The Republic of Heaven

Well, the thing here is, if Lyra hadn't lost the ability to read the alethiometer, they probably could have asked it and figured out a way to live together...

They probably wouldn't have been a way, though. It would have just said that they couldn't.

There might of been a way, who knows? maybe you have to go through the world of the dead or something to Will's world...

Optimism is so sad...

No, it's not! it's the only thing that gives you hope! HOPE!

There WAS a way. One of them could have gone with the other, or they could have left a different window open. Those were both ways that they could have stayed together, but in the first then one of them would have died after a few years and in the other the dead wouldn't have been able to get out. They had options- but they chose to be apart, not because there wasn't a way, but because they knew being apart would be better for everybody in the long run, sad as it was.

I concede. There was no moral way. They chose selflessness over personal feeling.

the alethiometre might have said something along the lines of what xaphania told them about using their imagination... but remember, lyra knows when the alethiometer wants it to stop asking.

Wasn't Xaphania an angel, anyway? I always thought that the alethiometer was answered by angels, much as Mary Malone's computer stated *it* was controlled by them. So they would have gotten the same sort of answer regardless, I believe.

You know what made me *mad,* though? Remember the Gallivespians(sp) and their little communication devices? As far as I'm aware, they were able to talk to one another between worlds. Why couldn't Will and Lyra of had one each? !!!

oh well...............


Yes, Will and Lyra's decision to part but leave a window open for the dead was very thoughtful and mature. It's almost humanistic in a way, you know, "for the greater good of humanity" or something like that.

Hey good point! I had Forgotten that the gallivespians had that thing... Any way I think I remember in an interview Pullman said that Will and Lyra would never see each other again... but I could be wrong. Also they couldn't stay with each other because they need to bbuild the republic of heaven.

yes, so sad.
but it was a good story!!!














*sniff sniff*

lol... Like Jessica had stated, the alethiometer could of taught them how to use the imagination thing, or when Xalphania finished closing the windows she could of taught them...

xaphania said it'd take a lifetime of learning.

Well, I would rather learn how to pass through worlds using the imagination rather than spending a lifetime working on the alethiometer...

who says she can't do both? yay for multitasking.

I t will take more time if you have to focus on 2 things at once, you know..

But maybe the imagining thing has to do with getting into the clear state of mind you need to read the alethiometer??? Then doing both would help.

I think they're certainly along the same lines. I think the current theory on imagination says it works by harnessing Dust's capability to travel between worlds, so both activities require a state of mind receptive to Dust (the 'trance').

Mmm...I thought Xaphania said that it would take a life time for Lyra to learn how to read the Alethiometer again, but that once she could, it could tell her how to do the mind thingy...I can't remember very well though...

I'll probably read that area again pretty soon, anyway, so I can capture the right emotion in 'The Song of Dust' music pieces that I'm working on...