The Golden Compass Lesson Plan

Even The Symbols Have Symbols

Kind of Activity:

Artistic Response

Objective:

Consider the role of symbols in the novel.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Structure:

There seem to be an awful lot of symbols in this book! As a class, list some of the most important ones. Students will likely note the symbols that cover the face of the titular compass, as well as the symbolic function of the daemon's animal forms.

Do symbols mean the same thing to everyone? In our world, part of what makes symbols so powerful is that people can interpret them to mean lots of different things (here you may want to discuss a few examples of...