The Golden Compass | Teaching Key Figures

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Lyra - This is the only character who can read the alethiometer, an ability which gives this character power that is used only when necessary.

Lord Asriel - This character has a powerful presence and a dark past and is the main character's real parent. This character's primary concern is manipulating the power of Dust to bridge different universes.

Mrs. Coulter - This beautiful, intelligent character is considered the most sinister character of the book and is often demonstrated by a golden monkey daemon.

Roger - This character is the main character's...
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