“The Graveyard Book” is a timeless coming-of-age novel that appeals to readers of all ages. Perhaps this quality results from drawing inspiration from and paying homage to earlier historical works and treating evergreen themes.
Historical Context
Neil Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book” was published in 2008, marked by significant global and socio-political changes. The late 2000s saw the world grappling with the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the ongoing War on Terror, and the financial crisis of 2007-2008.
However, the period has very little impact on the story’s development. Instead, Gaiman was inspired to write a Gothic-themed version of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” set in a graveyard.
Author Background
Neil Gaiman, a British author known for his work in fantasy and horror, has been a prominent figure in contemporary literature. His influences include classic authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as comic book writers like Alan Moore. Gaiman’s previous works, such as “Sandman” and “Coraline,” showcase his penchant for blending dark fantasy with deep philosophical themes.
In an interview, Neil Gaiman shares that he got the idea to write “The Graveyard Book” from watching his two-year-old son ride his tricycle around a graveyard. He was moved by how peaceful his son felt playing in the graveyard.
Though the idea came relatively easily, the writing was anything but that. He began writing the novel in 1985, which took him two decades to complete. He felt he was not a good enough writer to tell the story when he began the book and revisited the manuscript periodically over the years. He finally completed and published it in 2008.
Cultural Context
“The Graveyard Book” reflects and critiques contemporary culture by challenging traditional notions of family, community, and safety. The book portrays a graveyard as a nurturing environment, subverting the cultural norm that associates graveyards solely with fear and death. This inversion invites readers to reconsider their perceptions of the unknown and the unconventional.
The novel also taps into the cultural movement towards inclusivity and accepting different forms of family and community. Gaiman underscores the idea that love and care can transcend familiar settings by depicting a protagonist raised in an unconventional home by ghosts and other supernatural beings in a graveyard.
The graveyard in “The Graveyard Book” is a world of its own and a historical document that records the world around it as it changes.
When Bod wants to know the oldest in the graveyard, he asks Caius, a Roman buried there when the Romans attempted to colonize Britain in the first century. Caius tells him the Celts had been buried there before him and that different people had lived and died there before the Celts inhabited the land. It is suggested that the Sleer’s master, buried in the crypt on the hill, belonged to this mysterious people.
Gaiman explores themes of non-traditional families and a sense of community through Bod, raised by ghosts in a graveyard. This setting serves as a metaphor for non-conventional family structures, challenging the traditional idea of what constitutes a family and highlighting that love, care, and support can come in various forms. The diverse inhabitants of the graveyard, from various periods and backgrounds, represent a microcosm of a multicultural society, showcasing the value of diversity and inclusivity through their harmonious coexistence. By portraying ghosts and supernatural beings in a positive light, Gaiman challenges stereotypes and encourages readers to look beyond preconceived notions. These themes reflected contemporary concerns when he wrote the book, as society increasingly recognized and valued diversity and varied family structures.
Literary Context
As a work of dark fantasy and horror, “The Graveyard Book” aligns with the conventions of these genres, including the presence of supernatural elements, a young protagonist, and a journey of self-discovery. The book also draws on the Gothic tradition, evident in its setting (a graveyard), atmosphere (often somber), and characters (ghosts, vampires, and ghouls).
Gaiman’s work is influenced by literary movements such as magical realism and postmodernism, which blend reality with fantastical elements and often challenge linear narratives and traditional storytelling techniques. Compared to other works in the same genre, “The Graveyard Book” stands out for its unique blend of whimsical and macabre elements, reminiscent of works by authors like Tim Burton and Lemony Snicket.
Neil Gaiman started “The Graveyard Book” with this core idea: a book like Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” but set in a graveyard.
Both books are centered around a helpless baby raised by non-human parents. Ghosts raise Bod in a graveyard in England, while Mowgli is raised by a pack of wolves in the Indian jungle. Mrs. Owens and the mother wolf fight for the right to keep the babies despite opposition from the community of ghosts in one case and the wolf pack in the other.
The Man Jack kills Bod’s parents, and Mowgli, the protagonist of “The Jungle Book,” is separated from his parents by Shere Khan, the tiger.
In both stories, the protagonists have a second pair of guardians and their adoptive parents. Silas, the vampire and graveyard caretaker, and the werewolf Mrs. Lupescu, his Honor Guard colleague, stand in as Bod’s secondary parents. Mowgli has Bagheera, the panther, and Baloo, the bear, in these roles.
Bod’s encounter with the ghouls and the chase in Ghulheim closely parallel Mowgli’s capture by the Bandar-Log, the Monkey-people. Both ghouls and Bandar-log are irresponsible and careless, avoided by both the people in the graveyard and the people of the jungle. Both groups are boastful and self-aggrandizing. As the ghouls carry Bod off, he calls the night gaunts for help in their language. The night gaunts help him by interfering with the progress of the ghouls and bringing Miss Lupescu along to Ghulheim to save him. When Mowgli is captured, he calls Rann the Kite, who informs Baloo and Bagheera where the Bander-log had carried him off.
Also, when both face their nemesis, they manipulate their environments to get the better of their much more imposing foes. Bod uses the graveyard to his advantage, and with the coordinated help of his ghosts in the graveyard, he eliminates the four Jack of All Trades and Jack Frost. Mowgli coordinates with his wolf pack to hunt Shere Khan, who plans to kill him. Mowgli directs the village boys with whom he was herding cattle to stampede the cattle through a ravine and trample Shere Khan.
After eliminating the Jacks, Scarlett, afraid of Bod’s power, denounces him as a monster. Likewise, the villagers are afraid of Mowgli after he kills Shere Khan. They call him a witch and drive him away.
Critical Reception
The long period between the concept and the finished work proved beneficial. Upon its release, “The Graveyard Book” received widespread acclaim from critics and readers alike, winning the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and the Carnegie Medal, recognizing its contribution to children’s literature. Critics praised Gaiman’s storytelling, character development, and ability to address profound themes in a manner accessible to young readers.
Modern Relevance
The themes explored in “The Graveyard Book,” such as the search for identity, the nature of family, and the confrontation with fear and mortality, remain highly relevant today. The book’s exploration of non-traditional family structures and communities resonates with contemporary discussions about diversity and inclusivity.
The novel’s ongoing significance is also evident in its adaptations and reinterpretations, including graphic novels. Plans to make the novel into a movie have been made but have not yet been fulfilled.
Neil Gaiman’s masterful blending of dark fantasy with profound human themes has secured the book’s place as a modern classic while paying homage to an old classic. It reflects the concerns of contemporary culture while maintaining enduring relevance.
