James And The Giant Peach

When James expresses concern about the peach moving, right before it rolls down the hill, Ladybug sums up James’s situation, “nothing could be worse than this desolate hilltop and those two repulsive aunts of yours” (44), showing him that he has no reasonable option other than to go with the flow, to embrace the unknown, because the known is unbearable.

Spiker and Sponge’s selfishness is highlighted by their attempts at avoiding the peach without regard for each other, and the result of that selfishness is the death of them both. Had they worked together and helped each other, as James and his new friends do throughout the book they may have avoided being squashed. The aunts are the only creatures to be harmed by the peach on its charge to the ocean. There is plenty of destruction caused by the peach, free farm animals, a destroyed chocolate factory, and crushed cars, but only the antagonists are killed, releasing James from their control. There is no sadness at the death of Spiker and Sponge. Centipede’s announces, “That was Aunt Sponge!” (53) with the first bump and, “That was Aunt Spiker” (53) with the second bump is met with “cheering all round” (53). James does not express any grief and never mentions them again, a testament to the depth of his suffering while in their care.

Once the peach stops, James and the insects untangle themselves and start to imagine what wonderful place they might have landed in. Up until this point, James has not put forward a suggestion or idea, being happy just to be accepted and included. Now, he verbalizes his greatest wish, one that he has dreamed about for the past few years, “[to be] near the seashore, [...] with lots of other children down on the sand for me to play with” (56). The years of torture and isolation have not crushed James’s spirit or soul, and he still has faith in finding the joyful life he remembers before Spiker and Sponge.

When the group of travelers find themselves in the ocean, James is the only one who remains calm, and for the first time since he was four, he takes the lead, calming his friends and explaining that they are floating and safe. His friends listen, which triggers another long-forgotten positive feeling for James after years of Spiker and Sponge ignoring him completely. Earthworm, panicking about starving, provides James with his second chance to impress and guide his friends. When James points out that they are on a floating meal that will last for weeks, the Old-Green-Grasshopper calls him dear James and says words he has not heard since he was four: “I don’t know what we’d do without you. You are so clever” (60-61).

The contentment and joy that James feels in the company of his unusual, boisterous friends is palpable, portrayed in the universal enjoyment of the luscious “juicy, golden-colored peach” (61) which each creature savors and marvels at. James’s joy is not overtly described, but the fact that he laughs at Earthworm’s unintended joke, “the problem is that there is no problem” (61), and smiles back at Miss Spider, both of them “chewing away happily,” is in vivid contrast to his life a few days ago that these small gestures take on greater significance. The peach is their symbol of home, providing not only safety and shelter, but sustenance and comfort.

Dahl develops the characters of each insect through their commentary. Centipede, a bit of a braggart, can’t help mentioning that he has “tasted all the finest foods in the world” (62-63) while complimenting the delicious peach. The good-natured Old-Green-Grasshopper says the sharks are probably fish, coming over “to say hello” (65).

Dahl maintains the steady swing of a joy-fear-pendulum throughout the book. In this section, the fear of drowning and starving is replaced by the joy of eating the delicious peach and enjoying the ocean followed by “panic and pandemonium” (66) when the sharks arrive. By now, the insects do not just listen to James, they actively seek his advice. He has become the unofficial leader of the group and the one they turn to for help. He is loved, respected, and valued—essential human qualities that he has been deprived of for many years. The sharks become the first major test to James’s heroism.