Coraline: True progression through discernment between good and evil

Synopsis

Coraline follows a young girl who discovers a sinister parallel world where her idealized parents with button eyes try to trap her, forcing her to use courage and wit to save herself and others.

This stop motion classic is a perfect example of progression through the power of discernment. In the beginning of the film, we see that Corline is having trouble adjusting to the move her family has made from Michigan to Oregon. She calls many things ‘boring’ ‘dull’ ‘stupid’ a few times. It’s pretty clear that she’s not happy with the way life is at the moment (sound relatable?).

The first night in the new home, Coraline discovers a parallel world of the home that seems to have everything she thinks she is lacking. Yummy food, options of fun games to play, parents that aren’t buried in their work, ideal friends and neighbors. This dream-come-true place is made possible by the ‘Other Mother’. 

But as the story progresses, signs start to appear that this place isn’t as wonderful as it seems. Coraline is given warnings from her neighbors about dangers with this parallel world. She even gets warnings from the stray cat. But she doesn’t want to take these warnings about this parallel world because it’s everything she’s been looking for.

However, when the ‘Other Mother’ tells Caroline that if she wants to stay in this world, she needs to sow buttons into her eyes, Coraline starts to see that this place is evil. This is the first time Coraline sees evil and says no to it. When she says no, the ‘Other Mother’ kidnaps her parents and traps Caroline in a room where she finds 3 ghost children that the ‘Other Mother’ has killed using the same methods on Coraline. When Coraline sees all of this, she makes the decision to save her parents and the ghosts.

Of course she triumphs and saves everyone and you can see the progress she made shine immediately after saving everyone. She shows more gratitude and joy towards her parents. She creates a garden party for everyone at the Pink Palace to take part in showing her gratitude and love for her neighbors. She becomes more friendly with Wibey and invites him to bring her grandmother to tell her what happened. If this isn’t an example of one’s progression through discernment, then I don’t know what is.