Matilda no longer reads Rudyad Kipling but Jane Austen and Augustus Gloop are no longer “fat” but “fat”: the works of Roald Dahl are now politically correct

Political correctness has reached the work of the British writer Roald Dahlauthor of literary classics such as “Matilda”, “The witches”, “James and the Giant Peach” there “The Great Good-natured Giant”. august loopone of the children of “Charlie and the chocolate factory”it won’t be anymore “Gordo”; from now on change to “Enormous”; mrs Dumbass, of “The Cretins”, will cease to be described as “terribly ugly and bestial”it will only be bestial, and the Oompa-Loompas they also cease to be “little men” be “little people”.

The Puffin publishing house hired readers “sensitive” so that they rewrite fragments of the stories for the children of Roald Dahl, texts which, according to the editor, must undergo modifications to ensure that they can continue to be pleasant texts for the current times. In these reissues, the managers paid particular attention to the references found in the texts to physical appearance.

The editorial Puffin reported that the decision to change some terms is due to currently “words matter”something they also included at the end of the copyright page of the latest editions of stories by the writer, who died aged 74 in 1990. The text explains the great legacy of Dahlas a source of marvelous literary journeys, but it is explained that because “the book was written many years ago, we regularly review the language to ensure that everyone can continue to enjoy it today”.

In order to convert the literary heritage of the British novelist into something more inclusive and less offensive, editors have taken it upon themselves to change terms and references that do not fit the dialectic of our time. He The telegraph of the day compared the original versions with the reissues “politically correct” and reported hundreds of changes in the analyzed works, such as the elimination of “gordo” there “Feo”.

The editorial, Puffinthere Roald Dahl History Companymade these changes with the collective “Inclusive Minds”a group that their spokesperson describes as “a collective of people passionate about inclusion and accessibility in children’s literature”.

“There are many other reasons why women may wear wigs and there is certainly nothing wrong with that”this is one of the new fragments of “The witches” (The Witches), a paragraph in which he Yesl, describes that witches were bald under wigs, now this is supplemented by a fragment that validates the use of wigs. Similarly, some British media have taken it upon themselves to broadcast that in these reissues, the three sons of Mr. Fox now they are girls.

Tastes have changed too Matildawho will no longer read the poet Rudyard Kiplingbut to the novelist Jane Austen; a witch who pretended to be a supermarket cashier, is now a brilliant scientist. The words have also been removed from the texts “white” there “Negro”, a character did not put “white”but from now on it will be “pale”and in defense of mental health, experts have decided to eradicate “locomotive” oh “demented”.

The works of Roald Dahl They did not shy away from controversy, for several years, among some reading communities, accusations have been made against the writer for alleged fragments of his work in which his positions were referred to as a man related to the antisemitismwing misogyny and the racism. But not just because of his writings, but because of passages from his own life, such as when he openly declares himself “anti-Israeli”although having a Jewish agent.

In 2020, the same writer’s family released a statement on their official website in which they apologized for their anti-Semitism. But many years before Dahl there Eleanor Cameronalso a children’s book author, had a discussion about the racist stereotypes of Oompa-Loompasand later in 1998, the Canadian journalist Michele Landsberg pointed out the misogyny of the author: “Evil, domineering, stinky, fat, ugly women are his favorite villains”.

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