News Roald Dahl Rewrites

[Dorm Ant]

I think you might be missing what I'm saying though. The world as a whole has evolved. The global mindset has evolved. The people who are buying his books now, for the most part, are people with a radically different world view and mindset than when these books were written almost a century ago.

I really don't think changing a few words to make a children's story more inclusive is equal to Mao's cultural revolution. I honestly think you guys are making huge leaps. Next you're going to be equating this to communism.

Spot on. Some of the comments made in this thread are alarming.

 

[Dorm Ant]

I'm afraid kids making fun of kids who look different is wired in. Kids are actually incredibly conservative.

No it isn't and this is the point where I give up!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Sensitivity reader, Virginia Mendez, writing in The Independent:

"I disagree with Puffin’s approach to editing the work of Dahl. To take a historic manuscript that is so obviously of its time and try to paper over the cracks seems extremely shortsighted.
What Puffin failed to grasp is the golden opportunity to embrace and encourage critical thinking in children.
Dahl’s books are important to many parents who read and loved them as children. And now, with the benefit of hindsight, we are able to use them as material to think further. If we disagree with terms like “fat” and “ugly”, we’re able to show our children how much society has evolved. We can do our best by our kids and explain why we no longer use certain terms and how words have the power to exclude or wound.
There’s no better time to engage with children than when reading. No better time to interrogate how damaging the word “ugly” can be and discuss why it’s unkind; or to explain why people all over the world speak unique languages and how that doesn’t make them weird.
These conversations are important. The way society progresses is a journey that kids need to understand and deserve to feel a part of. The idea that things are moving forward; that people are developing at different speeds (or in some cases, are determined to slow it down for everyone) is key for their understanding of the world and place in it.
Where we came from, where we are heading and how we are going to get there is part of their story too. And books, toys and films provide daily opportunities to discuss sensitive topics in an age-appropriate way. Let’s embrace their natural curiosity.
We can’t wrap our kids up in cotton wool, or sanitise life for them. What we can do is equip them with the skills to deal with situations that come up in a way that makes them more aware. That gives them ownership and choices about who they want to be and how they want to show up in the world.

There are amazing new books being released every day. Books that are beautifully written, diverse, inclusive and relevant to the world our children live in.
We don’t need to cancel the things that no longer resonate with us. We can either engage with them critically or opt to move away."

Very well put. That is it exactly. Fantasy's best use to children is to help sort the boundary between reality and imagination. It doesn't muddy it. It strengthens it. You can't rewrite reality. It's better to give children the will to change and strength to be their real selves than try to pretend there ever was a perfect world.

 

[Pamela Jo]

No it isn't and this is the point where I give up!

Parents have made this discovery time and time again. Children are not born with compassion. It develops at a certain age. In some it doesn't develop at all and cannot be taught. There is no perfect culture that is ever going to eliminate that step in brain development. Talk to your college's child psychiatry dept. The idea behind changing Roald Dahl was really to sell an old author rather than looking at the cost of finding a new one, one that might already have this inclusivity in place. I'm sure AI can come up with something that fits the bill. But unless it hits that thing that children need to sort out the world and survive - reading won't have relevance to children.

 

[E G Logan]

I had the Beatrix Potter books as a kid and I couldn't have been less interested. ... Children's literature is probably the fastest moving genre besides picture books

I do agree. I always thought of Peter Rabbit & Co, 'Nothing ever happens in these books', and that was that. Gathering dust.
My children did like the Dahl books with the Quentin Blake illustrations, but my son, the younger one, was a passionate Darling Kindersley enthusiast – first the pop-ups, then the CDs, remember those! – as time had moved on by then.

If I had to buy books now for grandchildren, I'd be looking for the latest ones. And not necessarily ones with 'improving' intentions. Entertainment, laughter if possible – and then hopefully a bit of grown-up peace and quiet.

 

[Bloo]

Don’t be deceived. This is a business decision, purely and simply.

Some time ago, I had exactly the same folk tell me that they would only publish a ms they were considering from me if the ending was changed to make the protag straight, not gay.

I’m pleased to say the author refused.

Again, it’s just about the bucks.

I'd be very interested to know what motivated the demand. Was the protagonist a baddie? Did he or she die in the end?

I ask coz I have a gay major character in my novel. He's a "good guy". I was originally going to kill him off. Yet going through the outline, it works better if he survives. Trope busting is fun

 

[ChantalS]

I know what "woke" is - and it's often not the caricature lots of people make it out to be. It's simply being "aware" in the same sense as walking a mile in someone else's shoes.

