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Original poster

Bastardising Ronald Dahl

199 replies

Pasithean · 20/02/2023 10:02

Is it not really wrong to change his descriptions in his books as reported in the guardian today. I’m so cross that people think they can change the classics

OP posts:
BeetleyCarapace · 20/02/2023 10:03

Includes getting his name wrong, it would appear.

AllWorkYoPlait · 20/02/2023 10:04

Poor Ronald, eh?

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 20/02/2023 10:07

To be fair Ronald's books were really crude and offensive which is why he was nowhere near as popular as his brother.

Tessisme · 20/02/2023 10:08

AllWorkYoPlait · 20/02/2023 10:04

Poor Ronald, eh?

😂😂

HelpMeGetThrough · 20/02/2023 10:08

Ronald? Must be a ghost writer.

BIWI · 20/02/2023 10:10

Is there a link to the piece @Pasithean?

GoodChat · 20/02/2023 10:12

I bet Ronald is furious.

JassyRadlett · 20/02/2023 10:12

To be fair, he did it himself while he was alive...

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 20/02/2023 10:13

I love all of Ronald Dahl's books and wouldn't change a thing. The Large Jovial Man, John and the Massive Apricot, Craig and the Sweet Maker. Classics every one.

Herroyal · 20/02/2023 10:16

Most of the changes are ridiculous. There are some writers, like Enid Blyton with her ''Fanny' and 'Dicks' and sexism and 'gollywogs' that needed an edit because they were sooooo culturally out of date, sexist, racist, but most of the Dahl changes didn't need to be made.
Why change his books when the sexist, stereotyped shite that is any David Walliam book is still in existence??

sanityisamyth · 20/02/2023 10:16

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 20/02/2023 10:13

I love all of Ronald Dahl's books and wouldn't change a thing. The Large Jovial Man, John and the Massive Apricot, Craig and the Sweet Maker. Classics every one.

🤣🤣🤣

AiryFairy1 · 20/02/2023 10:17

I know who you mean, OP Wink

By the same token, should The Hobbit/ LOTR be rewritten to include more women in the Companies? 🤔

Bartlebum · 20/02/2023 10:17

Ronald McDonald

Reindear · 20/02/2023 10:18

Some of it can understand but some of it is crazy. Cloud men are now cloud people, Augustus gloop isn’t fat, mrs twit isn’t ugly, Esio Trot isn’t backwards and the Oompa Loompas are gender neutral

ReneBumsWombats · 20/02/2023 10:21

Reindear · 20/02/2023 10:18

Some of it can understand but some of it is crazy. Cloud men are now cloud people, Augustus gloop isn’t fat, mrs twit isn’t ugly, Esio Trot isn’t backwards and the Oompa Loompas are gender neutral

Has this happened?

Fuckityfuckfuck123 · 20/02/2023 10:22

I loved Ronald's creations whilst growing up 😁

JoonT · 20/02/2023 10:22

HelpMeGetThrough · 20/02/2023 10:08

Ronald? Must be a ghost writer.

No, our woke masters have decided he is to be called Ronald from now on. Are you daring to disagree? I think you need a trip to Tolerance Camp for 're-education'. Stop thinking for yourself! This is 21st-century Britain – the Guardianistas will tell you what to think (and read). In Orwell's 1984, if Big Brother tells you 2=2=7, then 2=2=7. And if they tell you Roald is now Ronald, then it's Ronald.

ReneBumsWombats · 20/02/2023 10:25

ReneBumsWombats · 20/02/2023 10:21

Has this happened?

Show quote history

Oh gosh, yes it has. Although Gloop is now "enormous"...does that make any difference in context?

And Miss Trunchbull is now a formidable woman instead of a formidable female. Why was that necessary?

WrongWayRoundAgain · 20/02/2023 10:26

This link was posted on another thread I saw last night, am currently in middle of going through it. Just posting here for anyone who wants to read them.

imgur.io/a/vqM7wFx

thefactsarefriendly · 20/02/2023 10:27

This is fascinating:

twitter.com/simonelmer2022/status/1627255724924456960?s=12&t=vedqqBVqKYRS4c9Q5vFsDA

urrrgh46 · 20/02/2023 10:28

Not a great Roald Dahl fan myself. Personally i think if they're going to do this both editions should be offered for sale. Shakespeare has been modernised many times in many different guises but the original is still available and so it should be.

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 20/02/2023 10:30

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 20/02/2023 10:13

I love all of Ronald Dahl's books and wouldn't change a thing. The Large Jovial Man, John and the Massive Apricot, Craig and the Sweet Maker. Classics every one.

I did a proper laugh at "Craig and the Sweet Maker". I prefer his earlier work, The Twats.

hothands · 20/02/2023 10:30

JassyRadlett · 20/02/2023 10:12

To be fair, he did it himself while he was alive...

There's a huge difference between an author editing their own words and books and someone else doing it after the author has died.

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 20/02/2023 10:32

The one bit I do agree with is that they've added an explainer to The Witches, saying that women might wear wigs for all sorts of reasons, not just because they're witches in disguise. That's a positive change.

ReneBumsWombats · 20/02/2023 10:34

BellatrixLestrangesHeatedCurlers · 20/02/2023 10:32

The one bit I do agree with is that they've added an explainer to The Witches, saying that women might wear wigs for all sorts of reasons, not just because they're witches in disguise. That's a positive change.

Yes, that reads to me like the original line in George's Marvellous Medicine where the author makes it clear that most grandmothers are lovely and sweet ladies.