Coraline the Graphic Novel

Curriculum links This module, ‘Coraline’, engages directly with the following Strands and Sub-strands: Examples Language Coraline ✓ Language • identifying some of the ways he multi-award-winning writer Neil Gaiman is a variation and in which language evolves and perfect example of the modern creator. He has change adapts through the process of T written novels (American Gods, Stardust), picture transformation of text form books (The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, The ✓ Text • understanding that authors Wolves in the Walls) and graphic novels (the Sandman structure innovate with text structures series, Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped and and language for specifi c organisation purposes and effects Crusader?). He has also written screenplays for major films (Beowulf, Mirrormask) and has a significant online ✓ Expressing • comparing and contrasting presence, interacting with his legion of fans through and vocabulary choices in different blogging and regular website updates. There is even a developing text types ideas tribute CD dedicated to him, Where’s Neil When You Need Him?, which was produced by well-known singers Neil Gaiman Literature and songwriters. ✓ Literature • evaluating the ways in which and context characters and themes are About Neil Gaiman presented in different text types Neil Gaiman’s work exists across many media formats, During the nineteenth century, many fairytales ✓ Responding • refl ecting on and discussing transformed from one form to another, utilising the were ‘cleaned up’ by concerned adults who went to literature responses to literary text types best features of each format. through and rewrote the stories, deleting what they and the ways in which these Coraline is one of Neil Gaiman’s most highly praised viewed as inappropriate material. Most fairytales works. This creepy, spooky and disquieting book for written today continue this approach. texts are constructed young people is written as a modern-day fairytale. It is American psychologist Bruno Bettelheim insists deceptively simple. An enormous success, Coraline has that reading fairytales to children as they were ✓ Examining • analysing text structures and been transformed from its original novel form and into originally written is important. He says that if children literature language features of different a 3D animated movie, a graphic novel, a stage musical hear stories about serious problems and drastic, text types and a computer game. It is an excellent example of dangerous events, it can help them imagine useful how, in today’s world, a single work can end up in responses that could be helpful in their later lives. ✓ Creating • taking an existing text and many different forms. According to Bettelheim, dark fairytales show children literature creating an interpretation of it Throughout the novel, Coraline Jones’s everyday that they can triumph over adversity and can have a experiences gradually become more and more sinister. chance of living happily ever after. Literacy Eventually, the commonplace becomes a nightmare. Coraline, first published in 2002, is part of a long ?Did you know… ✓ Texts in • identifying, comparing and tradition of creepy fairytales. Many of the best known context creating relationships between were darkly disturbing in their original form. They For all you need to know about the various versions of feature themes such as murder (Red Riding Hood), child texts Coraline, follow the links to Mr Bobo’s Remarkable Mouse abandonment (Tom Thumb, Snow White), mutilation Circus (which premiered in New York in May 2009) on ✓ Interacting • identifying and commenting (Cinderella, Little Mermaid) and even cannibalism (Hansel 3HDUVRQ5HDGHU. You can also look for video with others on omissions of information in and Gretel, Jack and the Beanstalk). interviews with Neil Gaiman in which he talks different texts about Coraline. ✓ Interpreting, • evaluating how the same story 130 PEARSON HQJOLVK analysing, can be presented in different evaluating mediums Sample pages • comprehending new and unfamiliar German concentration camps Dachau and Text types and skills vocabulary Buchenwald, during the Second World Throughout this module, students will • writing reviews War. He is best known for his work with engage with the following text types: • creating and justifying an adaptation of emotionally disturbed children. In his 1976 • personal writing a text. work, The Uses of Enchantment, he argues • fi ction for the importance of fairytales in child • graphic novels FACT FILE development. • game reviews The Victorian era (during the reign of Queen • interview Victoria, 1837–1901) saw an emphasis on • fi lm stills the importance of family, sexual restraint, • web extracts. strict social codes of conduct and the belief WEB DESTINATIONS By engaging with these text types, students in the existence of a criminal class that Visit