Why Oxford?

[Elanorielle]

Well, I've decided to explore the text a bit as a philologist. =)
I've found one interesting question: why did Pullman have placed his characters particulary in Oxford?
(I have my opinion, but at first I want to listen to your versions =))

[Ian]

Because Pullman went to university in Oxford, lives in Oxford, and as far as I can see, is in love with Oxford. Almost all his books have some setting in Oxford it seems. And why not? It's a lovely setting really.

[AUST]

yep...

[Diolmhain]

Dont make one word posts...

I don't mean to intimidate or annoy or flame you it's just a rule
Mod edit: surge, you're not a mod, please stop telling people off all the time - leave it to the actual mods.
Yes Oxford is also (correct me if i'm wrong becuase i'm not british) one of the learning hubs of england, so an ideal place to put Jordan.

Well i think it's a learning hub seeing as dictionarys come from there...

[AUST]

Okay then: Oxford is probably the center of learning in England, along with Cmabridge and Durham of course. In Victorian times that was even more th case than now. Also, Pullman lives and went to Oxford and thats how he knows it so well, obviously he'd choose it above, say, Cambridge because he can write about real places from experience.

[Townie]

'E's one o them teachers, though in' e? not like us.
You think yer better than ME!

PP's just carrying on the great tradition of Alice, hobbits and murder victims.

[Llei]

Apart from the advantages of "writing what you know", Oxford is also a pretty apt setting for a book HDM's themes. Oxford University is the oldest English speaking university (founded in 1167, IIRC). It's also to this day rated top of the league tables as an institute of learning.

If you think about it, it's really appropriate for Lyra's to live there. On one hand we know it as a place for sholars, academics, and open-minded philosophers. At the same time, there's a heavy weight of tradition associated with over 800 years of history which means that it's got quite a deeply ingrained ideology - both cultural and religious.

I'd say that's a fairly resonant setting for a book which is, essentially, about a war of ideas.

(Hi, by the way)

[AUST]

You're probably right, just a question, have any of you been oxford uni? Whats it like?

Mod edit: "your" is a possessive pronoun. You use it when something belongs to someone. For example "your bike" or "your hair looks nice". "You're" means "you are".

[silversong]

Erm, I went, but I was four, so I didn't attend, really....I remember thinking it was magical, though. I want to go back someday, and go to the Botanic Garden.(don't we all)

[Soapy]

I've been to Oxford. And i've snogged on the bench too. And, you know, all those HDM-related places, except for the Hornbeam trees.


It wasn't what I expected because, stupidly, I expected it to be just like Cambridge which it wasn't. As much as I'll get stoned for this, I actually prefer Cambridge.

[Peter]

It wasn't what I expected because, stupidly, I expected it to be just like Cambridge which it wasn't. As much as I'll get stoned for this, I actually prefer Cambridge.

The punting's better in Oxford.

[Ian]

And, you know, all those HDM-related places, except for the Hornbeam trees.... As much as I'll get stoned for this, I actually prefer Cambridge.

Actually, the hornbeam trees are the one place in Oxford I have been So together we cover the lot. And I'm in agreement with you, I prefer Cambridge.

[Peter]

And Cambridge is owned by my sucky former employers.

And the winters there are cold and howling-windy Fenland winters.

And the Morris Oxford had bigger, better tailfins than the Austin Cambridge.

No contest, really.

[Townie]

Your probably right, just a question, have any of you been oxford uni? Whats it like?

Yeah I have, washed up for 'em

[Elanorielle]

hm...
This summer, reading with admiration one book about the mythology of britons I found in a myth about Llud and Llefelis a note that Oxford is a center of England. Don't you think that Pullman could know this and that's why he wrote about Oxford?
P.S. Well, I also can't disagree with what you've written above.

[Kyrillion]

Well, PP does seem ludicrously well-read and knowledgeble, so I wouldn't be surprised. His analogy of a magpie (or is it a jackdaw?) for himself seems pretty apt. I get the impression he just collects interesting stuff in his head without any particular priority or organisation

I'm pretty much with the people who think PP just wrote what he knew and recognised Oxford as a wonderful, romantic place to have the heroine grow up. If I remember rightly, the image of Lyra in an Oxford college, with what would become her daemon by her side, was one that he dreamt up prior to shaping out the actual story so any resonances Oxford as a setting has with the ensuing story may well be fortunate rather than planned.

It works well as a starting point in that its very easy to convince the reader this is a home Lyra loves deeply and that homesickness recurs throughout. It gives her an emotional connection to Cittagazze which reminds her of her hometown and (am I right?) occupies the same geographic space in that world.

Growing up in an Oxford college (one which is apparently the leader in 'experimental theological' research) she has a good grounding in the knowledge that will be built on in her experiences with the multi-world phenomonen and Dust etc. If 'the circumstances of her birth' mark her as the prophesised child to the witches (I think Kaisa says that) then I'm sure her childhood at Jordan is also essential to her being the particular child who must save Dust.

Finally, Oxford is really cool. No wonder so many writers have lived there. It's the lovliest city in the UK (with the obvious exception of Brighton, which is the finest city in the known universe).

[Townie]

Finally, Oxford is really cool. No wonder so many writers have lived there. It's the lovliest city in the UK (with the obvious exception of Brighton, which is the finest city in the known universe).

Nah, they've ruined it. Knocked down St Ebbe's, ponced up Jericho, ruined the Cowley Rd. The Wharf public house has even closed down Bet you never went in there. A scottish chap once accused me of being CID.

No, take your point, it has got that 'vibe' for fiction writers. Although I think PP bull***** about the place a bit - like saying you're always noticing different things about the place - you could say that about anywhere.

[Kyrillion]

Well, residents always think their towns are being ruined. I think Brighton's being daily ripped apart by the evil commuting yuppies and bloody students (spot the irony in me hating students) who move here from London and take all the bloody jobs and don't care about civic pride or heritage -

Sorry.

But as a visitor Oxford still seems pretty damn lovely.

[furbaby]

The Wharf public house has even closed down Bet you never went in there.

Not the Wharf House? Please say you're joking. My dad used to drink in there when I was v small, and it hadn't changed a bit.

[Townie]

'Fraid so, Furbaby. A good pub, even with its, shall we say, perfume.

In recent years it became a sort of drop in centre for winos and real ale types. The gaffer (an Oxford City fan ) used to let drunks come in and drink their cans of strong lager - can you believe that? .I think the cops used to tolerate it, cos they knew all the vagrants wouldn't be causing trouble elsewhere in town if they'd be down the Wharf!
It'll probably become flats for people with obscene amounts of money.
RIP