Roald Dahl books edited: modern adaptation or absurd censorship?
Roald Dahl, creator of legendary characters
Roald Dahl (pictured), who died in 1990 at age 76, was the creator of characters such as Matilda, the BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Willy Wonka, and the Twits.
More than 300 million copies sold
His books have sold more than 300 million copies and have been translated into 63 languages, while there have been numerous adaptations of his work for both the big and small screens.
Still read by children today
Although several of his best-known children’s books were first published in the 1960s, Roald Dahl is among the most popular authors for young people today.
Photo: Johnny McClung/Unsplash
Recent editions attracted widespread criticism
It has recently emerged that publisher Puffin alongside The Roald Dahl Story Company, made several hundred revisions to new editions of his novels that have attracted widespread criticism.
Photo: Aaron Burden/Unsplash
Removing and replacing words
The changes, recommended by Inclusive Minds, an organization that reviews diversity in children’s literature, include removing or replacing words, describing the appearance of characters, and adding gender-neutral language in places.
Augustus Gloop is no longer “fat” but “enormous”
For instance, Augustus Gloop in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ is no longer “fat” but “enormous” and Oompa Loompas are gender neutral.
Photo: Warner Bros.
Mrs. Twit is no longer “ugly”
Mrs. Twit, from The Twits, has become “beastly” rather than “ugly and beastly” and "a weird African language" is no longer weird.
Photo: Royal Court Theatre
Matilda no longer reads Rudyard Kipling books
In Matilda, the protagonist no longer reads the works of Rudyard Kipling but Jane Austen. Furthermore, some passages, not written by Dahl, have been added.
Photo: Columbia TriStar
A paragraph added to ‘The Witches’
In The Witches, for example, a paragraph explaining that witches are bald beneath their wigs ends with the new line: “There are plenty of other reasons why women might wear wigs and there is certainly nothing wrong with that.”
Photo: HBO Max
“Absurd censorship”
Authors such as Salman Rushdie and Philip Pullman have critized the rewrites. Rushdie tweeted: “Roald Dahl was no angel, but this is absurd censorship”.
“Dahl’s books should be allowed to fade away”
Pullman, on the other hand, told BBC Radio that Dahl's books "should be allowed to fade away" rather than be changed if they are deemed offensive.
“Full, nasty, colorful glory”
Laura Hackett, deputy literary editor of the Sunday Times, said she would continue to read her original copies of Dahl's books to her children in all "their full, nasty, colourful glory".
Photo: Josh Applegate/Unsplash
Some writers have welcomed the editions
However, some writers have welcomed the changes in Dahl’s books. Author Debjani Chatterjee believes it is "a very good thing that the publishers are reviewing his work".
A “quite sensible” edition
Chatterje told the BBC: "I think it's been done quite sensitively. Take the word 'fat'. They've used 'enormous'. If anything, I actually think 'enormous' is funnier."
Not the first attempt to rewrite Dahl’s books
But this is not the first time Dahl’s books have been in the spotlight for morality issues. Several of his books have previously been the subject of adult attempts to rewrite or even ban them.
‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ edited by Dahl in 1973
Most notably, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ was partially rewritten by Dahl in 1973, after pressure from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and children’s literature professionals.
Dahl’s original Oompa Loompas were from Africa
Dahl’s original Oompa Loompas were “a tribe of tiny miniature pygmies” whom Willy Wonka “discovered” and “brought over from Africa” to work in his factory for no payment other than cacao beans.
Photo: Chrissie Kremer/Unsplash
Oompa Loompas then became residents of Loompaland
While Dahl vehemently denied that the novel depicted Black people negatively, he revised the book. The Oompa Loompas then became residents of “Loompaland” with “golden-brown hair” and “rosy-white skin”.
Photo: Warner Bros.
Dahl was controversial for antisemitic comments
Moreover, Dahl has long been regarded as controversial, especially for several antisemitic comments he made throughout his lifetime, which his family officially apologized for in 2020.
Children’s literature is constantly reviewed
Experts have also pointed out that children’s literature, unlike literature for adults, is constantly and meticulously reviewed.
Literature shapes the minds of children
Children’s literature implicitly shapes the minds of child readers by presenting particular social and cultural values as normal and natural, according to Michelle Smith, senior lecturer in Literary studies.
Photo: Michal Parzuchowski/Unsplash
Adult literature not considered to form way of thinking
While literature for adults, on the other hand, is not viewed as directly forming their way of thinking, even if certain books might be seen as obscene or morally repugnant, Smith points out.
Photo: Tamarcus Brown/Unsplash
Books with outdated values can enable educational discussions
However, other experts, such as children’s literature scholar Phil Nel, think that letting a child read a book with outdated values can enable discussion of topics such as racism and sexism with parents and educators.
Books are valuable cultural objects
Furthermore, according to Nel, not editing books promotes the idea that they are valuable “cultural objects” that should remain unchanged.
A book with outdated language can be hurtful for some children
However, there is one very troubling aspect to leaving outdated language intact, says the expert, especially when you’re talking about children’s literature: it can be hurtful for certain readers.
Mark Twain’s original version of Huckleberry Finn
For example, it can be very troubling for Black children to read an edition of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn in which the N-word has not been removed, Nel points out.
Help children navigate stories
Either way, both experts agree that, as adults, we can help children “navigate” stories with outdated language, values and ideas.
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