Dioranys
Acevedo
Dr. C. Jason Smith
English 102
Coraline’s
Literature
Literature
helps us understand and make sense of the world around us. Literature is
important because it is a source of self-expression. It can get a point across
or teach a lesson. “Coraline” by Neil
Gaiman teaches the lesson to appreciate what you have and be careful what you
wish for.
Coraline
is the protagonist of the story, whom is young vibrant and adventurous. She
just moved with her parents to her new house. In the mix of getting used to and
settling into their new home, Caroline often goes exploring the surroundings
and getting to know her neighbors. In addition, her parents are always busy
working even though they work from home. Reading the story, you get the sense
that her parents are too focused on their work, rather than playing with
Coraline. Coraline encounters this unexpected journey that teaches her to
appreciate what she has and her parents for whom they are.
In
literature, there are such things as character’s Archetypes. Archetypes define
the character’s personality and make us understand why are they are who they
are. For instance, at the beginning of the story, Coraline is the Seeker
archetype. According to page 108 on “What
Story Are You Living?” by Carol S. Pearson and Hugh K. Marr, The Seeker archetype is an active
person on a quest to satisfy an inner hunger. The Seeker likes to explore,
encounter new experiences and can also never be satisfied because they
constantly get bored and need something new. Coraline often called herself an
explorer. Once Coraline is in the new house and can no longer explore the
animals and the outside due to the rainy weather, she looks to do something in
the house. She goes to her father and he suggests for her to explore the house.
He tells her to “..count all the doors and windows. List everything blue… And
leave me alone to work.” (Coraline, page 7) That is where her real journey
began. While Coraline went on and explored her new home, she came upon a locked
“big, carved, brown wooden door at the far corner of the drawing room.”
(Coraline, page 8)
Little
did Coraline know that this door was going to be the journey that would change
her outlook on her parents. Coraline soon found out that other door was the
entry to her “other home” that was just like her home, but very different. In
this other home, she encountered her “other” parents and neighbors whom
originally lived in her real world. Initially, these “other” parents were ideal
to Coraline. Her “other” father cooked better than her real father. Coraline
described her real father’s cooking as “disgusting,” especially when he cooked
his recipes. (Coraline, page 9-10) However, in her other home, her other
father’s cooking was great. “It was best chicken that Coraline had ever eaten.”
(Coraline, page 29) Coraline also desperately try to get attention and
affection from her parents, but they constantly shrug her off and tell her to
go bother her neighbors. Whereas, her other parents, give her their unlimited
attention and want nothing but to spend time with her.
Once
Coraline returns back to her home, she soon realizes that her real parents are
missing. Then, quickly learning that supposedly they are trapped in a snow
globe because her other mother wants to keep Coraline all to herself. In the
efforts of getting her parents back and going back to her real home, Coraline
develops The Warrior archetype. According to page 196 on “What
Story Are You Living?,” The
Warrior archetype is often a hero, someone who is very competitive and
courageous. The Warrior sets boundaries and achieves goals. In this case, Coraline’s goal is to rescue her
parents and go back home. However, in this quest, she faces many of her fears
and in a way finds her inner strength and courage. While she’s trying to find
clues as where her parents are, she stumbles upon these children who are
“soulless” because the “other” mother took their souls out and trapped them in
that closet. These children give Coraline the strength to face her evil other
mother and set out to not okay find her parent but also the souls of these
children, in order to free them as well. (Coraline, page 83-86) In this
journey, Coraline faced many obstacles and conquered her fears. In the end, she
destroyed the other house and the other mother who made life a living
hell.
The
ending of the story hinted that Coraline was dreaming this whole
experience. Her mother told Coraline
“darling, what a funny place to fall asleep. And really, this room is only for
best. We looked all over the house for you.”
(Coraline, page 139) In other words, Coraline dreamed up this world
where she had other parents that gave her exactly what she THOUGHT she wanted.
Only to find out that it is not what it seems and that it can turn out for the
worst. After this dream, she accepts her dad’s cooking and appreciates her real
mother because she knows they really do love her and now understands that her
family is great the way they are.
In
order to comprehend a story, there are symbols that greatly help the reader to
understand what is going on. In “Coraline”
there are many symbols that differentiate the real world she lives in and
the other world. For instance, the door and keys that she is constantly
mentioning, symbolizes the portal between both worlds. The door is the entry to
this whole other world that she can possibly live in and they key is what can
lock that world from becoming a reality. Another symbol is the other mother.
Throughout the story, the other mother was never given a name, she was always referred
as “other,” defying it as just a thing rather a real person. The other mother
was this grasping sort of thing that just wanted to take Coraline in and never
let her go. Possibly symbolizing Coraline’s wish to be given everything she
wanted and having the constant attention of her parents. Another symbol that
stood out, was the “button eyes” that the other mother had. (Coraline, page 28)
The button eyes symbolized rag dolls, associated with blindness. Symbolizing
that the other mother was sort of her puppet, in other words, how she wanted
her real mother to act and do everything she wanted.
Literature
is important because it helps us understand life a little more. Archetypes and
symbolism are aspects of literature that definitely help us comprehend a story
more. In “Coraline,” children as much
as adults, can learn to appreciate what we have because it could be worse if we
had it any other way. This lesson teaches us that things are not always what
they initially seem and that we should be careful what we wish for.
Works Cited
Gaiman, Neil, and Dave McKean. Coraline.
New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print.
Pearson, Carol, and Hugh K. Marr. What Story Are You Living?: A Workbook and
Guide to Interpreting Results from the Pearson-Marr Archetype Indicator
Instrument. Gainesville FL: Center for Applications of
Psychological Type, Inc, 2007. Print.
