Coraline By Neil Gaiman Analysis Essay

The overriding characters in novels often display inner strength and other intriguing idiosyncrasy. This assists the story to be more vivid. It's explored in the novel ‘Coraline’ by Neil Gaimen. ‘Coraline’ goes through many experiences that utilise her inner strength. This helps her to face many things such as being confined in the mirror and persuading her other mother to play her game knowing what she would have to do to get out the hell hole she was stuck in.

The protagonist ‘Coraline’ is terrified and is stuck inside a mirror, which makes her utilise her bravery and courage. ‘Coraline’ needs to dig extensively deep trying to convene all the inner strength she has in her body and to put on a strong face not knowing if she was ever going to break free from the reflective glass. Once she ultimately assembles all her inner strength she has decided to investigate the confined space.The evidence shown from the text is a quote being ‘Coralline’ could feel a huge sob welling up, and then she stopped it, before it came out. She took a deep breath and let it go, this shows she was worried but she felt like she must go on.‘Coraline’ is stuck in this cupboard like space as her bravery starts to fade, she won’t let it show still as she needs to find courage, her fearlessness and her inner strength

‘Coraline’ proposed that they should play a game if she wins she can be free with her parents and the 3 children but if the other mother is victorious ‘Coraline’ will stay there forever. Deep down she knew she had to do it. She took a trip down memory line to her time in the mirror to remind herself the amount of inner strength she showed in there. She knew she could do it again, she had an idea, to make a deal with the other mother to play a game with a prize that was freedom which if she won she’d be free with the 3 ghost children and her parents but if the other mother won ‘Coraline’ would stay and play forever, the other mother agreed without hesitation. ‘The other mother smiled at this triumphantly and coraline wondered if she had made the right choice’ this quote shows that the other mother had no uncertainty that she’d lose and coraline knew there was no turning back now  Now ‘Coraline’ must wonder what to do if she lost but she cannot ponder on what if, she must save everyone from this evil  creature known as the other mother.

‘Coraline’ knew that the other mother wouldn’t let her go easily so she had to use her inner strength to beat the other mother at her own game. ‘Coraline’  knew that the other mother was never going to play fair so she needed to stoop down to her level, nothing was going to stop her from leaving. She knew that the other mother was full of tricks and games and made things just to destroy them. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy but her inner strength and courage would guide her.The quote, “I”’m not frightened, she told herself, and as she thought it, she knew it was true.”This shows she wasn’t scared and her inner strength was glowing brighter than it had ever beforeThe other mother wouldn’t play fair, ‘Coraline’ knew that, so she had to outsmart her other mother as she was dangerous

Conclusion: Inner strength is a very important part in the novel ‘Coraline’s’ inner strength guides her to saving the ghost children and her parents and being able to outsmart other mother she learnt from her mistakes and kept on trying. Your inner strength cannot be controlled by someone else you have to take the reins and do yourself just like ‘Coraline’ did.