To think Miss Honey in Matilda is overly personal?

[JustAnInnocentQuestion]

I was watching Matilda recently (the better first one) and realised how overly personal Miss Honey is with Matilda. Firstly, she visits her parents at their home. Surely it would've been better to call them or invite them to see her at school? Later, she invites Matilda to her home. I know Matilda's parents don't care about her, but I wouldn't want a teacher to visit me at home without prior notice or take my child to their home.

I can’t believe the number of posters whining it’s a story.

What miserable fuckers. Do you never discuss books, films or TV shows? Ever?

I would be more concerned about the headmistress.

I think the miserable person is the one who is pointing out that a fictional character in a fictional children's story isnt realistic and is over personal... There are plenty of things to discuss about fiction without nitpicking things like this!

Miss Honey always bothered me, even as a child.

So many children were abused with her knowing about it because she couldn't and wouldn't stand up to her aunt.

I will say though in early 2000's, my entire Y6 class were invited to our teacher's home - barn conversion in the Peak District - of an afternoon.

We had to stay in the huge garden and luckily it was a nice warm sunny day.

I don't remember permission slips specifically but reading this thread, I think there must have been something put out to the parents.

That was the only time though.

There are entire boards and forums and sub forums for discussing fiction. People do degrees in it.

We know it’s a story. Discussing it is fun.

As others have said it’s just a story but it’s also set in older sometimes less formal times.

In any case I like Miss Honey. I know she could be soft but she was badly abused herself.

The flinging of a girl around the place by her hair by the headteacher, on the other hand is fine 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think viewed through a modern perspective it’s possible to say Miss Trunchbull is a clear villain and the children dislike and mistrust her.

Miss Honey is potentially more problematic from a safeguarding point of view.

Yes I agree with you about discussing fiction as I said in my post! I just don't agree with nitpicking something like this.

The only nitpickers are the posters droning on and on over and over ‘it’s a story.’

It’s a ✨ joke ✨

In the film the parents do sign adoption papers!

Where’s the funny part?

Thats a genuine question; I don’t know what’s funny in repeated clamours that something’s a work of fiction.

@notarisingfan I mean it’s not a belly laugh haha joke, it’s a sarcastic “my goodness what a terrible school” joke. I really don’t think OP is actually up in arms about the lack of safeguarding at Matilda’s school.

Well no, but it is a shame when threads that could be fun and interesting get drowned out with repeated ‘it’s a story.’

Safeguarding Lead here. Can confirm that a teacher inviting a child round to her house for a cup of tea, whilst definitely not ok, is not "more problematic from a safeguarding point of view" than a Teacher routinely physically assaulting children, locking them in cupboards with rusty spikes inside and screaming insults in their faces every day.

@neverbeenskiing it could be actually (also a safeguarding lead.)

A child thinking that it is normal for a teacher to single them out for special treatment and to go to their house alone and without the knowledge of anyone else could be very dangerous. I am aware - it is a story. But I think we know enough now to know villains don’t always look and behave like Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey can be a villain too.

Can you imagine that in a musical! What a hoot.

I see we’re on the same page 😄

It’s a film of a book, good grief does everything have to be microanalised to find an issue

Never mind the teachers... but where on earth are the other kids parents?? I don't mean Matilda's, as they were obviously rubbish. But surely surely at least one of the other children told their parents about the chokey? Why did they not do anything?

(Also, why didn't they just send her to the same school as her big brother?)

There is no way social services wouldn't have been called by the library if a 3 yr old visited alone.🤣 but I suppose artistic licence is a thing.

I know (well, slightly in that she’s a friend of a friend I’ve met a few times) the actress who played Miss Honey in the 1996 film. (Also Bridget Jones’ Diary, Schindler’s List, Junebug and some crap horrors.)

Entirely irrelevant, but I just remembered. She’s very nice.

Add to that the fact that Matilda is sort of set in the real workd, but sort of set in a fairy tale world. I don't think you can fiddle the mileometer by attaching a drill to the car wheel like her father does.

I own an early 80s VW van. 98% certain this would work. As it is I can just pop the dash out and fiddle with the numbers from the back.

I've always been curious about the sawdust in the gearbox oil myself.