Matilda

Matilda’s practical jokes deliberately cause trouble for her parents. Suggest an example of her parents’ behavior that justifies Matilda’s acts, and explain why it does so.

What are the three main things about Matilda that Miss Honey admires? Give examples of these qualities as shown in Matilda’s actions, and explore whether those qualities increase, change, or remain stable throughout the story.

Miss Honey is a foil to Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood. Discuss three features of that foil, and for each one, give at least one example from the text for each character respectively.

Explain the key ways in which Matilda’s classmates—Lavender, Hortensia, and Bruce—impact Matilda. How would the plot change if they were not there?

Matilda is chronically mistreated, and she sometimes becomes angry. Explore how her anger—and how she uses her anger—changes over the book. What does this change mean?

What does Miss Honey’s cottage mean to her? What does it mean to Matilda? Why does it inspire Matilda to help Miss Honey?

Matilda’s intellectual prowess centers in the story—but what about her emotions? Are they also extraordinary and advanced, or are they just like an ordinary child’s? Use three examples from the book to develop an answer.

If mistreated by their parents as badly as Matilda is, most young children would emotionally crumple and quickly internalize their parents’ criticisms. In contrast, as part of the character’s fantastical quality, Matilda’s self-esteem seems unaffected by her parents’ cruelty. Why does Dahl craft the character this way?