About self-checkouts...I avoid them unconditionally. They are job-killers, pure and simple.

And a time killer too. I have yet to use one without some alarm going off and requiring help. Guess what, I DID put my item in the bagging area. Grrrr.

 

[ChantalS]

I'd be very interested to know what motivated the demand. Was the protagonist a baddie? Did he or she die in the end?

I ask coz I have a gay major character in my novel. He's a "good guy". I was originally going to kill him off. Yet going through the outline, it works better if he survives. Trope busting is fun

Ummm this reads very poorly. I hope you mean busting a trope in your book and not busting a trope that gay characters are inherently bad. Because that idea went away decades ago and is actually pretty offensive.

 

[Bloo]

Ummm this reads very poorly. I hope you mean busting a trope in your book and not busting a trope that gay characters are inherently bad. Because that idea went away decades ago and is actually pretty offensive.

I meant the trope where the only gay character in a novel dies at the end...or the middle...or just dies.

 

[ChantalS]

Ah ok. Yeah that trope needs to die.

 

[Hannah F]

Perhaps we should all agree to agree or agree to disagree and leave the last word to the man himself:

Patrick Sawer in The Telegraph:

'Dahl made his comments 40 years ago, in a recorded conversation with his friend Francis Bacon, the painter, in which he anticipated the impact that “political correctness” might have on his work.
He told Bacon: “I’ve warned my publishers that if they later on so much as change a single comma in one of my books, they will never see another word from me. Never! Ever!”
In the recording, the writer, who had Norwegian roots, added: “When I am gone, if that happens, then I’ll wish mighty Thor knocks very hard on their heads with his Mjolnir. Or I will send along the Enormous Crocodile to gobble them up.” '

So, if you are a disagree-er, wear a very strong helmet and stay away from water!

 

[ChantalS]

Perhaps we should all agree to agree or agree to disagree and leave the last word to the man himself:

Patrick Sawer in The Telegraph:

'Dahl made his comments 40 years ago, in a recorded conversation with his friend Francis Bacon, the painter, in which he anticipated the impact that “political correctness” might have on his work.
He told Bacon: “I’ve warned my publishers that if they later on so much as change a single comma in one of my books, they will never see another word from me. Never! Ever!”
In the recording, the writer, who had Norwegian roots, added: “When I am gone, if that happens, then I’ll wish mighty Thor knocks very hard on their heads with his Mjolnir. Or I will send along the Enormous Crocodile to gobble them up.” '

So, if you are a disagree-er, wear a very strong helmet and stay away from water!

Why is this thread even continuing? The publishers are putting out two versions. Horse, you are dead, yet we continue to beat you.

 

[Mel L]

Why is this thread even continuing? The publishers are putting out two versions. Horse, you are dead, yet we continue to beat you.

Dahl is dead, not the horse! The second version should not exist; that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Dorm Ant]

Why is this thread even continuing? The publishers are putting out two versions. Horse, you are dead, yet we continue to beat you.

Because some of the regulars here want people to be in no doubt how reactionary they are and have to keep thumping their tubs? It's been an education.

 

[Barbara]

Please remember the prime directive. Don't give offence. Don't take offence.

Let people have their opinions. They have the right to voice them even if they're against your own. It doesn't matter who is right in a discussion. Having the discussion is the important thing.

Nobody other than @AgentPete and the guardians has the editorial powers to decide when a thread is over and whether the horse is dead or not. If members want to continue to talk they should talk. It's a discussion forum.

If you're done with a thread stop participating and that includes saying it's over. Simples. Continuously saying this conversation should be over and being spiky towards other/regular members is poking the fire and is not in the supportive and friendly spirit this place is meant to be.

Having said all that:

@Jonny maybe consider closing this thread.

 

[Jonny]

One of the nice things about Litopia is that I rarely have to wear a Guardian’s hat. However, this thread is becoming acrimonious and it’s not in keeping with the ethos of our colony.

If it cannot be conducted in a mutually friendly manner, I will have no option but to lock it.

There are many other places on the Internet where people are able to argue with one another until they blue in the face.

This is not one such place.

Please play nice.

 

[AgentPete]

Please remember the prime directive. Don't give offence. Don't take offence.

Well said, @Barbara. It’s been a good and insightful discussion, hopefully we’ve all had our own pov’s extended a bit. I’m going to close this thread now.