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Examine the idea of dust in Northern Lights

            In Northern Lights Phillip Pullman is exploring ideas of the influence of the church on people and how it keeps that influence. By using Dust Pullman can show the problems of the church and "expose" how without sin the church would have no influence over the people. He suggests Dust to be sin and knowledge and connects the two as he claims knowledge leads to sin and vice versa yet he manages to leave the rest for us to decide. The church labels knowledge as sinful because Pullman believes if we have knowledge we don't need the church. The book shows how we grow up in the church's eyes and how we all become sinners.
             Dust is something which obviously is not from this world. In the book different characters believe different things. The church, who believe it is from one of only two worlds, aren't that interested in where it comes from but more in what it is. Lord Asriel, however, is very much interested in where it comes from and believes that there are many worlds not just the two worlds of good and evil. This leads the church to call him "profoundly heretical". All agree that it originates from a city in another world which is "in the sky". Lyra sees Dust, which is said to have been created from the Original Sin of Adam and Eve, "coming down from the Aurora". The church which is in fear of losing its control gets its own idea across and says "it is an emanation from the dark principle itself".
             Northern Lights doesn't give us a definite answer as to whether Dust is good or evil but everyone has their own view. Whether it is what they really believe or if it's just what they"re forced to think we have to decide for ourselves and that is what Pullman is venturing towards. He is making us question the church and its intentions. Lord Asriel obviously believes it is bad hence the fact he is on a "mission" to destroy it forever. By questioning whether or not Dust is good we also question whether God is good or if he has a "bad side".


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