The Power of Stories

When I think of fantasy fandom's that shaped my childhood, a handful of authors come to mind - three I’m particular are Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. To say I devoured those books as a kid is a massive understatement - each significant in where I was in life through childhood and adolescence. Narnia was a whimsical escapism as a child, Potter actually sparked my passion for writing and Dark Materials gave me the freedom to critically analyse and reflect on a story. Then there was Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, which dominated my adolescence.

To try and pick one of these fantasy worlds to write about feels a bit ingenious - each world had its own set of rules that were mostly easy to follow. For example, Narnia was the world that offered escapism. The story and characters had an innocence woven through them, alongside themes of Christianity. Despite the battles and villains, all characters somehow maintain their innocence - even after going through life-altering experiences. Preserving said innocence seemed to be a consistent theme for Lewis. However, Pullman writes his characters differently - they lose that childhood innocence, exploring the aftermath of trauma and even in the new the Book of Dust Trilogy, what it means to be an adult. I read the first book in his trilogy funnily enough, when I was on a retreat in Lourdes in France. I can still remember being sat near the Grotto of Massabielle in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and reading the only book I had brought with me, The Northern Lights.

That book was so battered and bruised, it actually had Sellotape holding the spin together because I had read it so much before this trip. But after seeing The Golden Compass a few months prior and being thoroughly disappointed, I found myself wanting to revisit that story again. What captivated me about Pullman was that he never spoke down to the reader and even though you had multiple universes throughout the three books, one constant remained... every world was a dark place in its own way.

There is a certain level of irony when I now think back and remember myself at twelve reading that particular book in one of the most holy places in the heart of France. Yet, this book allowed me to not only dive into a fantastical world full of danger and mystery, but see characters that - for me anyway - I had not read on page before. With both protagonists, Lyra and Will go against the stereotypical gender roles expected of them - Lyra is the strong, courageous, independent, assertive extravert while Will's traits are more introverted with sensitivity, modesty, humility, empathy. Both characters balance each other out, as they have both had to grow up faster than they should have and know the harsh realities of the world.

Once you get your head around flying witches, souls manifested as animals, armoured bears and a corrupt government, Pullman throws the reader another curve ball and suddenly we’re in parallel universes that mirror our own and go into extreme alternatives. Subtle Knife had more familiar themes to Rowling’s Potter saga, both worlds - although dark and steeped in magic - had recognisable traits and places. Whether that be the laws of magic or familiar places or references from living in England, both Pullman and Rowling ground their stories in reality. By the end of all three respective series, the characters have been shaped by the worlds. Lyra and Will have discovered first love and heartbreak, Harry has found a family and survived a devastating war and the Seven Friends of Narnia have found eternal peace in Aslan's Country.

All three beloved series differ, especially in how the world impacts the characters. Narnia, the characters remain unchanged by the world's events, His Dark Materials refuses to shy away from the dark themes illustrated throughout the books and Harry Potter explores the complexities of surviving trauma.