Behind Matilda

[Mamta]

This thread is to view the characters in Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' more critically, debating their interpretation as children and adults.

[Praneti]

Hey Mamta! Could you give an example?

[Mamta]

On re-reading the book, I felt there were certain feminist traits present in the Trunchbull's character, specially when she argues about the alphabets being married women in Miss Honey's poem to teach children the spelling of 'difficulty'
She also had very valid reasons for getting angry at the children (I'm not saying she reacted in the best way possible, but then again that was obviously done to make you hate her as a child!)
I feel she wasn't all bad, she had a few good qualities in her.

[Praneti]

Aaah! That makes sense! I don't know if its relevant here but I keep mixing up Matilda's parents and the Dursley family from Harry Potter. Both these families desperately wanted to be normal.
Something about fitting in.
Matilda's character was supposed to inspire us to be different.