Influences
Roald Dahl’s childhood experiences
have played a significant role as the inspiration for his wonderful stories, as
did his vivid imagination. Although Dahl had a seemingly pleasant adulthood,
his childhood experiences were quite unfortunate with the passing of his sister
and father and his unhappy years at boarding school.
The book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ came from Dahl’s memories as a child when he attended Llandaff Cathedral School where his only enjoyable memories were the frequent trips to the sweets shop. They inspiration also came from his time at Repton School as it was close to Cadbury’s chocolate factory, where Dahl and his friends got to regularly test the new variety of chocolate bars. Dahl's childhood love of sweets is exhibited in many of his books including 'The Witches' and 'The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me.'
The book ‘Matilda’ and the idea of ‘Miss Trunchball’ came from the overpowering matrons and headmasters Dahl endured during his time at school. It was also created after Dahl’s fascination with the eighteenth-century classic composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who had begun composing music at the age of five. Dahl believed that often adults underestimated children and so Dahl created the brilliant ‘Matilda,’ who taught herself to read at the age of three.
Near Dahl’s home, Gypsy House, there was a huge beech tree known locally as the Witches Tree, but Dahl knew that this home would suit a fox far more than a nasty witch, so this became the home of the cunning and clever ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.
Dahl’s wartime exploits are exposed in his books too, particularly in the ‘BFG’ and ‘The Gremlins’ where the Royal Air Force plays a role in the books.
Dahl’s Norwegian heritage is also portrayed in a few of his stories, more noticeably in ‘The Witches’ in which the boy’s Grandmother is Norwegian. The Grandmother was based on Roald Dahl’s actual mother whom Dahl claims was one of the most important influences in his life.
Apart from his childhood memories, Dahl also got the inspiration to write his children’s books from the bedtime stories he would make up for his children of a night time. Dahl once stated that, “Had I not had children, I would not have written books for children, nor would I have been capable of doing so.”
The book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ came from Dahl’s memories as a child when he attended Llandaff Cathedral School where his only enjoyable memories were the frequent trips to the sweets shop. They inspiration also came from his time at Repton School as it was close to Cadbury’s chocolate factory, where Dahl and his friends got to regularly test the new variety of chocolate bars. Dahl's childhood love of sweets is exhibited in many of his books including 'The Witches' and 'The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me.'
The book ‘Matilda’ and the idea of ‘Miss Trunchball’ came from the overpowering matrons and headmasters Dahl endured during his time at school. It was also created after Dahl’s fascination with the eighteenth-century classic composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who had begun composing music at the age of five. Dahl believed that often adults underestimated children and so Dahl created the brilliant ‘Matilda,’ who taught herself to read at the age of three.
Near Dahl’s home, Gypsy House, there was a huge beech tree known locally as the Witches Tree, but Dahl knew that this home would suit a fox far more than a nasty witch, so this became the home of the cunning and clever ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’.
Dahl’s wartime exploits are exposed in his books too, particularly in the ‘BFG’ and ‘The Gremlins’ where the Royal Air Force plays a role in the books.
Dahl’s Norwegian heritage is also portrayed in a few of his stories, more noticeably in ‘The Witches’ in which the boy’s Grandmother is Norwegian. The Grandmother was based on Roald Dahl’s actual mother whom Dahl claims was one of the most important influences in his life.
Apart from his childhood memories, Dahl also got the inspiration to write his children’s books from the bedtime stories he would make up for his children of a night time. Dahl once stated that, “Had I not had children, I would not have written books for children, nor would I have been capable of doing so.”