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The Community of The Golden Compass

Walking down Michigan Avenue here in Chicago this morning, I had a pleasant experience around The Golden Compass. I was carrying my copy of the His Dark Materials Omnibus, which contains The Golden Compass and three different people went out of their way to compliment the book.

There was a specific theme in their comments. Each person commented to me that I ought not to take things for granted, and that the characters change as the books progress. It wasn’t with disappointment or annoyance that they made this point. It was with appreciation.

There seems to be a trend in the sort of person who appreciates The Golden Compass: They value change and ambiguity, and complexity.

Is this what the religious authorities who send out email alerts against The Golden Compass really have a problem with? Is their true protest against complex understanding of character, as opposed to the tediously simple good and bad split of tales like The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe?

Witch good. Lion bad. Some people like that kind of absolute judgment, and they’re refusing to even read The Golden Compass.

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Date: November 27, 2007

Author: Curious Sam

Categories: media

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(310 votes, average: 3.09 out of 5)

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  Iroquois

  in November 27th, 2007 @ 16:16

  I don’t know it that’s me you’re referring to, but let me make it clear that I’m not refusing to read the thing at all. I’m just refusing to market it for them as my own expense. I am perfectly willing to read it and review it too if someone will provide me with a copy and a small token of appreciation in the form of chocolate.

  The type of chocolate I prefer is those type of thin mints in the skinny long box that you can buy at Walgreen’s. There is a Walgreen’s right on Michigan avenue there, Curious Sam, just south of Water Tower place, on the east side of the street. A few days ago there was a guy standing in front of that store with an anti-abortion sign yelling “for shame!” at anyone who tried to even walk past Walgreen’s. That’s the store I want the chocolate from.

  You want me to read it? Send me the book, send me the chocolate. All you have to say is “the chocolate’s in the mail.”

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  jclifford

  in November 27th, 2007 @ 17:51

  Heard of a library, Iroquois?

  You’ve engaged in loads of criticism of the book without reading it. I think you owe it to the book now to actually read it – and to get a copy for yourself.

  If you don’t, I’ll send you a teddy bear named Mohammed.

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  Iroquois

  in November 27th, 2007 @ 18:52

  The Teddy bear would be fine–is this perchance a live teddy bear?–but I won’t write a review without the chocolate.

  I have made it amply clear the review I posted was not written by me, but was posted because of the intriguing issues it raised–issues which your writers seem unable to discuss.

  Chocolate first. Book later.

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  Chicago

  in November 27th, 2007 @ 18:54

  You should walk past Walgreen’s, Curious Sam, and if that guy with the sign is still there, have a little chat with him. I bet he’s would be really, really ‘curious’ to talk to.

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  Chicago Harry

  in November 27th, 2007 @ 21:53

  Hey Sam, if you’re afraid to take him on alone, I’ll back you up. Seriously. I could be down there tomorrow afternoon, with all of my brawny…um, you are tall, I hope.

  While you are in town you should check out the Chicago Cultural Center.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Cultural_Center
  It’s probably the only 4-story building on Michigan Avenue. If you go in the 77 E Randolph entrance there is a coffee shop, and a quiet place to hang without spending money, but be sure to walk through the building and see both domes.

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  Chicago Harry

  in November 28th, 2007 @ 22:21

  If that wasn’t plain enough, it was an invitation to coffee. I know people don’t come to The City That Works to socialize, and they get out of town as soon as they can, but you have to take a break sometime, and it might be interesting to spend 20 minutes with someone Irregular if you don’t have other obligations.

  I’m tentatively planning a little shopping at the Daly Plaza Christmas German Village, leaving directly from work tomorrow. Every year they have a lot of vendors in the open area surrounding the Picasso (roughly 78 W. Washington), and I recommend it as a good place to pick up unusual gifts from around the world. It should be dark around 5, so I’ll hover around Randolph entrance to the above mentioned cultural center between 5:30 and 6:00. If I can’t be there I should be able to post regrets before 4:00.

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