In a radical move, censors have decided to drastically alter several classic children’s books for the sake of being “woke.” Roald Dahl is unfortunately not exempt from this alteration as his beloved stories, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG will now be stripped of all derogatory terms. No longer will Augustus Gloop have to endure undeserved humiliation with regard to his weight, while Oompa Loompas are given gender-neutral identities. These changes may prove controversial but they certainly don’t lack much-needed sensitivity in today’s world.
Puffin, the publishing firm that chose to rewrite Roald Dahl’s literature for a more delicate readership base, enlisted several sensitivity experts to assist their editorial team in altering wide portions of his renowned books so they “can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” The controversial alterations have caused quite a stir and elicited protests from thousands of individuals who yearn for Roald Dahl’s books to stay intact just like when they were first experienced in their childhood.
One of the most significant modifications that sensitivity readers implemented in Dahl’s books is revising characters’ physical descriptions. Take Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as an example: instead of labeling him a “fat” boy, he will now be referred to in its politically correct version as “enormous.”
Roald Dahl’s classic books are timeless, yet some of their descriptions may be outdated for a modern audience. As such, Puffin sensitivity readers decided it was essential to update the text in order to ensure that language and themes did not offend the American reader who has become increasingly sensitive during the last decade or so.
To further reduce the need to make assumptions, Mrs. Twit’s “frightful ugliness” has been simplified to “ugliness,” and Mrs. Hoppy in Esio Trot is now referred to as a “kind middle-aged lady” instead of an “attractive middle-aged lady.” In this way, readers don’t have to rely on physical characteristics when getting acquainted with these characters.
For the American audience, Puffin has updated Miss Trunchbull’s description to a “most formidable woman” in Matilda instead of dubbing her as the “most formidable female”. This allows them to stay politically correct while providing an even more empowering view of women.
The Oompa-Loompas, once referred to as “small men” are now accurately described as “small people.” Additionally, the sons of Fantastic Mr. Fox have been transformed into three powerful daughters!
It’s been close to three decades since Roald Dahl passed away, and his well-known books haven’t undergone any changes. Puffin has further elevated these classic stories by incorporating added passages in the new editions of his works, making them even more current.
In The Witches, the authors provide a stunning description of witches as being bald under their wigs – and with the new edition, they’ve added an extra line that says, “There are plenty of other reasons why women might wear wigs, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that.”
