GENRE

The genre of the story “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman is dark fantasy. Children’s
literature, fantasy horror, fairy tale, horror fiction.

PLOT

Coraline Jones moves into a new apartment with her parents. As a curious and adventurous 9-year-old girl, Coraline quickly becomes
bored of her new surroundings even though she has some eccentric neighbors to keep her company.
One rainy day, Coraline becomes interested in a strange door that opens up to a brick wall. Mysteriously, the brick wall vanishes the
next day and the door leads to an eerie corridor. When Coraline explores it, she finds that on the other side is a parallel universe that is a
mirror image of the one she just left behind. She finds an alternate version of her new home, inhabited by versions of her parents who
call themselves her “Other Mother” and “Other Father.”
When Coraline returns home from the parallel universe, she finds that her real parents have gone missing. She decides to go back to the
parallel universe and look for them. Coraline undertakes several brave adventures in the Other universe as she battles the evil Other
Mother. She ends up discovering the incredible strength within herself through these adventures.

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

The primary purpose of the story of Coraline, written by Neil Gaiman, is to entertain and engage
readers, particularly those who enjoy dark fantasy and supernatural tales. However, the story also
serves a deeper purpose, offering insightful themes and messages that resonate with readers.
 title

CORALINE

AUTHOR

Neil Gaiman
Illustrator

Dave McKean
Publication Date

July 2, 2002

Publisher

Bloomsbury Publishing and HarperCollins.

Main Characters /Characters
 Coraline Jones
 BELDAM (the other mother)
 The other Father
 Mr. Jones (the real father)
 Mrs. Jones (the real mother)
 Wybie Lovat
 Miss Spink and Miss Forcible
 The Other Wybie
 Mr. Bobinsky
 Mr. Bobo
 The Ghost Children
 The Cat
 Setting

 Apartment in an old house

 Garden outside house
 World outside the door
 Old man’s room
 Theatre
 Coraline’s house

PLOT summary

“Coraline” tells the story of a young girl named Coraline Jones who
moves into an old house with her parents. Bored and feeling neglected
by her busy parents, Coraline explores her new home and discovers a
small door hidden behind a wallpapered wall. The door leads to a
mysterious parallel world that closely resembles her own, but with
several uncanny differences.

MAIN CONFLICT

The main conflict in the story of “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman is Coraline’s struggle against the Other Mother and the
dangers of the parallel world she discovers. Coraline, a curious and adventurous young girl, feels neglected and bored in
her own home. She discovers a secret door that leads to an alternate version of her house, where she encounters the
Other Mother and Other Father. Initially, this parallel world seems exciting and enticing, offering Coraline everything
she lacks in her real life.
However, Coraline soon realizes that the Other Mother is not what she seems. The Other Mother, who initially appears
kind and caring, is revealed to be a malevolent entity with sinister intentions. The Other Mother seeks to trap Coraline in
her realm and replace her eyes with buttons, effectively imprisoning her forever.
 RESOLUTION

The resolution in the story “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman occurs when Coraline successfully confronts the Other Mother and
rescues her real parents and the trapped souls of the children from the alternate world. Throughout the story, Coraline
discovers a parallel universe behind a small door in her new home. In this alternate reality, she encounters an Other Mother
who initially appears friendly but later reveals her sinister intentions of keeping Coraline trapped forever.
As the story progresses, Coraline realizes the Other Mother’s true nature and her plans to replace her eyes with buttons, just
like the other children trapped in the parallel world. Coraline musters her courage and cleverness to outwit the Other Mother
and save herself and her family.
The resolution comes when Coraline devises a plan to challenge the Other Mother in a game to find the souls of the trapped
children and her parents’ freedom. With the help of a talking cat, a brave boy named Wybie, and the ghost children, Coraline
successfully retrieves the souls hidden in the Other Mother’s collection of eyes. In a final showdown, she confronts the Other
Mother, defeats her, and escapes back to her own world with her parents. The resolution of the story provides a sense of
closure as Coraline overcomes her fears, shows resilience, and finds a renewed appreciation for her own life and family. It
emphasizes the importance of bravery, resourcefulness, and the power of love and family bonds.