement, “that the Council was meant primarily to promote the increasing of the faith, the renewal of traditions, and the updating of ecclesiastic discipline” (Documents of the II Vatican Council). Proof that this influenced Pullman’s works can be found in His Dark Materials where the Roman Catholic Church is trying to push their religion upon everyone. In Lyra’s world and in the multi-verse in His Dark Materials, everyone is forced to believe in the Authority [God] (Lenz 158-9). Pullman goes as far as to contradict the meaning of human nature defined by the Christian church. Lenz says that the Christian description of the human nature of a child is, “intrinsically 'sinful' by nature” (Lenz 133), whereas Pullman describes them as being, “in a state of unconscious 'grace'” (Lenz 133).

Pullman’s themes were not only influenced by the religion of his time period, but also by major events in his life. The biggest event in Pullman’s life that would have influenced his writing was the death of his father when he was a child (Howard 2). He was born in North Wales, but because of his father’s duties in the Royal Air Force, Pullman and his family was forced to move to a base in Zimbabwe, Kenya (Howard 2). At first, Pullman believed his father was killed by the Mau Mau rising, but he later learned that his father was actually died in a plane crash during training (Spanner 1). After his father’s death, he and his brother were sent back to England to live with their grandparents because his mother was unable to care for him (Spanner 1). Proof that this event influenced his writing is in his series His Dark Materials. In the series, Will Parry, one of the main characters, father disappeared and he was considered dead after an exploration mission to the North (His Dark Materials 306). Will’s mother, distraught over her husband’s death, sank down into depression, and became incapable of caring for Will. It is later found out that Will’s father did not die on the exploration mission, but was alive, though he was later killed by the end of The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials 532).

Not only was his father’s death a major event in Pullman’s life that influenced his themes, but also the constant moving during his childhood. According to Pullman’s biography on HisDarkMaterials.org, his mother remarried to a friend of his father (“Philip Pullman’s Biography” 1). This man was also a Royal Air Force pilot, and as a result, they were forced to move from base to base before finally settling in Australia (“Philip Pullman’s Biography). After reading the book, it is possible for the reader to see how this constant moving from place to place had affected the themes in his story. Going from base to base, country to country, Pullman would’ve been exposed to a lot of different cultures. In Pullman’s series, His Dark Materials, a multitude of cultures can be found. From the nomadic Gyptians who sail the rivers to the Tartars of the North who drill holes in peoples’ heads, it is possible to see the multitude of cultures in his series (His Dark Materials 20, 27).

After his father’s death and all the constant moving, Pullman had moved back to England. After going to college, Pullman began his career as a teacher which began to pave the way to his fame as a children’s author. For twelve years he taught at an Oxford middle school (Howard 2). According to Howard, his teaching career had a major influence on Pullman’s writing career. Howard writes, “Interested less in rigorous standards enforced through testing than in developing his students’ creative imaginations, he recited literature, wrote plays for his students to perform, and effectively served an apprenticeship during these years for his later career as a young adult author” (Howard 2). Like Howard stated, it is apparent that Pullman’s years teaching young adults helped him become the great children’s writer he is today. Another part of his teaching career would’ve influenced Pullman’s writings. After teaching middle school, Pullman moved on to doing lectures at Oxford University. The two main topics that he was skilled in were Victorian literature and folktales (Howard 2). In Pullman’s, His Dark Materials, The Sally Lockhart Quartet, and his Spring-Heeled Jack, the main setting in those stories made after a Victorian style Europe (Philip-pullman.com).

Not only was Pullman influenced by his time period and the event in his life, but he was also influenced by one of the greatest authors who published during his youth: C.S. Lewis. There are many similarities between Pullman’s His Dark Materials and Lewis’ series, The Chronicles of Narnia, that can be found (Wood 238). Wood states many examples, such as how they both “begin with children hiding in a wardrobe . . . beautiful, deadly woman wearing furs who tempt and betray children through sweets . . .” and they also both “. . . . feature youthful heroines . . . who have special relationships with powerful, dangerous beasts” (Wood 239). Though it is evident that Pullman was greatly influenced by Lewis, he actually hated Lewis’ children’s stories, especially The Chronicles of Narnia and also Lewis’ version of God (Wood 38). Evidence of Pullman’s dislike is in his interview with Spanner. Pullman stated, “I loathe the Narnia books . . . because they contain an ugly vision” (Spanner 5). Pullman, in his essay “The Republic of Heaven,” has referred to Lewis as a “bigot” (“The Republic of Heaven” 3). Besides sharing similar themes, Pullman also has many differences with Lewis’ religious ideas (Wood 239). Where Lewis portrays his God as being merciful and kind, “Pullman’s is a tyrannical usurper” (Wood 240).

His Dark Materials is probably the most influential book Philip Pullman has ever written. Made for children, but still good enough to capture the attention of adults. In his series, he teaches of innocence and the lack thereof, and how it’s ok to make mistakes. I believe we can label Philip Pullman one of the greatest authors of the 20th century along with such notable writers as Tolkien and Lewis.


Works Cited
“Anglican Evangelical.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/24938/Anglican-Evangelical>
“Documents of the II Vatican Council.” http://www.Vatican.va. Vatican, n.p. Web. 23 Feb. 2011
“Heat and Dust: Pullman Interview.” Dedulysses.wordpress.com. The Old Artificer, n.p. Web. 24 Fed. 2011.
Lenz, Millicent. Alternative Worlds in Fantasy Fiction. London: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd, 2001. Print.
Oziewicz, Marek and Daniel Hade. “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell? Philip Pullman, C.S. Lewes, and the Fantasy Tradition. Mythlore Vol. 28. Issue ¾ (2010): p39-54. Web.
Howard, William L. "Philip Pullman." Guide to Literary Masters and Their Works (2007): Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.
“Philip Pullman’s Biography.” HisDarkMaterials.org. n.p., 2008.Web. 2 March 2011.
Pullman, Philip. His Dark Materials. New York: Alfred A. Knopff, 2007. Print
Pullman, Philip. Interview by Huw Spanner. Spanner Media. n.p., 2002. Web. 2 March 2011.
Pullman, Philip. Philip-pullman.com. Web Design London: Pedalo Limited, 2009. Web. 3 March 2011.
Pullman, Philip. “The Republic of Heaven.” The Horn Book Magazine. November/December Issue (2001). Web.
Wood, Naomi. “Paradise Lost and Found: Obedience, Disobedience, and Storytelling in C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman.” Children’s Literature in Education Volume 23. Issue 4 (2001): p237-259. Print.

Got my grade for it and I got a 98% on it.