Mario the lone bookwolf's Reviews > Coraline

Take the buttons off your eyes and face alternative horror reality, girl

Definitively not for all audiences
The creep factor is so immense thanks to Gaiman's writing skills and him seemingly wanting to traumatize people, the clever and first peaceful way, by generating more and more suspense until it escalates without much real violence. It´s more the permanent feeling of something being terribly wrong, more and more disturbing signs appearing, and the final realization of the protagonist what really is behind the seemingly better reality. So one message could be to

Be thankful for what you´ve got
Maybe one's workplace, partners, friends, and kids suck, but hey, there could be parallel universes with seemingly better alternatives with hidden stipulations. It should also remind everyone about the fact that nobody is perfect, has flaws, stress, and everyday issues, and that in reality, seeming perfection and total harmony often come with hidden darkness. Of course, it´s nice to be the top enjoying the suffering of other bottoms to be mega happy, but one shouldn´t underestimate the potential for self destruction that comes that way.

Dark and white motherhood
Who says that a seemingly evil nightmare creature can´t try to be a good mother? This perversion of the most intensive human bonding is a megatrope of any kind of horror and in this case, the tragic emotional impact and the manipulation are the second red line. Wishing, and mostly it stays just hoping because of a lack of magic in reality, for perfect parents is something perfectly normal during the aging process, but one should always be thankful for what one has already got.

Big horror finale
After a long setup, all disturbing, soul crushing facts are united with some action plot twists and Coraline living up to the expectations of being a brave, smart, and courageous girl. She realizes and accepts her issues and struggles, fights the inner and outer demons, and comes back even stronger and wiser than she already was before. This

Dealing with one's fears
is the message for both young and old readers. Maybe it was Gaiman's intention to first show how fear can manifest and paralyze, or seduce, to stay or become a victim or even perpetrator. Or it's just a little coincidental side effect of the plot he wanted to create and I´m overanalyzing and hyper vivisecting again.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
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