The Golden MacGuffin

Throughout my second reading of The Golden Compass, the one thing I found myself marveling at was Philip Pullman’s decision as a writer to include the alethiometer, the titular “Golden Compass” in his story. “It tells you the truth,” is the only introduction given, and insofar the only explanation for the alethiometer in the world of His Dark Materials (Pullman 55). In placing such a device in the hands of a curiosity-driven child such as Lyra, it would seem to me so easy to allow the alethiometer to destroy all semblance of plot, tension, and motivation for a story’s characters. Knowing its singular purpose would presumably be enough for any human character to be overwhelmed by the apparent omniscience at their fingertips, much like Gollum/Sméagol in The Lord of the Rings.

Only—Pullman doesn’t allow this to happen. He weaves his story past and through and around the alethiometer, using it as a launch pad to maintain the story’s momentum where suitable, whilst avoiding the pitfalls and plot holes where a MacGuffin would be oh-so-useful.

There are a few ways in which Pullman deftly avoids overusing/relying on the alethiometer:

First, the alethiometer is not unique in Lyra’s world. Rare though it may be, it is known to be one of several.
Second, the contraption can only be read fully by a child, one who is curious enough to want to ask it questions, but innocent enough to not know everything to ask (free of original sin).
Third, the childlike innocence necessary to read the alethiometer can also backfire, allowing its truths to be misinterpreted.

Ultimately, in choosing to craft his narrative around such a literal ‘plot device,’ Philip Pullman forces himself to write the story (and its protagonist) that much better.

4 responses to “The Golden MacGuffin”

remashha

September 9, 2016 at 3:46 am

In the Golden Compass, many characters who are “in the know” mention that Lyra must follow her fate blindly in order to produce the best outcome. Based upon context from reading the first book in the His Dark Materials series, do you believe that Phillip Pullman will continue to represent the alethiometer as the threat to Lyra’s success that it is, or will he keep finding ways to mask the tool’s importance as a pivotal plot device (such as the methods that you mentioned earlier)?

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ewingleo

September 12, 2016 at 8:12 pm

This is a very insightful post. I agree that Pullman does extremely well to avoid the vice of relying on such a tool. I don’t have any contradictions to your post to bring up, but I do challenge you to make the same analysis for the other overpowered tools coming in the prequels. After we read The Subtle Knife it would be interesting to reevaluate this point in the context of that book, where two “LOTR Ring” esque tools of power are present at the same time. For now, great analysis on one of Pullman’s greatest authorial achievements.

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Francess Dunbar

September 13, 2016 at 3:48 am

I think it’s a sign of Pullman’s strength as a writer that he can use things like the alethiometer and daemons without “cutting corners” in plot or character development. A lesser author would depend on these to propel the plot, yet he uses the alethiometer sparingly to create tension. A good example of this is when Lyra repeatedly asks it how far Iorek is from Iofur’s palace. Instead of having her ask it how to help Iorek win, which would feel cheap to readers, her question creates a sense of the passage of time and gives us insight into Lyra’s uncertainty and fear.

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LBerkowitz

September 13, 2016 at 3:45 pm

I totally agree with you. A tool like the alethometer could easily take over the book and send the plot in a different direction. As you said it would be, “so easy to allow the alethiometer to destroy all semblance of plot, tension, and motivation for a story’s characters”. Despite the potential pitfalls, Pullman does not allow the story to get overwhelmed by the compass and the compass’ actions. I think that another way that Pullman keeps this from happening is by establishing Lyra’s character the way that he does. During one of class discussions we talked about how Lyra isn’t the stereotypical children’s-novel-protagonist in that she is not particularly exceptional in any way. Lyra is not a genius, exceptionally curious, or very precocious. If a different character were to be placed in Lyra’s position, they might continually turn the compass for information about the future or what they should do. Whereas Lyra rarely does so, and when she does it is often because she is prompted to do so by other characters. Lyra’s friend Roger tends to think and act in very similar ways and towards the end of “The Golden Compass” Roger says that it is sometimes it is preferable not to know the future, illustrating how Pullman can keep the alitheometer from being the center of the novel (Pullman 270). The brilliant way in which Pullman as defined his characters help ensure that the different elements of the book do not run out of control.

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