Foreshadowing in “The Landlady”: Unveiling Subtext

Adapting Characters for the Screen

Underlying themes and storylines are common occurrences within children’s novels and television shows. Many subtle references and jokes are caught by parental figures, adding a hint of entertainment, while the innocent children remain oblivious. Children and adults perceive stories differently because of their past experiences. Within the novel Coraline, adults see a plot filled with danger, anxiety, and manipulation. On the other hand, children see a brave, adventurous girl who wants to be entertained. When comparing Neil Gaiman’s novel Coraline to Henry Selic’s film version, it is evident the film was adapted to suit a younger audience.

Through the addition and adaptation of characters and key scenes, Henry Selic brought Coraline to the screen for children.

Introducing New Characters: The Case of Wybie

Within the first few minutes of the movie, viewers are introduced to a completely new character who is non-existent in the original novel. Wybie, a young boy who is about Coraline’s age, appears on a dirt bike while Coraline is out exploring her new home. Instantly, the tension between the two characters is noticeable. Wybie is quirky and wants to help Coraline, but Coraline is defiant. This is evident in Coraline’s child-like name-calling, “Oh I definitely heard someone, Why-were-you-born” (Selick). Their relationship continues throughout the film, and a superhero and sidekick bond grows. Coraline and Wybie’s relationship is extremely popular with children, and it gives them something in the movie to relate to, such as a child’s relationship with their annoying brother or sister. Mike McGranaghan, a film critic and writer, discussed the reasoning behind the addition of another character, “Wybie, the grandson of the landlady, was created so that Coraline would have someone else to talk to, rather than talking to herself” (McGranaghan). Throughout the text, Coraline would think and talk to herself. Within a stop-motion movie, it can be very difficult to portray those emotions and thoughts. Very sneakily, Wybie was created in order to give the audience updates on the mentality and state of the main character.

Foreshadowing in the Landlady: Mice and Their Roles

When reading Neil Gaiman’s novel, mice are common “characters” that bring readers a sense of uneasiness. Although the mice and the mice circus are portrayed within the film, it plays a less important role than within the text. When Coraline first falls asleep in the story, the mice appear, and they sing an eerie song, “We are small, but we are many, We are many we are small, We were here before you rose, We will be here when you fall” (Gaiman, 10). These words leave readers wondering if the mice will be the cause of her downfall and how they will impact Coraline’s journey. Within the film, the mice do not sing any songs and seem rather joyful, except in one scene. When Coraline finds one of the souls, the mice fill up the neighbor’s circus ring leader’s suit and slither around the room. This is the most fearful and disgusting scene that involves the mice. The directors of the film most likely did not include the mice’s songs because it could add another element to the story they did not have time to portray. Additionally, most children are scared of mice, so having mice sing terrifying stories about a young girl’s downfall would not be the most child-friendly.

Critical Scene Adaptations

In order to avoid the creation of a horror film, crucial scenes were adapted. When reading the story, readers have the option to imagine what they want, and their imagination is limitless. When turning a book into a film, the directors and the author have to work hand-in-hand to get the author’s original idea across in the necessary format. In a personal interview Neil Gaiman, the author of Coraline, stated, “I think adults have a lot more problems with this kind of story than children do… It’s always adults that say to me that they finish reading the book at three o’clock in the morning and go around the house turning on all the lights. I never get that from the kids”. This again shows how children take in ideas and stories differently than adults. Many critical scenes from the book had to be changed in order to become child-friendly.

Towards the end of the story, Coraline plays a game against her Other Mother, where she has to find the final soul. The final soul belonged to one of the children who let the Other Mother sew buttons into his or her eyes and was tricked into thinking she cared for him or her. Gaiman’s version details the Other Mother giving Coraline the key to the abandoned apartment within the complex. Coraline explores it and crawls down into a musty, cluttered basement. Within the basement, she finds her Other Father, who is deformed and unnatural. As seen by Coraline, “the thing twisted bonelessly until it’s one eye was again facing her. It seemed to be getting bigger, now, and more awake” (Gaiman, 110). Although he tried to help her, the Other Father was overcome by the Other Mother and tried to kill her. Without a doubt, this scene would be horrifying for children. Selick instead recreated the same scene but changed the setting to be within the garden. The once beautiful, live garden and her Other Father attack Coraline. When the mechanical grasshopper the Other Father is riding falls into the water, he throws her the last soul, helping her defeat the Other Mother. Although this scene still displays suspense, danger, and compassion, it was greatly toned down from the original version.

Another adapted scene was the ending of the film. Towards the end of the story, Coraline understands how lucky she is to have her normal parents and the cruelty of her Other Mother. Although she is able to save the three children’s souls and rescue her parents, the Other Mother’s hand makes it back into the real world. It wants the key to the door. The end of the book focuses on getting rid of the key and the hand forever. Within the book, Coraline sets up a false tea party for her dolls and tricks the hand into falling deep into the infinite well, along with the key. Within the film, Wybie is involved, and it is a fight to the death. Initially, Coraline is alone, trying to get rid of the key, when the hand attempts to make her fall off the cliff. Wybie saves her but is also in danger.

Together they smash the hand with a rock, tie it up in a blanket, and secure the top with the necklace the key was on. This large bundle was thrown deep into the well. The adaptation of this scene brings closure and adventure. Although the final scene did not need “toning down” for children, the creator added details to reconnect with the children. At the beginning of the film, Coraline and Wybie bicker, while in the end, they work together to defeat the evil force. This shows the growth of their relationship and gives the children an action-packed ending.

Although some scenes were adapted, other scenes were added to fill gaps within the plot. When the film began, a doll floated through the air into an attic. Thin, needle-like hands disassembled the doll and transformed it into another little girl. Once completed, the figure sent the doll back out into the air. This scene is a foreshadowing of what is to come, but it also symbolizes what happened in the past. In the following scenes, viewers are introduced to the main character, who looks like the newly-created doll. Later Coraline met three souls of children who were tricked; one girl looked like the original doll. Towards the end of the film, the Other Mother transforms into a needle-like monster, the same hands that sewed the dolls. Children watching this film are able to point out these small details that shape the storyline. The creation of these scenes added rhetorical devices that show consistency and thoroughness throughout the film and novel.

The final moments of the film also had additional pieces unoriginal to Gaiman’s novel. The film closes with the Pink Palace tenants working together to help plant a beautiful garden. Most children’s books have a happy ending filled with closure. The endings usually look into the future to show the return to everyday life. Ending the film like this appeals to the younger audience and also calms down the emotions of the viewers. It is a relatable scene, once again, where children can recognize the end of the story is near. Coraline’s mother admits that Coraline was right, and they happily spend time as a family. This teaches children to admit their faults and that love is still possible. Coraline’s parents were overly stressed and constantly working, something children can relate to today. Clearly, the addition of this scene makes it a perfect ending for a children’s movie.

All in all, Neil Gaiman’s novel Coraline was accurately portrayed in Henry Selick’s stop-motion animation. Coraline embodied the young, brave, and daring character readers fell in love with. However, when analyzing the two works, it is evident that Selick’s version was adapted to suit a younger audience in comparison to Gaiman’s novel, even though it is a children’s novel. Henry Selic was able to bring Coraline to life for children through the addition and adaptation of characters and scenes. Due to both of their efforts, children can learn to appreciate the love they have and to never stop exploring.

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