He sets up the scene by making the вЂњreal worldвЂќ boring, frustrating, and dreary. Building Up the SuspenseДЄnother factor of why Coraline is a terrifying childrenвЂ™s story is how Gaiman constantly builds up the tension and the suspense by comparing CoralineвЂ™s reality against a fantasy world. GaimanвЂ™s use of foreshadowing and unsettling descriptions is one of the reasons why Coraline is a terrifying childrenвЂ™s story.

This adds another layer of creepiness to the story as readers later learn where the poem comes from.

She dreams about rats with вЂњlittle red eyes and sharp yellow teethвЂќ gathering together and repeatedly singing this poem:Д¬oraline mentions how the ratsвЂ™ voices are вЂњhighвЂќ, вЂњwhisperyвЂќ, and вЂњslightly ,вЂќ which almost connotes a cultish chant. When Coraline returns to bed, her nightmare is spine chilling. Coraline turns on the light to discover that the door is open, despite watching her mother close it earlier. Gaiman continues building up the suspense by having the вЂњblack shapeвЂќ dart over to where the tiny door is. Readers later discover that the Other Mother is described as a вЂњthin, tall woman,вЂќ so itвЂ™s safe to assume that Coraline wasnвЂ™t looking at her shadow вЂ“ but rather the Other MotherвЂ™s. The only light came from the hall, and Coraline, who was standing in the doorway, cast a huge and distorted shadow onto the drawing room carpet вЂ“ she looked like a thin giant woman.вЂќ

In this scene, Gaiman teases the audience with a possible appearance of the Other Mother. The scene in the drawing room is very unsettling. Coraline describes its movements as вЂњscuttling,вЂќ like a spider. When she goes up to investigate, she notices a вЂњblack shapeвЂќ that was вЂњa little more than a shadowвЂќ retreat back into the drawing room. To give a brief summary of pages 8-10, itвЂ™s later that night, and Coraline hears the tiny door creaking back open. This is where Gaiman starts making the story creepy. The readers later learn how critical of a mistake that was. When her mom unlocks the door, Coraline finds that the other side is bricked up, to her disappointment.Д¬oralineвЂ™s mother doesnвЂ™t re-lock the door because it doesnвЂ™t go anywhere. Gaiman continues setting the tone as Coraline explores her house when she finds a locked, tiny door in her familyвЂ™s drawing room. ThereвЂ™s a rose garden with вЂњstunted, flyblown rosebushes,вЂќ an abandoned tennis court with a вЂњrottenвЂќ net and holes in the fence, and a вЂњfairy ringвЂќ made of smelly, squishy toadstools. The titular character recently moves into an old house with her family where it has an attic, a cellar, and an overgrown garden.ДЄs she explores the garden, thereвЂ™s a depressing quality to it. Gaiman sets the tone for Coraline as a grim, bleak setting. How Gaiman Makes Coraline a Terrifying ChildrenвЂ™s Story Setting the Tone Final Thoughts on Coraline as a Terrifying ChildrenвЂ™s Story.Why is Coraline a terrifying ChildrenвЂ™s Story?.How Gaiman Makes Coraline a Terrifying ChildrenвЂ™s Story.CLICK FOR THE NEWSLETTER AND BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT OUR UPDATES Here is why Coraline is a terrifying childrenвЂ™s story. Neil GaimanвЂ™s use of imagery, nuanced horror tropes, and a horrifying villain makes the story an effective horror story. However, she later learns that it all comes with a price вЂ“ she has to sew buttons in her eyes. She later learns that the door leads to a parallel universe where the food is actually edible, the adults pay attention to her, and she essentially has everything she could want. This novel will send shivers down your spine with its dark take on the concept of a parallel universe and the ancient proverb вЂњthe grass is always greener.вЂќДЇor those who have never read the book, the story features a young girl named Coraline that moves into a new house with her family and finds a mysterious, tiny door. If you are looking to introduce your children to the horror genre or trying to write a childrenвЂ™s/young adult horror novel, take a look at Neil GaimanвЂ™s Coraline.

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