That Sunshine and Snowfall Kind of Love

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I hope that I can turn back the time
To make it all alright, all alright for us
I’ll promise to build a new world for us two
With you in the middle

In the song Middle by DJ Snake, the singer desires to build a world with just him and his love, where they can be together and be together, without the problems of the world affecting them. In the music video, a love story between two outcasts is depicted; however, they lead two different lives-the one they have with each other, and the one they have while they are a part.

This song is much like the love WIll and Lyra share. Although they are from two different worlds, and their individual backgrounds do not necessarily make them a good pair, something about their spirits brings them together: it’s their destiny. They tame each other and bring out the best in the other. When they first meet in The Subtle Knife, they fight as if they are enemies; however, it is the fire between the two that make their love even more powerful. They also start out as friends and develop into more. When Pantalaimon touches Will, everything changes: “The daemon, in the form of a wolfhound, was gazing up at him with melting, sorrowing eyes, and then he gently licked Will’s wounded hang again and again, and laid his had on Will’s knee once more” (Pullman, 161). Before that, their friendship was more platonic, but once Pantalaimon touched him, it was like their spirits knew that they belonged together-they just didn’t do anything about it. Even when Will tells Pantalaimon that Lyra is his best friend, and Lyra’s “heart was beating hard” (237), there was something deeper within their friendship.

And rewinding that, the fact that Will is talking to Pantalaimon at all is amazing: he addresses a part of Lyra’s soul that no one else touches. And it is not just the fact that Will doesn’t know about the taboo; it’s the fact that he has a connection to not just the surface parts of Lyra, but ALL of her. They are perfect for each other.

I don’t know that the same can be said for Adam and Eve in Paradise Lost. Although they love each other, when they meet, Adam falls for Eve’s looks and she for the love he gives her and the power he has over her; her love is more of a worship. In Pullman’s story, Lyra and Will balance each other out. Lyra was already independent before she met Will. When she did things for him or followed his directions, it was out of respect for him and out of love; yet she was not subservient to him. I think that also represents the equality in relationships between men and women today vs. the relationships during Milton’s time.

But Will and Lyra are #relationshipgoals. They are yin and yang, dark and light, sunshine and snowfall; they are the love that people (romantics like me) strive for and the couple that sparks others to wait for true love.

Picture link: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/4e/bc/dd4ebc897319bb76be270ba1f53879ae.jpg

6 responses to “That Sunshine and Snowfall Kind of Love”

  1. remashha Avatar
    remashha

    Sweet post. When I first read Pullman’s trilogy I didn’t really focus on the romantic aspects of the work, so I’m glad that you are bringing them up.
    As for romance within the Subtle Knife, I guess you could say that there’s a bit of puppy love. Overall, I think that the novel is really just setting up the foundation for a mature audience and for a future relationship within the Amber Spyglass. That being said, other types of love are mentioned within the Subtle Knife. Love is broadly discussed in a paternal manner from Scoresby’s/John Perry’s perspective and also considered in a more academic sense with Dr. Malone’s love of her research. Both of these types of love are openly displayed and discussed, but what is growing between Lyra and Will is not. Do you think that Pullman considers the development of love as a key part of the shift from innocence to experience (as something that will be discussed later in Amber Spyglass)?

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    1. imanibooks341 Avatar
      imanibooks341

      That’s interesting. And I do think that he considers it a transition from innocence to experience. It started with glances that made Lyra blush or to the way that Will tried to be braver in her eyes. But as they became older–or better yet, had more experience–the signs of their love became more serious. And like the Subtle Knife is the middle section transitioning from The Golden Compass to The Amber Spyglass, Will and Lyra’s relationship in the Subtle Knife is the transition from innocence to experience.

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  2. francessdunbar Avatar
    francessdunbar

    How would you relate Pullman’s depiction of the love between Lyra and Will to his representation with Mrs. Coulter and Lost Asriel? I think their dynamic at the end of TGC more closely mimics Adam and Eve, and it’s an interesting contrast considering these emotions are really the only thing humanizing Mrs. Coulter.

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    1. imanibooks341 Avatar
      imanibooks341

      I believe that Will and Lyra are a purer version of Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter. Whereas Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel have let many complications get in the way of their love, as young adults, Will and Lyra don’t let anyone get in between their love; they just stand by each other throughout it all. But I agree that Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are similar to Adam and Eve; but it’s also interesting that Mrs. Coulter would more closely resemble Adam and Lord Asriel Eve.

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  3. ewingleo Avatar
    ewingleo

    I find it interesting that you enjoy the romance involved in this book and The Amber Spyglass so much. I know that many people believe the romance in these two novels to be the greatest flaw in the series, and yet, your post would suggest that perhaps it is one of the series’ greatest perks. So, I began to think about it, and I have come to agree with you. Pullman is arguing that experience and sin and growing up are not as terrible as the Church says they are, correct? So, if experience is no longer completely negative, what are some its redeeming factors? One could certainly argue love. Love is a theme interwoven into every modern epic; whether it be Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or The Hunger Games, people love a little romance. Pullman does well to approach this theme from a unique perspective, one of very young individuals, teenagers that are often written off as knowing nothing about love, maturity and sacrifice. And yet, why couldn’t they offer new perspective? Lyra and Will have been through more than most humans ever will and their love is an intriguing one, naturally forged out of circumstance and yet undeniably genuine. I believe Pullman is purposeful in writing this romance, and being so, offers a new perspective on a very old and cherished theme. The haters are gonna hate, but allowing yourself to consider the perspective that this romance is genuine can open up so much more than writing Lyra and Will off as foolish teens.

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    1. imanibooks341 Avatar
      imanibooks341

      I love your comment. Yes, that’s how I see it. But I love the romance in anything. And after getting over the separation that Will and Lyra would have to go through, I understand that their love is strong enough to make it. And lol, “haters are gonna hate” 😀

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