Bookwarm Games

On ch 5: The Cocktail Party, of the Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman

Course page:

http://newschoolnotes.blogspot.com/2018/10/gamecool-books-golden-compass-by-philip.html?m=1

A discussion with celebrated author and scholar Verlyn Flieger, in which we do some serious thinking about The Golden Compass and its mythological and literary contexts.

Verlyn's page on Signum University:

https://signumuniversity.org/directory/verlyn-flieger/

Verlyn's website:

http://mythus.com/

In lieu of recess this week there's a brief news segment and another music playlist for the imaginary video game, featuring:

The Master and Catacombs

Tony Makarios

The Lady with the Golden Monkey / Magisterium

Ma Costa

The Zeppelin

The Alethiometer

On Chapter 4 of The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman: The Alethiometer.

Recommended Reading:

The Golden Compass Chapter 4: The Alethiometer

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, by William Blake

http://www.blakearchive.org/copy/mhh.d?descId=mhh.d.illbk.01

Pullman's illustrations for the chapter headings

http://www.philip-pullman.com/Illustrations.php#

In which we discuss ch 3 of The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman, Lyra's Jordan, and imagine how it might look as a video game.

(Errata: It's not the Sheldon Building where Lyra's Oxford opens, but the Lodge Tower. But I think the same sort of point could be made.)

Recommended Reading:

The Golden Compass Chapter 3: Lyra's Jordan

Songs of Innocence and Experience, by William Blake

http://www.blakearchive.org/copy/songsie.r?descId=songsie.r.illbk.01

Map of Lyra's Oxford

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/hdm/images/b/bd/Lyra%27s_Oxford_map.png/revision/latest?cb=20170723102043

Course page:

http://newschoolnotes.blogspot.com/2018/10/gamecool-books-golden-compass-by-philip.html

I'm joined by Sparrow Alden, Hestia of the Hearth on the Signum U forums, college instructor and preceptor, and youth pastor, to discuss The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman. We touch on the story's attractions--Lyra's character and her relationship to Pan--as well as its dangers--the way it represents an end to childhood no one would want to undergo.

Sparrow's page on Signum University: https://signumuniversity.org/directory/sparrow-alden/

Sparrow's blog: https://wordsthatyouweresaying.blog/

After our talk, I've added some updates about the project, including words of encouragement from my friend Patrick, news about publishing some of my EarthBound work weekly on thewellredmage.com and borrowing from brianbrock.com some potential music for the imaginary game adaptation, and offering a few samples of musical themes of my own devising. Enjoy!

Check back in a few weeks for my next conversation episode, which will be with the renowned Tolkien scholar, Verlyn Flieger!

The lantern slides of Lord Asriel counter the poisoned wine of the Master. Enmeshed in the political tension between the two, we hear about Dust, the Northern Lights, the Grumman expedition, the Magisterium, panserbjorne, and the alethiometer, which foretells of an adventure for Lyra. After the discussion of chapter 2 and its coda, we have a recess including Pan's first transformation and Lyra's first chance to explore the college grounds, albeit by night.

More info and schedule:

http://newschoolnotes.blogspot.com/2018/10/gamecool-books-golden-compass-by-philip.html

Recommended reading:

The Golden Compass Chapter 2: The Idea of North

Genesis 1-3, KJV

"Miss Goddard's Grave," an essay by Pullman

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Compass-Dark-Materials-Book/dp/B0000W6SPE

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A1-13&version=KJV

http://www.philip-pullman.com/cm-content/pdf/miss_goddards_grave.pdf

The Golden Compass series of Bookwarm Games begins! From an overview of the project, we open the discussion with Philip Pullman's relationship to Milton, Blake, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien; set out the dominant themes of the relationship between Lyra and her daemon, and of innocence and experience; consider how these are reflected in the opening of the story and the reader's experience of it. Then to enrich that experience, we start to develop an imaginary video game adaptation! Send in contributions, ideas, questions here or through http://newschoolnotes.blogspot.com/2018/10/gamecool-books-golden-compass-by-philip.html

Recommended reading/listening:

The Golden Compass, Chapter One: The Decanter of Tokay

Books I-II of Paradise Lost, with Pullman's Introduction

"I have a feeling this all belongs to me," Pullman's biographical sketch

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Compass-Dark-Materials-Book/dp/B0000W6SPE

https://books.google.com/books?id=Lv-oVbPpc7cC&pg=PT7&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q1gMZR61fOdr_NK--LwmZMo6zHpmIB0qXb2YsZ0g3oc/edit?usp=sharing

Concluding the series on EarthBound by considering the Apple of Enlightenment, prophecy, and time travel, with readings from Genesis 3, Kant, and Itoi

Through the Cave of the Past to the final battle with Giygas and Pokey, reading aloud from them, from the game's letters and lyrics, and from Augustine, who knows something about prayer

A homecoming reminiscent of Frodo's and Odysseus', famous Saturnisms, and riding meteorites to the past