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Coraline 

     Is Coraline just a kid's movie? The film was released in 2009 about a little girl finding a secret door with an alternative world behind it, including an alternative family. It is possible that the other family has “won” as in trapping her into the alternative world forever. Let us investigate the movie.  

   Coraline Jones is a very curious eleven-year-old girl, just like all children are. Except her curiosity leads her in a different direction than anyone would have thought. Her curiosity led her to a “second” world that was discovered from a bricked-up door. She found the door by exploring their new house and this brought her a second mom, second dad, a second life.  

    There are a variety of examples throughout the movie of Coraline being curious; she decides to play explorer and visits her neighbor out of sudden boredom. Her curiosity also leads to the main part of the movie. She follows a pack of mice to a fantasy door, and Coraline being just a child, so she goes through the door.  

    She is also a very brave and daring young girl. She may have not known this, but when she was welcomed by the second family with a cake that said, "Welcome Hoome,” it had a double loop on the o which is defined as, “the person who wrote it is lying.”  The double loop was on the o in home meaning she is welcome, but not home. Coraline did notice some obvious red flags, but she still returned to the alternative world multiple times after. 

     One of the first red flags that she noticed was when the mom (the Beldam) tried giving her button eyes, “Black is traditional. But if you would prefer pink, or vermilion or chartreuse? Though you might make me jealous!” Assuming anyone who watched the movie could tell the beldam had bad intentions for Coraline’s staying from the start.  

   Coraline is an emotionally driven eleven-year-old girl. When they moved out of the old house Coraline felt very neglected by her parents. So, when she finds the idealized or dream version of her home she forgets about her reality. She wants to escape the feeling of not being loved by her true parents, so she ignores all the red flags the second family gives off in the beginning. She did try to tell her real mother, but Mel Jones just responded with,” Buttons for eyes, huh? Coraline, you only dreamed you ate all that chicken. Take your multivitamin at least." Coraline turned this feeling of neglect into frustration and anger. 

    She took that frustration out on Wybie( this is Coraline's eleven-year-old neighbor). During their first encounter when Wybie startled her at the old well and knocked her down when she was exploring. Also, Wybie is the only other kid shown in the movie, therefore he is the easiest person to release her emotions on. One of the major things that Coraline said to Wybie that was extremely mean was, “Why-were-you-born.” Originating from his full name Wyborn, to include Coraline, knows he is being raised by his grandma and not his parents.  

    The alternative Wybie was the only one to help Coraline in the second world. He even hinted to her that none of them were real by removing his glove and reviling that his hand is made completely out of sand like a doll. His hand eventually crumbles and blows away, which is a punishment from the Beldam for helping Coraline. All the others are being forced to help Beldam in attempt to trap Coraline there forever. 

    There are three major conspiracy theories about the film Coraline. The first one is that Beldam won, meaning Coraline never really escaped the alternative world. The second is that Coraline's parents, Charlie, and Mel Jones, set her up and made a deal with Wybie’s grandma, Mrs. Lovat, for Coraline to be captured instead of him. The third is that Beldam had a son, and this is the reason for her actions.  

   The first conspiracy theory of Coraline being trapped in the other world starts at the well, which is introduced early in the film. The well is believed to be the original portal to the other world, being surrounded by a ring of mushrooms known as a fairy ring. When entering a fairy ring, a variety of unpleasant consequences can happen. Throughout the rest of the movie, the well is never seen again leading to beliefs that she never escaped the second world. Wybie also states,” It's so deep, if you fell to the bottom, and looked up- you'd see a sky full of stars in the middle of the day” (Coraline 1). The other world's setting is at night, so you always see a sky full of stars.  

   The second conspiracy, Wybie’s grandmother, Mrs. Lovat made a deal with Coraline's parents, Charlie, and Mel Jones, to have Coraline captured instead of Wybie by the Beldam. To begin with, Wybie’s grandmother owns the Pink Palace, which is a house; they do not rent the house out to anyone with kids, so why the Jones family? It was simply because Wybie was eleven years old, nearing the same age all the other kids got taken by Beldam.  

    To include, in the beginning Charlie Jones, Coraline’s dad, tells her to count everything blue and all the doors,” Look-here's a piece of paper and a pen. Count all the doors and windows. List everything blue. Mount an expedition to discover the hot-water tank. And leave me alone to work " (Coraline 1). From this quote, the idea that they would not care if Coraline was captured increased. Also, her father is leading her to the door because the entrance is a door, and the tunnel is blue on the inside. In addition, Mel knew what key to use for the tiny door on the first try to get it open, “She reached up and took a string of keys from the top of the kitchen doorframe. She sorted through them carefully and selected the oldest, biggest, blackest, rustiest key. They went into the drawing room. She unlocked the door with the key” (2). She also decides not to lock it, even Coraline asked her why she did not, "Why should I lock it?" she asked. "It doesn't go anywhere” (3). 

   The third theory is that Beldam, the other mother, had a son of her own. Her son, “The Boring Blue Boy,” which is a painting showed in the movie. Except he is deceased, meaning she was once a resident at the Pink Palace with her son before his death. From this information it seems she tries to capture other children to make up the void of her son being gone. It would also make sense because in the alternative world the painting goes from a sad to a happy expression. 

    The Pink Palace was built in the 1950’s, according to the film, which could mean that the Beldam and her son were one of the first residents (Coralline 1). After the sons passed Mrs.Lovat decided to accept no more families with children to avoid that situation happening again.  

   In conclusion, the movie Coraline has a lot deeper meaning than what is shown on the surface. She is a brave eleven-year-old girl, standing up for herself and her family against the Beldam. Even though it is possible her family is the one who set her up. Overall, the movie is very interesting to watch, and makes you wonder how this is a kid's movie, especially after you hear the conspiracies. 

 

Works Cited 

Coraline. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koInAsdH8WA. Accessed 16 Nov. 2021.