Roald Dahl’s stories are often hilarious – but behind the larger-than-life characters, imaginative settings and humorous situations there are also thought-provoking issues and questions for children to consider.
Dahl is a master storyteller and his books simply fizz with memorable characters and outrageous happenings. They’re also very funny, in a wild and subversive way beloved of children across the globe.
Who wouldn’t want to laugh at the expense of the powerful, especially when you’re small and powerless yourself?
It’s easy to undervalue the role of humour in children’s books, but funny stories are important, not just because they’re entertaining but because – as Michael Rosen noted – “the underlying causes of the laughter are serious”.
Serious thinking
It’s the quality of the ‘serious thinking’ beneath Dahl’s comedy that sets him apart. Yes, his plots and characters are memorable, and yes, his stories are daringly (and cathartically) hilarious. But they also give their audience something of substance to bite down on and digest in order to mature and grow.
The ‘runty’ BFG is bullied by his peers, poor hungry Charlie Bucket must behave decently while others succumb to selfishness and greed, and fearsomely intelligent Matilda is abused by her parents and headteacher – the very people who are supposed to be caring for her.
In fact, the essential unreliability of adults is Dahl’s biggest and most serious idea, and something that holds a
terrifying fascination for his readers.
Despite this, Dahl’s world-view is essentially positive, and his children always triumph – assuming they use their imagination, mind-power and sheer exuberant anarchy, that is. No wonder Dahl’s stories are so perennially popular!
This three-page document contains three activities designed to explore the more serious side of Roald Dahl’s children’s fiction.
Activity ideas included:
Getting into the texts
Read, enjoy and discuss The BFG, Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as part of a shared reading for pleasure experience before taking your explorations further
Taking it further
Dahl’s imagination never fails him, and he’s always urging his readers to be curious and come up with their own ideas. Why not create an ‘Inventing Room’?
Take inspiration from Willy Wonka, Matilda and the BFG, and equip it with different areas for different purposes…
Debating with Dahl
Dahl’s life spanned a period that included two world wars and he saw active service as a fighter pilot. He also suffered personal tragedies, including the death of his seven-year-old daughter – so it comes as no surprise to find some ‘big ideas’ beneath the anarchic verve and humour of his storytelling.
Why not debate some of the ethical issues raised by Dahl’s characters?
Browse more ideas for Roald Dahl Day.
