Roald Dahl goes PC ....

[Nearly Sane]

https://archive.vn/hlaVv

Apparently the Jane Austen edit is the one in the picture below which is very bad writing 'nineteenth century estates'.

[Nearly Sane]

Salman Rushdie speaking out against the 'absurd censorship' of Dahl's books

https://archive.vn/OwKDd

[SqueakyVoice]

I've read an article  and RD died in 1990, that's a long time before S28 was finally abolished.

I can only remember reading one book (the Twits) and I think that story's arc would be well accepted these day, but a few parts could be too 'difficult'(?). But most seem to be based on the comeuppance of the downtrodden.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/20/roald-dahl-books-editing-philip-pullman

Just remembered, I've read the Charlie books as well, there are (/were) a few stereotypes in there but most were 'enlarged cartoons '. So I doubt they were understood to be prejudiced.

[Nearly Sane]

I've read an article  and RD died in 1990, that's a long time beforeS28 was finally abolished.

I can only remember reading one book (the Twits) and I think that story's arc would be well accepted these day, but a few parts could be too 'difficult'(?). But most seem to be based on the comeuppance of the downtrodden.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/20/roald-dahl-books-editing-philip-pullman

Just remembered, I've read the Charlie books as well, there are (/were) a few stereotypes in there but most were 'enlarged cartoons '. So I doubt they were understood to be prejudiced.

Pullman seems idiotic both in missing the issue - e.g. as covered in my opening tweet about the changes to mentioning Conrad - should we let Conrad go out of print? And his 'solution' - choosing not to print is a deliberate action.

ETA: not sure why you raised s28?

[SqueakyVoice]

ETA: not sure why you raised s28?

S28 was passed by M@ggie T@cher to prevent 'promoting being gay'. I was hoping  that other people would realise how many prejudices were allowed a long time ago, but not now.
One of the recent (ish) jokes was about what used to happen to left handed people. And they were hit as well. So there were a lot of prejudices that were allowed in the past.

So it's  difficult  to think what RD's background was and how that did or didn't  affect his stories.
(I thought s28 was passed while RD was alive and thrown out after he died. I don't  think it impacted his stories, pre se, but it might be read in his stories, possibly without RD intention.)
I hope that makes sense...?

[Nearly Sane]

S28 was passed by M@ggie T@cher to prevent 'promoting being gay'. I was hoping  that other people would realise how many prejudices were allowed a long time ago, but not now.
One of the recent (ish) jokes was about what used to happen to left handed people. And they were hit as well. So there were a lot of prejudices that were allowed in the past.

So it's  difficult  to think what RD's background was and how that did or didn't  affect his stories.
(I thought s28 was passed while RD was alive and thrown out after he died. I don't  think it impacted his stories, pre se, but it might be read in his stories, possibly without RD intention.)
I hope that makes sense...?

Err not really. What relevance is s28 to the edits to that have been made to Dahl's books?

[SqueakyVoice]

Err not really. What relevance is s28 to the edits to that have been made to Dahl's books?

S28 ... an example of happened in the olden days.

<minor update>
Now in these modern days, Augustus Glooop isn't called 'fat', but ''enormous". (From Tought for the day.)

[Steve H]

I've read precisely two things by Phillip Pullman - not any of his books - one being his comments quoted here. Both were idiotic.

[Dicky Underpants]

I've read precisely two things by Phillip Pullman - not any of his books - one being his comments quoted here. Both were idiotic.

His comments on C.S. Lewis' Narnia stories were very insightful and an important counterblast to Lewis' prudery.

[Steve H]

His comments on C.S. Lewis' Narnia stories were very insightful and an important counterblast to Lewis' prudery.

Three things, now you mention it - I read a comment by him on Narnia which was also idiotic.

[Steve H]

...

[Dicky Underpants]

Three things, now you mention it - I read a comment by him on Narnia which was also idiotic.

Do tell.

[Steve H]

Do tell.

He criticised and mocked Lewis for killing off his heroes at the end, ignoring the fact that it's a Christian allegory, and they all go to heaven, which turns out to be a better version of Narnia.

[Dicky Underpants]

He criticised and mocked Lewis for killing off his heroes at the end, ignoring the fact that it's a Christian allegory, and they all go to heaven, which turns out to be a better version of Narnia.

That indeed is pretty silly.

However, every other comment I've read of Pullman's on the Narnia stories seems to me to hit the bullseye. Indeed, Pullman points out that Lewis embodies in his writing all the undesirable features for which Roald Dahl has been over-criticised recently, and quite a few which are truly disgusting. I don't think Dahl was attempting to promote any kind of moral view (and certainly not a theological one). Lewis was doing both, and succeeds in being deeply unpleasant in the process. No wonder the evangelical right in the USA still love him.
This thread is supposed to be about Dahl - my apologies. Anyone want to start one on C.S. Lewis?

Referring back to the opening post: Matilda went to Toytown with Noddy and Bigears. That should please the woke brigade. 

[SqueakyVoice]

This is a link attached for, <ahem> Research Purposes...

Watch "Rik Mayall - Jackanory - George's Marvellous Medicine, Part 1/5" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/niL_h6kYPbk

[Nearly Sane]

This is a link attached for, <ahem> Research  Purposes...https://youtu.be/niL_h6kYPbk

Marvellous indeed. I do wish the BBC would put all existing Jackanorys up on IPlayer or Britbox.

[jeremyp]

He criticised and mocked Lewis for killing off his heroes at the end, ignoring the fact that it's a Christian allegory, and they all go to heaven, which turns out to be a better version of Narnia.

After they had been killed in a train crash.

[Alan Burns]

Just heard my grandson singing the words "big fat momma" while listening to the Kinks song "Sunny Afternoon".
Perhaps we should commission all these old songs to be re recorded with more appropriate lyrics.