Opinion: Polishing the Giant Peach

Puffin, the major publishing group, have re-written a number of passages in Roald Dahl’s children’s stories so that they can continue to be enjoyed by everyone today. What has essentially happened is that the books are no longer appropriate for the children’s market, given their use of language that is now problematic. The following words have all been substituted out.

Ugly. Fat. Beastly. Flabby. Thin as a wire. Female. Men.

The recognition of offensive language in aging stories is admirable, and should guide any author today when producing their own works. However, updating them smacks of whitewashing and is a refusal to own the original offense caused. Explanations such as “…can continue to be enjoyed by all” simply means a profit can continue to be had from today’s children’s market as the prejudice is no longer profitable.

A spokesperson for the Roald Dahl Story Company tried to claim that “any changes made have been small and carefully considered.” This is of course an attempt to persuade people that the original text, by and large, has been preserved, and they have merely tweaked it for today’s audience. However, this cannot be true. Changing even a single word can have extensive repercussions and entirely alter the context.

Would the Roald Dahl Story Company and Puffin have carefully considered these changes if there was no profit to be had? Roald Dahl was an Antisemite, should we make some small and carefully considered changes to his personal biography?

The only noble course of action for books such as these is to let them become historical. Teach them to the younger generations and explain to them why the language causes offense. The changes suggested by the “sensitivity readers” hired by Puffin come from the same place as those who are opposed to Critical Race Theory. Teach the offense, and if the child is too young, read with them a contemporary book with modern sensibilities.

Roald Dahl had his day. Do not entertain the denial-for-profit of his heirs.