Original artwork, not a still
Coraline ‧ 2002
Because when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the book's definition of courage, delivered by an eleven-year-old with a wasps anecdote and no speeches. Fans return to it because it is kind to fear: you are allowed to be terrified. It turns up on posters, classroom walls and tattoos, usually with a small button-eyed nod to Coraline.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for CoralineShow the scene
In Chapter Five of Neil Gaiman's Coraline (2002), Coraline's real parents have vanished and she is preparing to go back through the door into the Other Mother's world. She explains to the cat why she must do it. Once, she says, she and her father were chased by wasps, and he went back for something he had dropped while afraid; that was brave, unlike just standing still. Because, she says, when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave. She then returns to the other world with the cat at her side.
Sources (2)
- LitCharts: Coraline, Fear and BraveryChapter 5 discussionReference checked
- Imagine Forest: Coraline book quotesChapter 4 and Chapter 5 entriesReference checked
Context reviewed
