MovieChat Forums > Coraline (2009) Discussion > Coraline is an allegory about sex abuse

Coraline is an allegory about sex abuse

posted 8 years ago by Great_Gazoo
10 replies | jump to latest

So many interpretations around, I wanted to throw this one out.

Its pretty airtight that the story could be seen as an allegory of sex abuse. The other mother grooms Coraline with toys and candy and gifts and affection. Coraline feels neglected by her own parents but the sweet and cool Other Mother initially presents Coraline with everything she thinks she wants. Then Other Mother reveals its true nature. It just wants Coraline to pleasure its sick desires. Coraline wants out but the Other Mother feel like Coraline owes her because of the gifts and goodies. Coraline realizes what OM's real intentions are but by that time it's too late. The Other Mother is a child predator who comes in a form of a parent. Taking Coraline's soul is just an allegory for taking her virginity.

And once the OM has taken a child's soul(virginity), it discards them and moves on to another child.

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Long ago men competed on a show to date a woman who competed on a show to date Flava Flav.

[–] elbiomachado 8 years ago

Meh. I think you're pushing it. I mean, i guess you could roll up the overall deception she experiences into just about anything.

[–] curious_chaos 8 years ago

How much marijuana did you smoke before coming to this conclusion? :)

[–] svalinanikola 8 years ago

Errr...no, that's not it.

[–] pandemonium91 8 years ago

I don't think that's the case at all. The Other Mother is simply a predator luring the prey (Coraline) to its doom by lulling it into a false sense of security, and this is emphasized by the Other Mother's true form being spiderlike.

[–] muffinsmom-86558 8 years ago

Interesting theory.

[–] robocat893 8 years ago

Um... No.

I never really sleep well. Got one eye open, always.

[–] Saucy_Jacky 8 years ago

Neil Gaiman is very open to interaction with his fans; I'm sure you could present the theory to him and see what he has to say about it. He'd be able to give you a more concrete 'yes' or 'absolutely not' in regard to your theory than anyone here, seeing as he wrote the original novel.

Catch me when you can, Mishter Lusk.

[–] SORAsaurusREX 8 years ago

I agree. As if references to mothers eating daughters and a deleted scene regarding Pizza sauce on Dad's shirt weren't enough.

[–] edwintrinh09 8 years ago

And the fact that the Beldam tries to "entertain" Coraline by creating the Other Miss Spink and Forcible who are seductively nude and the Other Father who makes a chicken breast joke during dinner. In the novel, it even states that the Beldam loves Coraline the way misers love their gold. I wonder what THAT means... O_o #Pizzagate