Neil Gaiman's World: The Platypus Reads Part CCCXVI

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Neil Gaiman's worlds are not nice worlds. That's not merely true of his dark epic, Sandman, but also of his children's tales. The Graveyard Book opens with the brutal murder of the protagonist's family, including his infant sibling. Troll Bridge is a clear metaphor for sexual addiction with its origin in childhood trauma. The Ocean at the End of the Lane features a father attempting to drown his seven year old son and a nanny threatening to accuse the same boy of indecently exposing himself to her if he won't keep silent about her plot. I have to confess that it's shocking.

Then I remember all the stories I've encountered as a teacher, and I of all the children I've encountered for whom these things are a part of their lives. Gaiman specializes in reaching out to those dark places. His fictional narratives create safe spaces for trauma to be processed and his narrators provide a reassuring "me too".

I've found more than a few familiar faces myself in the pages of Gaiman's books and comic books. They are not nice books, but they are needed.


*Picture done in Prismacolor brush markers and markers by the author of this post depicting a scene from The Ocean at the End of the Lane

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