--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been…" description: "\"She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not quite, forgotten how.\" — Neil Gaiman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg" --- # She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time… ![“She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not quite, forgotten how.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg) > “She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not quite, forgotten how.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character’s rare smile hints at deep, forgotten joy, suggesting longing and rediscovery. **In simple terms:** A smile shows lost happiness resurfacing. Key Takeaway Notice subtle emotional cues. Themes literature emotion memory Mood melancholic hopeful Type reflective narrative When to use this quote - reading analysis - creative writing - emotional intelligence Key Concepts nostalgia character development Questions to Reflect On - What does the smile reveal about the character? - How does forgotten joy affect the story? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary by reader. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coraline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coraline/) ## Related quotes > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [“Time smiled softly, faint yet sincere— not because the mirror had changed, but because time itself had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/time-smiled-softly-faint-yet-sincere-not-because-the-mirror-had/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [“Good." He tugged on her sleeve and smiled down at their not-quite-touching hands. "It's okay if you're crazy," he said softly. "You don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/good-he-tugged-on-her-sleeve-and-smiled-down-at-their-not-quite/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“And then, in a skittering, chittering rush, it came. The hand, running high on its fingertips, scrabbled through the tall grass and up onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-then-in-a-skittering-chittering-rush-it-came-the-hand-running/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [But how can you walk away from something and still come back to it?" "Easy," said the cat. "Think of somebody walking around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-how-can-you-walk-away-from-something-and-still-come-back-to-it-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You know that I love you." And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-that-i-love-you-and-despite-herself-coraline-nodded-it-was-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I will be brave, thought Coraline. No, I am brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-will-be-brave-thought-coraline-no-i-am-brave/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Now Coraline," said Miss Spink, "what's your name?" "Coraline," said Coraline. "And we don't know each other, do we?" Coraline looked at the thin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/now-coraline-said-miss-spink-what-s-your-name-coraline-said-coraline/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Mirrors,' she said, 'are never to be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/mirrors-she-said-are-never-to-be-trusted/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Cats don’t have names,” it said. “No?” said Coraline. “No,” said the cat. “Now, you people have names. That’s because you don’t know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/cats-don-t-have-names-it-said-no-said-coraline-no-said-the-cat-now/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [We are small but we are many We are many we are small We were here before you rose We will be here when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-are-small-but-we-are-many-we-are-many-we-are-small-we-were-here/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I have no plans to love you," said Coraline. "No matter what. You can't make me love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-have-no-plans-to-love-you-said-coraline-no-matter-what-you-can-t/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You know that I love you." And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-that-i-love-you-and-despite-herself-coraline-nodded-it-was/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [For tea she went down to see Misses Spink and Forcible. She had three digestive biscuits, a glass of limeade, and a cup of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/for-tea-she-went-down-to-see-misses-spink-and-forcible-she-had-three/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?' 'Cats don't have names,' it said. 'No?' said Coraline. 'No,' said the cat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-your-name-coraline-asked-the-cat-look-i-m-coraline-okay-cats/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Coraline quotes > [I will be brave, thought Coraline. No, I am brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-will-be-brave-thought-coraline-no-i-am-brave/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [We are small but we are many We are many we are small We were here before you rose We will be here when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-are-small-but-we-are-many-we-are-many-we-are-small-we-were-here/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“And then, in a skittering, chittering rush, it came. The hand, running high on its fingertips, scrabbled through the tall grass and up onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/and-then-in-a-skittering-chittering-rush-it-came-the-hand-running/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [For tea she went down to see Misses Spink and Forcible. She had three digestive biscuits, a glass of limeade, and a cup of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/for-tea-she-went-down-to-see-misses-spink-and-forcible-she-had-three/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You know that I love you." And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-that-i-love-you-and-despite-herself-coraline-nodded-it-was/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > ['Coraline' is Neil Gaiman's book, it sold a lot, it has a big fan base. It was originally conceived to be live action, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/coraline-is-neil-gaiman-s-book-it-sold-a-lot-it-has-a-big-fan-base-it/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) > [I have no plans to love you," said Coraline. "No matter what. You can't make me love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-have-no-plans-to-love-you-said-coraline-no-matter-what-you-can-t/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What's your name,' Coraline asked the cat. 'Look, I'm Coraline. Okay?' 'Cats don't have names,' it said. 'No?' said Coraline. 'No,' said the cat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-s-your-name-coraline-asked-the-cat-look-i-m-coraline-okay-cats/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Fairy tales are more than true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/fairy-tales-are-more-than-true/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“Cats don’t have names,” it said. “No?” said Coraline. “No,” said the cat. “Now, you people have names. That’s because you don’t know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/cats-don-t-have-names-it-said-no-said-coraline-no-said-the-cat-now/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Mirrors,' she said, 'are never to be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/mirrors-she-said-are-never-to-be-trusted/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Now Coraline," said Miss Spink, "what's your name?" "Coraline," said Coraline. "And we don't know each other, do we?" Coraline looked at the thin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/now-coraline-said-miss-spink-what-s-your-name-coraline-said-coraline/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You know that I love you." And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-know-that-i-love-you-and-despite-herself-coraline-nodded-it-was-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [But how can you walk away from something and still come back to it?" "Easy," said the cat. "Think of somebody walking around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-how-can-you-walk-away-from-something-and-still-come-back-to-it-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It seemed to Coraline that it was crouching, and staring down at her, as if it were not really a house but only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-seemed-to-coraline-that-it-was-crouching-and-staring-down-at-her/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 33 Coraline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coraline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not quite, forgotten how.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Gaiman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been-a-very-long-time-since-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coraline" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been-a-very-long-time-since-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/neil-gaiman-29_coraline_she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been_759821.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She smiled at Coraline, as if it had been a very long time since she had smiled and she had almost, but not…” — Neil Gaiman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil Gaiman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "She smiled at Coraline, as if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been-a-very-long-time-since-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/she-smiled-at-coraline-as-if-it-had-been-a-very-long-time-since-she/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```