Chapter 6:

Coraline wakes up the next morning, and decides to put on some cool clothes from her closet. She mentions that she would love to have clothes like that back at her real home. The other mother tries to keep the cat out by working on the doors. Coraline mentions that her other father looks worse today than he had yesterday, looking like risen bread dough. The father looks at Coraline and tell her that her other mother simply made this place and waited for Coraline. She decides to go explore the house, and sees a snow globe with two people in it. She doesn't think much more of it. Then, she goes outside for another walk. She walks as far as she can away from the house, but beyond her yard there is just fog and darkness. She walks back inside to confront her other mother, and sees that she has no reflection in the mirror. The other mother wants to play a game with Coraline, but Coraline is angry with her. They argue about her real parents - Coraline wants them back. But, the other mother is done with Coraline, so she puts Coraline inside of a mirror for time out and tell her that she can only come out when she is going to be a loving daughter again.

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Chapter 7:
Coraline tries to find a way out, but is unsuccessful. Instead, she finds three children who are trapped in the mirror with her. There is one young boy and two younger girls. They tell her that the other mother stole their souls! They also call her "Beldam", which means "witch". They tell Coraline that she might still be able to escape if she saves her parents. Along with this, they ask her to find their souls as well. She agrees to help them, and that night, she falls asleep - still in the mirror - and hears one of the children telling her to look through the stone.

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Analysis:

Even though Coraline is upset by her situation, she needs something to wear, and all of the clothes in her closet are amazing. They are bright green and pink, just how she likes them, conforming to her every interest. Though, there is something off about her other father. He is noticeably uglier today than he has been. This could be due to the other mother wearing him down or the world she created, rejecting his goodness. He is noticeably different from the other characters in the other world because he tries to help Coraline at first. Even if it is just subtly, she is helped by her fathers words. He tells her that this universe was created just for her, and she fact checks this herself, realizing that he was telling her was the truth. Even though Coraline was temporarily helped by her other father, the other mother wastes no time in punishing Coraline once she speaks up, again. It is also important to note that the other mother does not have a reflection, since people without identities can not truly see themselves. The other mothers comment to Coraline about being a loving daughter is also very ironic, considering she is not a loving mother. “…in her alternate universe, Coraline at first is overjoyed by the attention, but she soon realizes that her wish for a better life with more attentive parents was misguided” (Martinez 9). Coraline’s kindness shines through her spunky personality when the readers realize that she is willing to risk a lot in order to get the souls of her new acquaintances back. Her belief that the other mother is a manipulative liar is reinforced by these children, so Coraline is willing to put her trust in them.