Matilda (novel)

Matilda is a 1988 children's novel by Roald Dahl about a highly intelligent young girl who is neglected by her parents and mistreated at school.

Matilda is a 1988 children's novel by Roald Dahl about a highly intelligent young girl who is neglected by her parents and mistreated at school. The story follows her love of reading, her telekinetic abilities, and her relationship with her kind teacher, Miss Honey. The novel is widely read in Canadian schools and libraries as a classic English-language children's novel.

Plot

The novel follows Matilda Wormwood from early childhood through her life at home and at school. Matilda is a gifted child who teaches herself to read at a very young age. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, neglect and belittle her. At school, she meets the kind Miss Honey and the cruel headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Matilda discovers that she can move objects with her mind, a telekinetic power. The novel ends with Matilda staying with Miss Honey after her parents leave.

Main characters

Key characters include Matilda, her neglectful parents Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, her supportive teacher Miss Honey, and the authoritarian headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

Themes

The story emphasizes intelligence, reading, justice, and the contrast between cruelty and kindness. It also highlights child neglect and the importance of supportive adults.

Adaptations and legacy

Matilda became one of Dahl's best-known children's books and inspired later adaptations, including Matilda the Musical, which Roald Dahl’s official site describes as based on the book.