Rudyard Kipling and Roald DahlSOCIAL COMMENTARY IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Rudyard Kipling: Biography Born in Imperial India to British parents Sent to an abusive foster home in England when he

was very young, and then to school Returned to India and began his writing career, later

emigrating to the USA and starting a family Devastated by the death of his daughter Josephine,

he returned to the UK Still an ardent supporter of the British Empire, he

reported on colonial wars and arranged for his son to be enlisted in the First World War

His works are considered controversial

Roald Dahl: Biography

Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, his father and sister died when they were very young

Sent to several schools where strict corporal punishment was employed (but he also got to test chocolate bars)

After school, joined the RAF and was shot down in Africa during the Second World War

Later gathered intelligence for MI6

The Jungle Book A collection of short stories featuring Mowgli,

a “man-cub” found abandoned in the Indian Jungle and adopted by a wolf-pack and raised by Baloo (a bear) and Bagheera (a panther).

As a man-cub, he is mistrusted by some other animals for being an outsider, despite trying to live by their rules, because of man’s dangerous nature

The vicious tiger Shere Khan wants to eat him Later Mowgli returns to human society but

finds that he dislikes their pointless rules and ignorance of the jungle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKp0ICORvQM

Matilda, Charlie and The Witches

Matilda is a story about a five year old girl who is so intelligent that she develops telekinesis. Her family neglects her and she attends a school run by the evil Miss Trunchbull, and soon learns to get revenge

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features a boy from a poor family called Charlie, who wins a Golden Ticket and gets to visit a mysterious and magical chocolate factory owned by the insane Mr Wonka

The Witches is a story about an orphan boy and his Grandmamma, an ex-witch-hunter, who accidentally stumble on a meeting of the Witches of England, whose mission is to kill all children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuyElRs_48Q

Rules and Organisation in Kipling

In The Jungle Book, the animals all follow the Laws of the Jungle, a code for surviving of individuals, families and communities

The Law of the Jungle, which never orders anything without a reason, forbids every beast to eat Man except when he is killing to show his children how to kill. (1.19)

"Thou hast been with the Monkey-People—the grey apes—the people without a Law—the eaters of everything. That is great shame." (3.26)

For three months after that night Mowgli hardly ever left the village gate, he was so busy learning the ways and customs for men. (5.23)

Rules and Organisation in Dahl

Dahl was critical of authority and mocks authority figures in many of his books, most notably Matilda

"[…] My idea of a perfect school, Miss Honey, is one that has no children in it at all. One of these days I shall start up a school like that. I think it will be very successful." (14.3)

"The first time," Hortensia said, "I poured half a tin of Golden Syrup on to the seat of the chair the Trunchbull was going to sit on at prayers. It was wonderful. When she lowered herself into the chair, there was a loud squelching noise similar to that made by a hippopotamus when lowering its foot into the mud on the banks of the Limpopo River. […]" (10.17)

Family in Kipling

Animals in The Jungle Book stick together, notably Akela and Mowgli’s Mother and Father Wolf, and Messua, the human woman who adopts him

"He is our brother in all but blood," Akela went on. (1.126) "Those feet have never worn shoes, but thou art very like my

Nathoo, and thou shalt be my son." (5.12)

Family in Dahl

Family is treated differently in Dahl’s various works, but ultimately he seems to share Kipling’s view that family is a source of love and comfort

Matilda’s biological family are awful but she is adopted by Miss Honey But Dahl also references how most families love each other It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own

child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful. (1.1)

In The Witches, the Narrator and his Grandmamma’s love for each other is unconditional

"Because I would never want to live longer than you," I said. "I couldn't stand being looked after by anybody else." (21.29)

Coming of Age in Kipling

Mowgli starts as a man-cub but over the course of the books becomes an adult in both the animal and human world, but cannot really belong in either.

[Mowgli] grew and grew strong as a boy must grow who does not know that he is learning any lessons, and who has nothing in the world to think of except things to eat. (1.70)

Mowgli, as a man-cub, had to learn a good deal more than this. (3.1)

Coming of age in Dahl

Dahl’s books for intermediate readers actually feature younger children who are either remarkably intelligent (Matilda) or mature (Charlie). Critics say this helps them appeal to adolescents as they can maintain a belief in good defeating evil while developing their own identities separate from parents and teachers

"You are so much wiser than your years, my dear," Miss Honey went on, "that it quite staggers me. Although you look like a child, you are not really a child at all because your mind and your powers of reasoning seem to be fully grown-up. So I suppose we might call you a grown-up child, if you see what I mean." (17.12)

Principles and Morality in Kipling

The animal’s follow The Laws of the Jungle, creating their own “society” and these rules benefit everyone. The amoral Shere Khan risks everyone

The reason beasts give among themselves [for not hunting man] is that Man is the weakest and most defenceless [sic] of all living things, and it is unsportsmanlike to touch him. (1.19)

Akela lifted his head again, and said: "He has eaten our food. He has slept with us. He has driven game for us. He has broken no word of the Law of the Jungle." (1.122)

"Run back, Messua. This is one of the foolish tales they tell under the big tree at dusk. I have at least paid for thy son's life. Farewell; and run quickly, for I shall send the herd in more swiftly than their brickbats. I am no wizard, Messua. Farewell!" (5.98)

Principles and morality in Dahl

In Dahl’s novels, Good always triumphs over Evil (although it can be bittersweet), and people who are cruel, selfish or greedy are mocked and punished

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pks7q2qyM-s She didn't in the least mind being accused of having done

something she had actually done. She could see the justice of that. It was, however, a totally new experience for her to be accused of a crime that she definitely had not committed. (14.16)

"They're not for sale," Mr. Wonka answered. "She can't have one.""Who says I can't!" shouted Veruca. "I'm going in to get myself one this very minute!" (24.19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zcVnNwAHys