Neil Gaiman’s novels feature protagonists who aren’t like ‘normal kids’ their age. The protagonists of Neil Gaiman’s books are naturally curious and precocious. Neil Gaiman’s stories have dark themes mixed with fairy tales. Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, is about a protagonist who explores and faces evil and frightening challenges because of parental neglect. She is shaped by her childhood experiences.
In Caroline, Coraline, a ten year old girl lives with her family in an older house. She is an orphan and lives with old people who read tealeaves, as well as a man that trains mice. Caroline loves to discover, but she has workaholic parents. Parents are shown sitting in front computers, physically there but absent-minded. “Coraline shrugged her shoulders. Why don’t we play together? she asked. He replied, ‘I’m busy’. He added, ‘Working’. He had not turned around to see her. Coraline begs her father for some time, but when he’s busy at work, he doesn’t look her in the eye. Coraline is like most kids of her age, she wants attention. However, her father cannot provide it. Coraline’s mother doesn’t appear to listen to her either and ignores her. Coraline has been asked many times to “goaway”, “draw a picture”, “read, watch or listen to a DVD,” or count all the windows and doors so that her parent can do their job. Coraline is often told to “go away,” “draw something,” “read a book, watch a video,” or count all the doors and windows so that her parents can get on with their work.
Caroline went exploring and ended up in an alternate reality. Her house is boring and her parents do not have the time to entertain their daughter. She also has exhausted the possibilities for exploring the house. Coraline is surprised to find a wall and a door behind the locked door. It is her curiosity that leads Coraline to open the door using a secret key. She opens the door and finds a corridor behind it. It’s the magical port that will take her to another world, a reality better than she could have ever imagined. Coraline’s Other parents await her at the end. Coraline follows them into the alternate reality. Coraline’s mother made them lunch. It was the best food Coraline has ever tasted. She would make chicken from frozen or packets but it was always dry and bland. They are much more interesting and sweet than her dull, uninterested parents. Coraline is stuffed with food and her parents are enchanted by her. In the alternate universe, she has access to food that her mother would never have cooked. Coraline’s true parents would be more attentive to Coraline than her other parents. This is especially true of the Mother, who will do anything she can for Coraline. She looks like the perfect mother.
There is still something wrong, even though the world seems perfect. Everybody in her alternate world, including her mother, father, and neighbors, has shiny black button eyes. “On the kitchen table there was two large black buttons, a black spool of cotton, as well as a silver long needle. Coraline replied, ‘I’m not sure’. “Oh, but you must stay,” said the other mother. Coraline is shown black buttons by the parents. Coraline is offered the chance to live in another world for eternity if she allows buttons to be sewn to her eyes. The world seems less perfect now that the black eye is a symbol of stealing someone’s freedom. Coraline was always free to do as she pleased because her parents were not paying attention. Coraline recognizes that this other mother is using her victims as a way to gain more authority and has now taken her freedom. Coraline is told by the other mother that she wants her to be a distorted version of herself, without her own opinions, thoughts and life.
Coraline is terrified of the alternate reality after she opens the door. “Coraline walked away from the mother and left the drawing-room. She then walked up to the mirror in hallway. The mirror was blank except for a girl with real eyes and not black buttons. She looked as if she was crying. “I’ll be brave. !”’.Coraline was aware that this alternate reality is a frightening imitation and an illusion. She wants to see her reflection in order to confirm that the buttons are not her eyes. She tells herself repeatedly that she’s brave and tolerable of the other mom in order for her to believe that she can escape reality. Coraline saw the mother of the other child transform into an eerie spider-like creature with a bony mask and hands made out of sewing machines. The beldam is the name given to this form because of her anger and aggression. She puts on an impressive bravery to get the upper hand over her rival mother. . Coraline’s fear causes her to realize she only wants to go back to how it was before opening the door. She doesn’t want to remember this alternate reality.
Coraline realizes at this point that she needs to face her fears and defeat this horrible nightmare. Now that her mother has taken them away, Coraline must face her fears to get her parents back. Coraline replied, ”Yes’. She thought to herself: I’m frightened. As she pondered, she realized that this was the truth. It’s a moment of character growth and an uplift. She has become more mature and aware, as she had not been at first.
Coraline is in a lot of trouble because she was curious. She must use her wits to save her and others. She uses her evil mother to play a game of defeat. Coraline gripped both knees beneath the table in order to keep them still. ‘If you lose I will stay with you for ever ….”. Coraline challenges the mother of her rivals to a match, because she will never turn down an opportunity to play. If Coraline can find the ghost children’s eyes and her parents, then everyone is free. But if she fails, she must stay forever in the Other World and will have buttons embroidered into her eyes. She is determined to overcome this challenge, despite the fear of the result.
She feels limited and frustrated by her parents’ lack of attention at first. Coraline’s childish and strong behavior is transformed into a cleverness. Coraline’s inner struggle has taught her more about life. Her deep-seated desire to break free from her other mother is what gave her this new perspective. Coraline’s inner struggle and her deep unconscious desire to free herself from the other mother has given her a better understanding of life. After her initial judgemental thought that her parents are neglecting her because of their constant work, she comes to understand that she prefers her real parents over any other. She would much rather eat the strange pizza from that family than the perfect fried chicken. She starts to appreciate food and family. Her inner-self transforms into a superhero who saves both herself and her other family members trapped by the second mother.