Some thoughts on the importance of art

In many ways, the Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, is a commentary on some of the deepest omnipresent issues concerning human life. It may surprise some people that these issues are tackled through the medium of fantasy and children's literature, but it may be true that some issues are just too large for adult literature. When I picture these issues being discussed in adult literature I envision the opposite of Phillip Pullman's novels: a dry, overly intellectual, analysis of religion, environment, maturation of human beings, and so on. This type of writing definitely has its place and could be very stimulating for the correct audience in the correct situation, but as I see all too often as a student of science, this type of writing fails to be aesthetically pleasurable; it lacks art and beauty. Pullman, on the other hand, delves deep into the meaning of life, topics of religious corruption, violence, sex, coming of age, and the environment all the while capturing and focusing on the most beautiful aspects of life. It is just as Alice says, “what good is a book without pictures and conversations?”