BiblioFiles #56: Roald Dahl, Oompa Loompa Laws, and the Difference Between Moral and Theme

When Ian settled in to lead a discussion of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with his students, he looked for some way to tie the entire story together into a continuous narrative. Is there an overarching theme, or is this beloved Roald Dahl story just a series of morality tales? How is the tone in keeping with the rest of Dahl’s work? Is it possible to love something that just lays down the law on us? These are the questions that arise when the BiblioFiles team sits down to record a rambunctious, wandering episode without any prior planning or meditation…

Referenced Works:

– Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

– Danny, the Champion of the World

– Fantastic Mr. Fox

– Matilda

– “Paron’s Pleasure”

– The BFG

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