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==Pullman's Life==

==Pullman's Life==

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, [[England]], in 1946, to Audrey and Alfred Pullman. The early years of Pullman's life were spent travelling because his father was a member of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). His father died when he was age 7, and his family then travelled to [[London]] to find work. A year later, Pullman's mother remarried to another man working for the RAF. His family lived in [[Australia]] for much of those next two years. When Pullman was ten years old, his stepfather quit his job at the RAF to help his growing family. In 1965, Pullman won a scholarship to attend [[Exeter College]] in [[Oxford]]. He did so for four years.<ref>http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/information/philip-pullman/biography</ref> At the age of 25, Pullman became a teacher at a middle school also in Oxford. From 1986 to 1994, he taught at Westminster College. Pullman wrote his first book ''[[Count Karlstein]]'' in 1982. <ref>http://www.philip-pullman.com</ref> Today, Pullman lives in Oxford with his wife Jude. Pullman is a father to two grown children and has two grandchildren. <ref>http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html</ref>

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, [[England]], in 1946, to Audrey and Alfred Pullman. The early years of Pullman's life were spent travelling because his father was a member of [[United Kingdom|Britain]]'s [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). His father died when he was age 7, and his family then travelled to [[London]] to find work. A year later, Pullman's mother remarried to another man working for the RAF. His family lived in [[Australia]] for much of those next two years. When Pullman was ten years old, his stepfather quit his job at the RAF to help his growing family. In 1965, Pullman won a scholarship to attend [[Exeter College]] in [[Oxford]]. He did so for four years.<ref>http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/information/philip-pullman/biography</ref> At the age of 25, Pullman became a teacher at a middle school also in Oxford. From 1986 to 1994, he taught at Westminster College. Pullman wrote his first book ''[[Count Karlstein]]'' in 1982.<ref>http://www.philip-pullman.com</ref> Today, Pullman lives in Oxford with his wife Jude. Pullman is a father to two grown children and has two grandchildren.<ref>http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html</ref>

==Pullman's Works==

==Pullman's Works==

 

Novels aimed at children and young adults include the [[atheist]]ic ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' and ''Sally Lockhart'' series. His works have come under criticism for their subversively anti-religious nature. His books portray God as an evil being who ruled the world through the Magisterium, an Inquisition-like institution which commits various heinous acts.

Novels aimed at children and young adults include the [[atheist]]ic ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' and ''Sally Lockhart'' series. His works have come under criticism for their subversively anti-religious nature. His books portray God as an evil being who ruled the world through the Magisterium, an Inquisition-like institution which commits various heinous acts.

==Criticism of Pullman==

==Criticism of Pullman==

 

Frank Furedi wrote:

Frank Furedi wrote:

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

... He is adept at public moralising. He has denounced [[Narnia]] as "morally loathsome," describing [[C.S. Lewis]]’s series of books as amongst the "most ugly and poisonous things" he has read. Indeed, Pullman directly counterpoises his "non-Christian" trilogy to the "Christian" Narnia. <ref>Phillip Pullman said this to the Washington Post in 2001, in an interview about his trilogy, His Dark Materials [http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4169/]</ref>

... He is adept at public moralising. He has denounced [[Narnia]] as "morally loathsome," describing [[C.S. Lewis]]’s series of books as amongst the "most ugly and poisonous things" he has read. Indeed, Pullman directly counterpoises his "non-Christian" trilogy to the "Christian" Narnia.<ref>Phillip Pullman said this to the Washington Post in 2001, in an interview about his trilogy, His Dark Materials [http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4169/]</ref>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

Pullman is a [[militant]] [[atheist]] and [[secular humanist]] (who describes himself as both an [[agnostic]] and an atheist). He has said, "I don’t profess any [[religion]]; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a [[God]]; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or '[[spirituality]]'" and despises [[C. S. Lewis]] and the [[Chronicles of Narnia]]. His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis's symbolism of [[Christ]] that are portrayed in the Narnia series. <ref>http://www.joelevi.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/04/the-golden-compass-an-attack-on-god/</ref>

Pullman is a [[militant]] [[atheist]] and [[secular humanist]] (who describes himself as both an [[agnostic]] and an atheist). He has said, "I don’t profess any [[religion]]; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a [[God]]; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or '[[spirituality]]'" and despises [[C. S. Lewis]] and the [[Chronicles of Narnia]]. His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis's symbolism of [[Christ]] that are portrayed in the Narnia series.<ref>http://www.joelevi.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/04/the-golden-compass-an-attack-on-god/</ref>

</blockquote>

</blockquote>

==Odd quote about the Chronicles of Narnia==

==Odd quote about the Chronicles of Narnia==

 

"The highest virtue, we have on the authority of the New Testament itself, is love, and yet you find not a trace of that in the books," he said.

"The highest virtue, we have on the authority of the New Testament itself, is love, and yet you find not a trace of that in the books," he said.

   

   

Considering the entire set of books is an allegory of Jesus' love, this statement is especially odd.  There is a great deal of love among family members, love of country, and sacrificing to do the right thing.  Indeed, it would be hard to read more than a few pages without coming across a strong concept of love.  The comment has little to do with the works he is discussing.

Considering the entire set of books is an allegory of Jesus' love, this statement is especially odd.  There is a great deal of love among family members, love of country, and sacrificing to do the right thing.  Indeed, it would be hard to read more than a few pages without coming across a strong concept of love.  The comment has little to do with the works he is discussing.

==External Links==

==External links==

[http://www.philip-pullman.com/|Philip Pullman's home page.]<br/>

* [http://www.philip-pullman.com/|Philip Pullman's home page.]

[http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html|A website about Philip Pullman and his writing.] <br/>

* [http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/author/author.html|A website about Philip Pullman and his writing.]

[http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866 http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866|A negative review of the author.]

* [http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866 http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1359866|A negative review of the author.]

==References==

==References==