Philip Pullman makes a strong point about authority 'brain washing' our minds into thinking what is right and wrong. Right now, in the mind of the human being, certain thoughts are not thought, even though it completely free to do so. The mind can begin to function like an actual member of society, so you impose society's rules on your own thoughts, allowing society to control your mind. Maybe the great war at the end is a symbolic fight for free will. How much of what we think is imposed by society? Everything is most likely effected in some way or another. It would be impossible to eliminate the social influence on our thinking, but maybe it is a good idea to think now and then about how much of our thought is socially influenced. It might give us an idea of how much free will we actually possess, maybe a good thing to know.

Spirit, Soul, and Body

In The Amber Spyglass, Mary and Lyra are discussing the idea of the three parts to the being. “You know,” she said, “the Church – the Catholic Church that I used to belong to – wouldn't use the word daemon, but St. Paul talks about spirit and soul and body. So the idea of three parts in human nature isn't so strange.” It is strange that a book with such a major theme concerning the evils of established religion would accept so readily the church's view on the subject. But maybe Pullman did this to make a point. It seems that it is not the church's ideas which are wrong it is the aristocracy, superiority, and moral policing which seem to be wrong. It reminds me of Gandhi who said: “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

I finally took the daemon quiz and I am a bull.

Your daemon is...a bull! Wild and competitive, sometimes they are calm and merely graze. They are social animals, going in herds, but when spooked they can cause a stampede.

Here is a good video clip of the Philip Pullman documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iHgbvmSeuI

My favorite chapter in Alice and Wonderland

My favorite chapter in Alice and Wonderland is the first chapter, because it contains the Jabberwocky poem. I am infatuated with this poem, because the image of the Jabberwocky has been imprinted into my brain since early childhood. I remember watching some version of Alice and Wonderland that I think my parents recorded on tv. Anyway, I loved the show - but I knew enough to hide behind the couch when the Jabberwocky came on. The image of the monster, inspired by John Tenniel's illustration I'm sure, scared the shit out of me. If I was unlucky enough to have the scene with the monster sneak up on me I would be tormented by vivid nightmares for a few days. What can be imprinted on a child brain is incredible. Now in this class, it is interesting to compare my initial conception of the Jabberwocky on the tv with the poem itself in context with Alice and Wonderland. It is an amazingly unique poem with an alarming combination of silly words and portmanteaus while maintaining a dark and mysterious feeling.

(Several words from this poem such as gallumphing a combination of galloping and triumphing and chortled a combination of chuckle and snort are still used in the English language today.)

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through

The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy.'

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

References Humpty Dumpty in Popular Music

There are many variations on the theme of something breaking for good in contemporary pop music:
In ABBA's song "On and On and On", extra video verse:
Standing up is scary if you think you're gonna fallLike a Humpty Dumpty, 'fraid of falling off the wall
In Dolly Parton's 1980 song "Starting Over Again", a song about a divorce:
And all the king's horsesAnd all the king's menCouldn't put mommy and daddy back together again
Genesis, Squonk:
All the king's horses and all the king's menCould never put a smile on that face
Aimee Mann, Humpty Dumpty:
All the king's horses and all the king's menCouldn't put baby together again
Billy Joel, The great wall of china:
All the king's men and all the king's horsesCan't put you together the way you used to be
Two Gallants, Get Proud:
And Humpty Dumpty is climbing higher up the wall,and how he got there I just won't recall.
Further into the song...
And Humpty Dumpty told me not to tell you why,as if I even had reason to try!
Travis, The Humpty Dumpty Love Song:
All of the king's horses and all of the king's menCouldn't pull my heart back together again.
Ben Folds, Lovesick Diagnostician:
All the king's horsesAnd all the king's menCouldn't get back my girlfriend.
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (book)
All the king's horses and all the king's men...


(From Wikipedia)

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?”