‘Absurd censorship’: changes to Roald Dahl’s books draw criticism

Roald Dahl’s changes to children’s books have drawn criticism from authors, organizations and some online readers.

The changes were approved by the Roald Dahl Story Company and book publisher Puffin Books and implemented by a children’s book advocacy organization called Inclusive Minds. Daily Telegraphwho first announced the changes.

Dahl was the author of such popular works as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and The Witches.

The purpose of the changes is to ensure that Dahl’s work “still appeals to everyone today,” Puffin said. Telegraph.

Character descriptions as “fat”, “ugly”, and “crazy” were removed from the works in an attempt to support a body-positive and more sensitive portrayal of mental health. Some gender descriptions have also been removed from the lyrics, changing what were previously references to “boys and girls” as “people” or “children”, according to the Telegraph, which also said that the previous description of the character Miss Trunchbull in Matilda as “the most formidable woman” was changed to “the most formidable woman”.

The paper also reported that new passages not written by Dahl had been added to the lyrics.

“In The Witches, the paragraph explaining that witches are bald under wigs ends with a new line: “There are many other reasons why women might wear wigs, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that,” writes the Telegraph.

CBS News has reached out to Puffin Books and Roald Dahl Story for comment.

The changes caused a negative reaction among both readers and writers.

Writer Salman Rushdie, who is recovering from a stabbing last summer, tweeted: “Roald Dahl was no angel, but this is absurd censorship.”

“Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed,” Rushdie added.

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, a non-profit organization that “stands at the intersection of literature and human rights, defending free expression,” said the organization is “alarmed by news of ‘hundreds of changes’ to revered works [Roald Dahl] in a supposed attempt to purge the books of anything that might offend anyone.”

IN 13 tweetsNossel went on to say that “selective editing to fit literary works to particular sensibilities could represent a dangerous new weapon”, adding that so much literature could be “construed as offensive to someone”.

“If we start by trying to correct a perceived neglect, rather than allowing readers to perceive and respond to books as they are written, we risk distorting the work of great authors and clouding the objective lens that literature offers to society,” Nossel wrote.

In 2020, the Dahl family apologized for anti-Semitic statements made by the author during his lifetime, writing in a statement: “These biased statements are incomprehensible to us and are in stark contrast to the person we knew and the values ​​underlying Roald Dahl’s stories, which had a positive impact on young people across generations”.

“We hope that Roald Dahl, at his best and at his worst, will help remind us of the enduring influence of words,” the statement said.

The statement is no longer on the website of the Roald Dahl Story Company, which was acquired by Netflix in September 2021.

Dahl’s books have sold over 250 million copies and his library contains 43 written works, including 20 children’s books. According to the publication, film adaptations of his works have grossed more than $750 million at the box office. WordsRated.

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