Coraline Reading Guide

 

 

Daybook Possibilities

Published  in  2002,  Coraline  is  an  example  of  Gothic  children’s  literature.    The  novel  chronicles  Coraline’s  frightening  and  fantastical  journey,  but  also  speaks  to  a  conflict  between  Coraline  and  her  parents,  which  critics  have  suggested  reflects  her  internal  conflict  between  autonomy  and  dependence.    Coraline  is  written  by  Newbery  award  winning  British  author  Neil  Gaiman,  who  writes  in  many  genres  and  mediums,  including  children’s,  YA  and  adult  fiction,  graphic  novels,  film,  short  stories,  &  picture  books.  

Suggested Critical Reading

Dr. Meghann Meeusen ENG 3830: Literature for the Intermediate Reader

Ø "Between  Horror,  Humour,  and  Hope:  Neil  Gaiman  and  the  Psychic  World  of  the  Gothic"  by  Karen  Coats  in  The  Gothic  in  Children's  Literature:  Haunting  the  Borders  (see  me  for  a  copy)  

Ø "Something  Very  Old  and  Very  Slow":  Coraline,  Uncanniness,  and  Narrative  Form"  by  Richard  Gooding  

Ø "The  Other  Mother:  Neil  Gaiman's  Postfeminist  Fairytales"  by  Parsons,  Sawers  and  McInally      

Ø "Whose  Fear  Is  It  Anyway?:  Moral  Panics  and  ‘Stranger  Danger’  in  Henry  Selick’s  Coraline"  by  Lindsay  Myers  

     

• What  messages  does  Gaiman  send  about  childhood  and  the  power  dynamics  of  adult/child  relationships?    Explore  what  the  text  reveals  about  the  power  of  children  and  interactions  between  children  and  adults  by  comparing  this  to  other  books  you’ve  read  (or  we  read  this  semester).    

• In  class,  we  will  discuss  motifs  that  are  important  to  Coraline.    Choosing  another  text  written  for  children  or  young  adults,  identify  an  important  motif  and  trace  its  development  and  significance  in  the  text.  

• Watch  the  movie  adaptation  of  Coraline  and  list  differences  you  notice.    What  affect  do  these  changes  have  on  the  story  and  its  message?  

• Collection  information  on  some  of  the  other  works  (for  children  and  adults)  by  Neil  Gaiman,  who  writes  a  variety  of  different  kinds  of  literature  and  film.      

• Pretend  that  you  find  a  hidden  door  in  your  own  home.    Write  about  what  you  might  discover  behind  it,  and  what  it  might  teach  you  about  yourself.  

• Check  out  Neil  Gaiman’s  journal  and  paste  a  few  entries  in  your  daybook,  noting  how  it  changes  your  perspectives:    http://journal.neilgaiman.com/.  

• Search  for  other  gothic,  scary,  or  horror  based  children’s  literature  or  film  and  paste  some  info  with  notes  about  your  responses  in  your  daybook.  

 

Background and Context

Questions  and  Ideas  for  Consideration  Cat:    What  does  the  cat  symbolize,  and  what  meaning  can  readers  take  from  an  analysis  of  this  character  and  his  interactions  with  Coraline?      Mirror:    The  mirror  plays  a  key  aspect  in  the  storyline.  What  does  it  represent?    Identity:      Throughout  the  book  a  consistent  theme  of  identity  (and  the  use  of  names)  is  implicitly  and  explicitly  discussed.    How  is  this  theme  significant?    Buttons:    Why  did  the  author  use  buttons  for  the  Other  Mother’s  eyes?    What  role  do  the  button  eyes  serve  in  her  plan,  and  what  might  they  symbolize?  Love:    Think  about  the  difference  between  love  and  possession,  and  how  the  text  comments  on  these  two  connected/divergent  ideas.  Intertextuality:    How  does  Gaimen  utilize  intertextuality  and/or  rework  aspects  of  other  children’s/adult  texts?      Fear:    How  is  fear  depicted  in  the  text,  and  especially  the  relationship  between  childhood  and  fear?    How  does  this  compare  to  other  books  we’ve  read?  Portrayals:    How  are  adults  and  children  portrayed  in  Coraline?    Is  childhood  idealized  or  realistic,  and  how  do  fantasy  elements  of  the  book  play  into  this?