Coraline Teaches Us To Love Our Faults And Shortcomings

When we think of animated film, we mostly think of film for children. It still happens that some animated films also win an adult audience. Coraline (2009) is a perfect example of this.

Perhaps the film is not only suitable for children, but for anyone who can appreciate its special magic.

The mysterious plot and the special film language make Coraline a complex story that is almost too scary.  The film was made using a type of technique reminiscent of several of Tim Burton’s films, most notably The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Therefore, many also assume that the film is directed by Burton. But he actually had nothing to do with it.

Coraline : A masterpiece

The film’s special aesthetic, which is both goth and very Burton-esk, is no coincidence. It’s not for nothing that we think of Burton when we see Coraline. Henry Selick, the film’s director, worked for Tim Burton for a long time, and in fact he directed A Pre – Christmas Nightmare . But the very idea of ​​the film comes from a poem written by Burton. The film was directed by Selick with Burton as producer. Thus, both directors ended up influencing each other, which has resulted in a very special and distinctive film language.

Coraline is a visual gift for our more childish fantasies. The story is reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. Stories about girls who experience the most bizarre adventures. Adventures where they are confronted with what they are most afraid of and where at the end of the story they have become both more mature and smarter.

An alternative world

Coraline’s parents are so engrossed in work that they barely have time for her. She thinks the surroundings are devastatingly boring. Just like Alice, she discovers a secret world. A world that only gets darker and darker the deeper she penetrates into it.

Together with his parents, Coraline has just moved into an old house, far outside the city. She has no friends and feels lonely in the new house. She is bored and wishes she could be anywhere except where she actually is. The parents, who work with a garden catalog, have not lifted a finger to do anything with their own chaotic garden. They are very busy and do not have time to turn the house, which is far from cozy, into a pleasant home.

Mr. Bobinsky, a Russian acrobat who trains mice, is one of several strange neighbors. Coraline also meets Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, two eccentric actors who are both obsessed with dogs. Finally, it’s Wybie, the homeowner’s granddaughter, who is Caroline’s own. He gives her a strange doll that is exactly like her.

In addition to these characters that Coraline strongly dislikes, it is also the black cat that Wybie takes care of. This cat is going to turn out to be far more than just a cat.

Perfection is not always what you think it is

One day, a mouse leads Caroline to a secret little door that leads to what appears to be an improved version of her own life.

In this “alternative world”, Coraline finds an exact replica of her house. But this version is far more colorful and has a beautiful garden. Her parents are also far more attentive and interested  in her. From the quality of the food they eat to the neighbors, everything seems to be much better.

In this new reality, everyone has an alter ego, an exact copy of themselves. The only difference is that in this world they have buttons instead of eyes. The only ones who do not have an alter ego are Coraline and the black cat.

Coraline does not seem to worry about this as everything else in her life has finally become perfect. One of the characters that attracts our attention is Wybie, that is, “alternative Wybie”. Coraline’s “alternative mother” has made him the perfect companion for Coraline as he can no longer speak. Still, he should prove to be the most revealing character. Among other things, because he seems to be afraid of “the alternative mother”.

In this “alternative world”, the cat is still itself and has no buttons instead of eyes. On the other hand, the cat gets the ability to talk as soon as it enters the alternative world. Here he becomes a kind of spiritual guide for Coraline. An important helper who warns her of possible dangers.

Everything seems to be in its most beautiful order until Coraline discovers that other children’s trapped souls also live in the house. Children who lived a long time ago, and among them the sister of Wybie’s grandmother.

The film gets darker and darker as we discover the evil intentions of the “alternative mother” and that perfection in this alternative world is nothing but a trap to catch children like Coraline.

What can we learn from Coraline?

Coraline is full of metaphors that try to show us that not everything is as it seems. Coraline’s doll is nothing more than a doll version of “the alternative mother”, a tool she uses to be able to spy on Coraline. By replacing her eyes with buttons, she can capture a child’s soul forever. The black cat helps Coraline open her eyes to the fact that not everything is as perfect as it seems.

Wybie’s real name is Wyborne, a reference to “why born” in English. He lives with his grandmother and even though we do not know anything about his parents, we quickly get the impression that he has had a difficult upbringing. These two characters, whom Coraline at first only felt contempt for, end up being her main helpers in the fight to fight “the alternative mother” and escape from her world.

Coraline hates Wybie and the cat because of their looks. She also dislikes her neighbors because she finds them boring and strange. None of these characters are perfect. But as we later discover , the perfection she finds in the alternative world is nothing but dangerous temptations.

Learning to love faults and shortcomings

When Coraline discovers that her own parents are in danger and that the “alternative mother” is exploiting her, she learns to accept people for the way they are and that she is not perfect either.

Coraline manages to overcome her fears and saves her family and friends by showing “the alternative mother” that love goes much deeper than it seems on the surface.

Coraline is also a lesson for all parents who do not devote enough time to their children. In a world where we suffer from a constant lack of time, we tend to neglect what is important and forget our core values.