the web destinations at Pearson Reader to access will develop skills in the following areas: deserved harsh punishment. Neil Gaiman’s blog, which provides some • comparing versions of texts Bruno Bettelheim (1903–1990) was an interesting insights into the daily work of a • describing language and visual effects Austrian-born American psychologist who successful writer. employed by creators immigrated to America after surviving 130 PEARSON english 9 T.C. QUESTIONING ?Did you know… • What are the features of fairytales? Coraline the book Make a list of common elements or Follow the links on 3HDUVRQ5HDGHU for a comprehensive internet source of annotated original fairytales, In the following extract the Jones family have just characteristics as a class (e.g. ‘Once with different versions from many different moved into a new house. upon a time …’). cultures, plus a thoughtful discussion forum. CORALINE,CO CHAPTER 1 • Are fairytales inappropriate for children or ‘helpful’ as Bettelheim claims? Use By Neil Gaiman ABOUT CORALINE a PMI chart (Plus, Minus, Interesting) to Coraline went over to the window and watched THE BOOK the rain come down. It wasn’t the kind of rain you help you answer this question. By Neil Gaiman could go out in, it was the other kind, the kind that threw itself down from the sky and splashed More than ten years ago I started to write a where it landed. It was rain that meant business, children’s book. It was for my daughter, Holly, who and currently its business was turning the garden was five years old. I wanted it to have a girl as a EB DESTINATIONS into a muddy, wet soup. W heroine, and I wanted it to be refreshingly creepy. Coraline had watched all the videos. She was Visit the web destinations at I started to write a story about a girl named bored with her toys, and she’d read all her books. Coraline. I thought that the story would be five or Pearson Reader to access an She turned on the television. She went from ten pages long. The story itself had other plans … channel to channel to channel, but there was interactive application to help students write It was a story, I learned when people began to nothing on but men in suits talking about the their own fractured fairytales, with themes and read it, that children experienced as an adventure, stock market, and sports programmes. Eventually, messages that have modern appeal. but which gave adults nightmares. It’s the she found something to watch: it was the last half strangest book I’ve written, it took the longest time of a natural-history programme about something to write, and it’s the book I’m proudest of. called protective coloration. She watched animals, Source: Mouse Circus, the Official Neil Gaiman Website birds and insects which disguised themselves as for Young RReaders,eadeded rs, 202010100 leaves or twigs or other animals to escape from QUICK 5 things that could hurt them. She enjoyed it, but it ended too soon, and was followed by a programme Ask students to look at the cover of about a cake factory. Coraline. Ask: What do you think this It was time to talk to her father. story might be about? Have them explain Coraline’s father was home. Both of her parents worked, doing things on computers, which meant the clues that help them to predict the that they were home a lot of the time. Each of atmosphere, events and characters of them had their own study. ‘Hello, Coraline,’ he said when she came in, the novel. without turning round. ‘Mmph,’ said Coraline. ‘It’s raining.’ ‘Yup,’ said her father. ‘It’s bucketing down.’ ‘No, ‘ said Coraline, ‘It’s just raining. Can I go outside?’ EAL/D SUPPORT ‘What does your mother say?’ Starter activity ‘She says, “You’re not going out in weather like that, Coraline Jones”.’ This activity is designed to stimulate ‘Then, no.’ students’ imaginations and heighten ‘But I want to carry on exploring.’ their awareness of the ideas and themes ‘Then explore the flat,’ suggested her father. ‘Look—here’s a piece of paper and a pen. Count associated with this module. Before they all the doors and windows. List everything blue. read the Coraline extract, ask them to Mount an expedition to discover the hot-water tank. And leave me alone to work.’ predict what they think the story is about, ‘Can I go into the drawing room?’ The drawing based on the image on the cover of the room was where the Joneses kept the expensive book on this page. SampleTransformations pages 131 VOCABULARY BUILDER legion a huge number It was decided that they would send a legion of soldiers to stop the rebels. disquieting giving rise to feelings of anxiety The silence in the house was disquieting. sinister harmful or evil His tone hinted at a more sinister intent. mutilation disfi gured or spoiled Nadia winced at Clint’s mutilation of the Italian language. adversity diffi cult circumstances They had to overcome great adversity to win their Olympic medals.

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