Daemons
Okay. We'll assume all of you have either started reading, or have read it before and so will know what I'm talking about.
Daemons.
Isn't that the coolest concept? And have you noticed that all men have female daemons, and all women have male daemons? It's kind of like Yin and Yang, the female half balances the male half.
Here's a question: If we lived in Lyra's world, what do your think your daemon would be? I'm thinking some sort of a cat for me. Does anyone think anything different for me?
posted by Violette @ 08:34
6 comments
6 Comments:
Ah yes, but remember, you don't get to choose the final form of your daemon, and some people have to 'come to terms' with it, as they say in the book at one point.
Mine would for sure be a dog or racoon or some kind of bird, if I had some influence over it, but I don't think you do.
I DID notice the male/female daemon thing, interesting, and I don't think they ever explain it, so we'll have to figure that one out on our own.
The daemon is supposed to be some kind of physical manifestation of the soul, and the ultimate culprit in trying to sever the souls of the children is the church. The church (in our world) says that animals don't have souls (which I personally think is ridiculous that there would be one rule for people 'animals', and one rule for all other animals) but in this book the animals actually don't have daemons, but the deamons themselves of all the people are animals. Was that coherent?
I realize that you don't have any influence over it... But I was under the impression that as the physical manisfestation of your soul, daemons were somewhat reflective of your personality. That's why servants always have dogs as daemons. So what I was asking was, Do you think that my personality would manifest as a cat or not? I would probably choose a cat, but I also feel like a cat. But maybe that's not how others see me.
I was reading along today and noticed that, actually, not all daemons are of the opposite sex. Bernie Johansen, the half-gyptian that watched over Lyra at Oxford, had a male daemon:
"Bernie was a kindly, solitary man, one of those rare people whose daemon was the same sex as himself." (p.110 - I have the Del Rey paperback).
I don't deny the yin-yang idea that Violette came up with, but I think that the sex of the daemon might have something to do with attraction. My theory is that folks with same sex daemons are attracted to people of the same sex. What do you guys think?
As for my daemon, I think it might be a black squirrel. Like Puddleglum, I have a minor belief in animal spirits. Mine have evolved over time, but that's the one that I feel the most kinship with personality-wise.
Yes, Ash. I did notice that little sentence, and the thought occurred to me too that those with daemons of the same sex were also attracted to the same sex. Did you also find it a little weird when Mrs. Coulter was bathing Lyra, and she made their male daemons turn and look the other way? I mean, isn't it a little weird to try to prevent your own soul from seeing your naked body?
The spirit helper idea is very interesting, I didn't think of it that way. I'm pretty sure that my spirit helper is a cardinal, I've had a few remarkable experiences with cardinals and the 'spirit helper' idea fits, it's the first time I've though of it that way, wow!
Ah, yes, Violette, you're right, I forgot about the servants/dog thing. Hmmm, I can't say if you would be a cat, I don't think I've spent enough time with you. My first guess for you would have been a horse, but like I say I don't think I know you intimately enough.
I had forgotten about the same-sex daemon for Bernie, I remember thinking the same thing, and wondering if any kids reading these books would get it?
Yes that is weird about the male Daemons turning around, more reference to sin?
Hey, yeah. My teddy bear, despite the fact that it was pink, was always a 'he'. Isn't that funny? What about the rest of you? Can anybody offer any evidence to disprove this theory?
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