[Milton-L] RE: Milton and Pullman

[Dr. Larry Gorman]

Pullman might be sinister, shallow, and all that, but I found that
episode by far the most compelling in the trilogy.  The sacrifice might
be noble in a satanic sort of way, but it is also frightening, and
opening heavens in the later books is presented as destructive and
unleashing horrors.  We see it through the eyes of a child, who thought
she was bringing her friend to safety and, therefore, feels implicated
in the betrayal.

I could think of the event as low-grade Dostoevsky with Lord Asriel
being a Stavrogin wannabee without the withering self-knowledge. 

-----Original Message-----
From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu
[mailto:milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu] On Behalf Of James Fleming
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 3:00 PM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Milton-L] RE: Milton and Pullman

Am I alone in finding Pullman both shallow and sinister?

As far as I can tell, _The Golden Compass_ ends with Lord Asriel, the
good-scary guy, murdering a child (Roger). This is presented as a noble
sacrifice, allowing the great man to open up the heavens in defiance of
an authoritarian God.

A little _Brothers Karamazov_ rids us of this deed.

JD Fleming


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jameela Lares" <Jameela.Lares at usm.edu>
To: "John Milton Discussion List" <milton-l at lists.richmond.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 12:21:25 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [Milton-L] RE: Milton and Pullman

You might also recommend that your student check the archives of the
listserv of Child_Lit, of which Philip Pullman is actually a member.
See at http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~mjoseph/childlit/about.html.

Extant major academic journals in children's literature from a literary
point of view are Lion and Unicorn, Children's Literature, and
Children's Literature Quarterly.  One of the difficulties of finding
chlidren's lit in MLA is that field was not always included as a
descriptor.

Jameela Lares
Professor of English
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive, #5037
Hattiesburg, MS  39406-0001
601 266-4319 ofc
601 266-5757 fax
________________________________________
From: milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu
[milton-l-bounces at lists.richmond.edu] On Behalf Of Angelica Duran
[duran0 at purdue.edu]
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 8:45 AM
To: John Milton Discussion List
Subject: [Milton-L] Milton and Pullman

Dear scholars,

I remember hearing conference talks on Pullman and Milton, perhaps even
at the MSA-sponsored panel at the MLA a few years back.  I know of the
chapter in Knoppers and Semanza's Milton in Popular Culture.  That
reference did not pop up in my MLA Bibliography search - but I know that
items are often missing (even [sigh] in my own entry, which I intend to
remedy in May, after finals).  I think there is an article on Pullman
that I have read but cannot find it.

Please advise if you know of any works on Pullman and Milton, so I can
refer those to a student who is writing a paper on the relationship.
Many thanks.

Adios,

Angelica Duran
Associate Professor
English and Comparative Literature
Purdue University
500 Oval Drive
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
USA
(765) 496-3957
<duran0 at purdue.edu>
<http://www.cla.purdue.edu/english/directory/?personid=80>



_______________________________________________
Milton-L mailing list
Milton-L at lists.richmond.edu
Manage your list membership and access list archives at
http://lists.richmond.edu/mailman/listinfo/milton-l

Milton-L web site: http://johnmilton.org/

_______________________________________________
Milton-L mailing list
Milton-L at lists.richmond.edu
Manage your list membership and access list archives at
http://lists.richmond.edu/mailman/listinfo/milton-l

Milton-L web site: http://johnmilton.org/