Indledning
Would you be happy if you had everything? In Neil Gaiman’s novel Coraline from 2002 we are presented to what may look like a typical children’s book story, but which actually is a marvelous piece of dark fantasy that covers problematics even a grown-up can relate to.
An overdramatized and unrealistic story, that intends to enlighten and set up an illusion or rather a worst-case scenario for what would happen if you wished for more, than you already have.
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Uddrag
Secondly, the appeal to our senses. Somehow Gaiman manage to heighten and activate each sense (sight, smell, sound, taste, touch) one way or another.
‘’The smells of sour wine and mouldy bread filled her head’’ (P.130, l. 19-20), ‘’Coraline patted its hairless head. Its skin was tacky, like warm bread dough’’ (P. 132, l. 13).
This visual imagery is created with the use of adjectives. As mentioned before Coraline is written in a very succinct and child-like style with short sentences, yet this does not only make the text easier to understand, it additionally changes the pace of the story.
In the end of chapter 9 on page 134-135 where Coraline is trying to escape the other father, the short sentences and the verbs control pace and action whereas the adjectives resolve tension.
We all know the feeling of wishing for more, than we already have. In the beginning, Coraline is extremely dissatisfied with her boring everyday life and is longing for adventure, however with her parents missing and the other mother trying to keep her in the other world, she realizes something.
For instance, when the other old man tries to persuade Coraline to stay in the other world she says: ‘’I don't want whatever I want.
Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted. Just like that, and it didn't mean anything. What then?’’ (P.143, l. 11-14).
Coraline’s journey through the other mother’s world contains many strong lessons, not just the obvious morality that says, that you must be careful what you wish for, and appreciate what you got.
But also, the symbolic meaning behind Coraline’s identity journey. Gaiman positions Coraline as an intrepid explorer and there is no doubt that curiosity rules Coraline’s world, but even the most nosey and adventurous people can get scared of the unknown.
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