MATILDA, By Roald Dahl, Published by Jonathan Cape
WHEN I was growing up my love of words and learning was influenced by many different authors and their works and many of these were introduced to me when I read them at school.
When looking back on my primary education, the author that comes into my head first is Roald Dahl, and the book that had the biggest impact on me by far was Matilda.
It was originally published in 1988 and I still think it amazing how as a child I found it so easy to read and enjoy. It’s my hope that it continues to be of relevance to the coming generations.
The eponymous character Matilda Wormwood is a five-and-a-half-year-old girl who presents genius potential and has been reading full books since the age of four. Unfortunately her family don’t care for her or her intellect and she is harshly mistreated by her parents.
When she is sent to school for the first time her excitement at learning is encouraged by her kind teacher Miss Honey and she makes friends with some of the other young pupils, but the villainous head teacher Miss Trunchbull is less than supportive.
During her time there Matilda soon learns of the cruel and ever creative punishments Miss Trunchbull doles out to children for trivial acts of misbehaviour and even mistakes.
This depiction of such a toxic and unwelcoming learning environment fills the reader with a disdain for its leader and her ways and therefore a love of Miss Honey and her students.
The balance of power shifts when Matilda discovers that she has the ability to move objects with her mind and begins to practise and develop it to defeat Miss Trunchbull and save her new friends from her cruelty.
What I love about this story is that through everything that Matilda and the others experience, this is always clearly a children’s book. This is not purely because of the age of the main characters, but due to the attitude it takes to negativity.
The spin of magic, light and wonder that the style of writing and Roald Dahl’s characters add to the story gives it an unmistakable sense of fun that is often lost in books written for adults. Even in young adult fiction I find myself occasionally missing the ease of children’s books that always felt so well- rounded and calming. These types of stories are what made me always ready for more, and looking back on them is always a pleasure.
Another thing I’ve always loved about Matilda is the character of Miss Honey. It’s a common idea to emphasise the importance of a truly good teacher. The way that someone like Miss Honey, and in her real-life counterparts, can change a young person’s life, especially during rough or scary times, is an idea that I’ve always thought to be incredible.
Sometimes an inspirational teacher is all that you need to get by, at least for a while, and even though Matilda has the power of telekinesis, Miss Honey had her own sort of magic too.
I want to pass on this book to children who love reading, or even those who don’t, to encourage a passion for learning and a resilience through the scary things in life. We all face our own worries and sad times, but to hang on to the idea that there’s something positive to find on the other side, or even to help you during the bad days, is a skill that everyone should be equipped with.
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