"Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Golden Compass"

Essay by ilnet2000 September 2006

download word file, 5 pages 0.0

Downloaded 10 times

"Wizard of Earthsea" and "The Golden Compass" are two works of fantasy that incorporate various elements of the genre. In each work, the main character undergoes a dynamic metamorphosis that leads to his understanding of himself and his place in society. In doing so, this character achieves a sense of inner and external harmony or balance throughout his journey. Also, there are a few aspects of these books that relate to the teachings of Freud and Jung. In the process of analyzing the ideals of these philosophers, the reader may become more conscious of the author's intended message.

In, "The Golden Compass" by Phillip Pullman, the author addresses the main components of this type of literature, fantasy, through Lyra's passage from childhood to adulthood. Lyra is an eleven year-old girl who seems relatively unexpected to the world around her. She lives in a world full of daemons (life companions attached to the very soul of every human), witches, gyptians, panserbjornes (armored bears), and of course the infamous Dust (an elementary particle found only in the North that has many people worried).

However, Lyra is pleasantly oblivious to many truths until her eyes are opened when she views pictures from her "Uncle" Asriel trip to the North. She then begins to yearn for the North. She feels almost a duty to go to the North and find out the meaning of Dust. This desire to seek the unknown was Lyra's first step in realizing her true self and where she stood in the world.

There are twists and turns and jumps and leaps as she learns the story of her life and she eventually discovers that things are not always what they seem. This is evident when Lyra becomes aware of her true birthparents. All her life, she was...