Northern Lights/The Golden Compass: Quick FAQ

[Soapy]

Hello there! This FAQ is intended to answer some of the frequently asked questions that have popped up on this forum over the years. The answers are under the spoiler tags.

If you have another, quick question that is not included here and that you don't think needs a lot of discussion, then please post the question in this thread and we will try to answer it. If it's a question likely to come up again we will add it to the list.

Please note that some of these questions contain spoilers, so read at your peril!

Abbreviations are used as follows:
NL = Northern Lights
TGC = The Golden Compass
TSK = The Subtle Knife
HDM - His Dark Materials
PP = Philip Pullman

How do you pronounce the word "daemon"?

Spoiler:

The word daemon is pronounced “dee-mon”, like the English word "demon".

How do you pronounce the word Lyra?

Spoiler:

The word “Lyra” is pronounced “Lie-ra” like “lycra” but without the C.

How old is Lyra?

Spoiler:

In Northern Lights (p240, Scholastic, paperback), Lyra says she is 11 years old but at the time she is pretending to be Lizzie Brooks and it states that Lyra has always been told that she looks young for her age. This could imply that she is actually older than 11.

In TAS (p342, Scholastic, hardback) Mrs Coulter states that Lyra has turned 12.

In TAS when Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter are embracing (p426, Scholastic, hardback), it is mentioned that Lyra was conceived 13 years before.

It is possible that Lyra is 11 at the beginning of Northern Lights and 13 at the end of The Amber Spyglass, or that she is 12 the whole way through or any other combination of between 11 and 13.

Why did Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel kiss at the end of the book?

Spoiler:

Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel have a history of a romantic relationship together. Mrs Coulter was originally married to Mr Coulter but had an affair with Lord Asriel. Mrs Coulter eventually fell pregnant with Lyra and when Mr Coulter found out, Lord Asriel and Marisa Coulter were forced to not see each other anymore.

It is suggested throughout the books that they have a love-hate relationship. Evidently they still had some sort of feelings for each other, but why they chose that moment to reignite their passion is up to you.

Why does Ma Costa's daemon change form?

Spoiler:

This is a mistake on Philip Pullman’s part in some of the early editions. In newer editions it does not appear.

Why is there a daemon in the form of a woman in the crypts of Jordan?

Spoiler:

Again, this is a mistake in earlier editions of the book and has been corrected.

Why is Northern Lights called The Golden Compass in North America?

Spoiler:

The His Dark Materials trilogy was originally called by Philip Pullman “The Golden Compasses” taken from a line in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. This is to refer to the compass that you draw a circle with, not one that points north. During discussions with his publisher, someone got hold of “The Golden Compasses” and thought that it referred to the Alethiometer and meant the type of compass you use for directions. The name stuck for the first book in America, despite insistence by Pullman that that was not correct. Eventually Pullman abandoned The Golden Compasses for the entire trilogy in favour of His Dark Materials, which is why Brits have never heard of the Golden Compass(es).

How many alethiometers were made?

Spoiler:

6 alethiometers were made.

Why do some people have same-sex daemons?

Spoiler:

Nobody is entirely sure why. Even Philip Pullman said that he is not sure; all he knew was that some people had same sex daemons while most people had opposite sex daemons.

What was the "great betrayal"?

Spoiler:

In the 2nd chapter of Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, the Master predicts that Lyra will be part of a great betrayal. He says that it is not she that will be betrayed, but she who will be doing the betraying. At first it may seem that this refers to her role in Roger’s death.
However, at the end of TAS, the narrative states that the great betrayal actually happens when Lyra leaves Pantalaimon on the shore when she is travelling to the Land of the Dead. It has been suggested that the great betrayal is actually the two things together – Lyra betrays Roger accidentally, and then in order to free him from the Land of the Dead she has to betray Pantalaimon too.