Coraline: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

Outside, Coraline realizes that the world has become covered in mist. The other mother is on the lawn wearing a cross expression on her face. When Coraline tells the other mother that she’s collected two souls, the other mother replies, simply, that she loves Coraline. Coraline realizes that while the other mother probably does love her on some level, she loves her as “a dragon loves its gold.” The other mother offers to help Coraline get into the extra flat in the house—the empty one—then opens her mouth. She pulls a small brass key from her tongue and hands it to Coraline, then disappears.

Coraline heads around to the empty flat. A voice in her ear warns her not to go in—the lost children try to tell Coraline that the other mother would never help her. Coraline agrees with them but goes inside anyway. The apartment looks as if it has been moved out of in a hurry—there is no furniture inside or pictures on the walls. In the apartment’s bedroom, she finds a trap door in the floor—though she’s frightened, she opens it, descends, and turns on the cellar light.

At the bottom of the steps, Coraline finds a heap of curtains and notices a bad smell in the air. She sees a foot sticking out from the curtains and pulls them aside. On the ground is a “pale and swollen” grub-like creature with buttons for eyes. Coraline is revolted, but when the creature opens its mouth and says her name, she becomes full of pity—she realizes this creature is what used to be her other father. Coraline asks the creature if her parents are down here, or perhaps one of the lost children’s souls. The creature, however, says that nothing is here but him. One of his button eyes falls out. Coraline apologizes to the creature, realizing that the other mother must have punished him for telling Coraline too much by placing him down here to die.

The creature tells Coraline she needs to run—the other mother is “pushing” it to hurt Coraline. Coraline begs the thing to be strong and brave and resist the other mother’s orders, but the grublike creature lunges at her. Coraline reaches for its face and pulls its remaining button out, then takes advantage of the creature’s diminished senses to creep toward the exit. As Coraline mounts the stairs the grub hears her and gives chase—but Coraline outruns it and slams the trap door on its head. Coraline, stunned, walks out of the flat as fast as she can and locks the door behind her. Coraline tries to tell herself that she’s brave, but she isn’t so sure how much longer she can keep her spirits up.