Point Of View

Coraline: Other Mother

I've always wanted a daughter, or just a happy family. When Coraline moved in, I found it as the perfect opportunity. When I was 7, my father left me and my mother couldn't handle being a mother, so I was raised by my aunt and uncle, which wasn't really that great and was an experience that no one deserves.

So, when I decided to start a family, I wanted everyone to be happy, and I would do whatever I could to make that happen.

Coraline was a beautiful, smart girl who didn't deserve to be ignored by her mother, so I thought I would be perfect for her.

A couple nights later, Coraline discovered the button key and crawled through the hidden tunnel enclosed in the walls, I was overjoyed.

After a long few weeks of Coraline staying, I offered her buttons to sew on her eyes like I have, which I sewed on when I was sixteen. I always thought of it as a clean slate to looking at things, and I wanted Coraline to do that, too.

But, unfortunately, Coraline was very reluctant and after trying to convince her, she just wouldn't do it.

I was very angered and upset by this because I didn't think she was going to react how she did. I had dreamed of a daughter like Coraline for years and the fact that she rejected my offer felt like a stab to the chest.

But I wasn't ready to give up. I tried convincing her of switching up the colors of the buttons, but she still didn't budge.

At this point, I was so frustrated and felt so defeated. The monster in me came out and I punished Coraline because that felt like the only option I could resort to.

After everything unfolded, I learned my lesson. I never wanted to hurt Coraline because she was such a pure, sweet child and I feel so ashamed that she must live with an experience like this forever. My intentions were never to hurt her and my selfish ways completely took over.

Lesson learned.