Mrs. Twit is no longer described as "ugly," and Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is no longer called "fat." Roald Dahl's iconic children's books are being edited for new editions that publishers consider less offensive.
Editors at Puffin Books and the Roald Dahl Story Company have revised Dahl's works, removing words related to weight, mental health, violence, gender, and race. These changes are being made in collaboration with Inclusive Minds, an organization dedicated to promoting inclusion in children's literature, as reported in The Guardian.
What is Roald Dahl famous for?
Roald Dahl, who passed away in 1990, is renowned for his works such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Witches, The Twits, and many others. Hailed as one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century, his books have sold over 250 million copies worldwide. In 2008, The Times ranked Roald Dahl 16th on its list of "The 50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945." In 2021, Forbes named Dahl the top-earning deceased celebrity.
Was Dahl a racist?
Roald Dahl's work has faced criticism for containing elements deemed 'misogynistic,' 'anti-semitic,' and, at times, 'racist.' This prompted publishers to address these concerns by editing his literary works.
In a 1983 interview with Britain's New Statesman magazine, Dahl made a controversial statement regarding Jewish people, suggesting that their "lack of generosity towards non-Jews" could provoke animosity. In 2020, the Dahl family issued an apology on the official website of the organizations managing Dahl's legacy, copyrights, and trademarks, acknowledging the "lasting and understandable hurt" caused by his remarks.
In 2018, The Guardian reported that the British Royal Mint had rejected a proposal to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Dahl's birth with a commemorative coin due to his association with anti-semitism and his perceived lack of the highest literary reputation. Following Dahl's death, Abraham Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote a 1990 letter to The New York Times stating, "Talent does not guarantee wisdom. While Dahl's literary accomplishments should be recognized, we must not overlook his bigotry."
What works of Dahl are being edited?
“Language related to weight, mental health, violence, gender, and race has been cut and rewritten,” according to an extensive report by the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph. A comparison of the 2001 editions of Dahl’s children’s books with the 2022 editions reveals that the word ‘fat’ has been edited out of works like The Enormous Crocodile (1978), James and the Giant Peach (1961), The Twits (1980), and The Witches (1983).
Puffin’s latest editions of Roald Dahl's books include a note of caution: “Words matter… The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvelous characters. This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.”
There are many more edits, as this Twitter user pointed out in comparisons between Dahl's previous editions and the 2022 editions.
Modern-day censorship?
Several authors criticized the move by the publishers to rewrite Dahl’s works. Certain words are being scrapped from the newer editions of the author’s stories.
In condemnation, Suzanne Nossel, Pen America’s chief executive tweeted: “At Pen America, we are alarmed at the news of ‘hundreds of changes’ to venerated works by Roald Dahl in a purported effort to scrub the books of that which might offend someone.”
Booker-prize-winning author Salman Rushdie too took to Twitter to critique the move. “Roald Dahl was no angel, but this is absurd censorship,” he tweeted.
Laura Hackett, the deputy editor of the Sunday Times, said she will be keeping hold of her Dahl copies so that her children ‘can enjoy them in their full, nasty, colourful glory.”
“The editors at Puffin should be ashamed of the botched surgery they’ve carried out on some of the finest children’s literature in Britain,” she added.