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<blockquote>When it came to children’s books, Dennison says Dahl didn’t care what adults thought as long as his target readers were happy. “‘I don’t give a b----r what grown-ups think,’ was a characteristic statement,” Dennison says. “And I’m almost certain that he would have recognised that alterations to his novels prompted by the political climate were driven by adults rather than children, and this always inspired derision, if not contempt, in Dahl. | <blockquote>When it came to children’s books, Dennison says Dahl didn’t care what adults thought as long as his target readers were happy. “‘I don’t give a b----r what grown-ups think,’ was a characteristic statement,” Dennison says. “And I’m almost certain that he would have recognised that alterations to his novels prompted by the political climate were driven by adults rather than children, and this always inspired derision, if not contempt, in Dahl. | ||
“He never, for example, had any truck with librarians who criticised his books as too frightening, lacking moral role models, negative in their portrayal of women, etc,” he continues. “Dahl wrote stories intended to kindle in children a lifelong love of reading and to remind them of the childhood wonderlands of magic and enchantment, aims in which he succeeded triumphantly. Adult anxieties about political niceties didn’t register in this outlook. This said, although Dahl could be unabashed in offending adults, he took pains never to alienate or make unhappy his child readers.” | “He never, for example, had any truck with librarians who criticised his books as too frightening, lacking moral role models, negative in their portrayal of women, etc,” he continues. “Dahl wrote stories intended to kindle in children a lifelong love of reading and to remind them of the childhood wonderlands of magic and enchantment, aims in which he succeeded triumphantly. Adult anxieties about political niceties didn’t register in this outlook. This said, although Dahl could be unabashed in offending adults, he took pains never to alienate or make unhappy his child readers.” <ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/17/roald-dahl-books-rewritten-offensive-matilda-witches-twits/ The Telegraph - "The Hundreds of Changes Made to Suit a New ‘Sensitive’ Generation"]</ref></blockquote> | ||
=== Roald Dahl book edits === | |||
==== Editing of content in customer's libraries ==== | |||
In February 2023, Amazon and Puffin were caught automatically updating previously purchased Roald Dahl e-books with new "sanitized" versions that contained hundreds of changes to the original text. Users who had purchased the e-books before the changes were implemented found their copies automatically replaced with the edited versions, without being given a choice or notification beyond the updates themselves.<ref name="times1">https://www.thetimes.com/article/roald-dahl-collection-books-changes-text-puffin-uk-2023-rm2622vl0</ref> | In February 2023, Amazon and Puffin were caught automatically updating previously purchased Roald Dahl e-books with new "sanitized" versions that contained hundreds of changes to the original text. Users who had purchased the e-books before the changes were implemented found their copies automatically replaced with the edited versions, without being given a choice or notification beyond the updates themselves.<ref name="times1">https://www.thetimes.com/article/roald-dahl-collection-books-changes-text-puffin-uk-2023-rm2622vl0</ref> | ||
In 2023, The Telegraph reported that '''hundreds of changes''' were made to Roald Dahl’s classic children's books, including ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'', ''Matilda'', and ''The Witches''.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/17/roald-dahl-books-rewritten-offensive-matilda-witches-twits/ The Telegraph - "The Hundreds of Changes Made to Suit a New ‘Sensitive’ Generation"]</ref> These edits were performed by the publisher Puffin in collaboration with a group called '''Inclusive Minds''', with the stated goal of ensuring the books ''"can continue to be enjoyed by all today."'' | |||
==== ''Changes to books in customer libraries:'' ==== | |||
The changes included numerous alterations to the original text, such as: | The changes included numerous alterations to the original text, such as: | ||
*Replacing "fat" with "enormous" in describing Augustus Gloop | *Replacing "fat" with "enormous" in describing Augustus Gloop | ||
*Removing Miss Trunchbull's "great horsey face" description to just "face" | *Removing Miss Trunchbull's "great horsey face" description to just "face" | ||
*Modifying character occupations (e.g., changing a woman "working as a cashier" to "working as a top scientist") | *Modifying character occupations (e.g., changing a woman "working as a cashier" to "working as a top scientist") | ||
*Removing references to certain authors (e.g., replacing Joseph Conrad with Jane Austen in Matilda)<ref>https://www.thetimes.com/article/sensitivity-readers-are-twits-to-mess-with-the-magic-of-roald-dahl-zxk928mdz</ref> | *Removing references to certain authors (e.g., replacing Joseph Conrad with Jane Austen in Matilda)<ref>https://www.thetimes.com/article/sensitivity-readers-are-twits-to-mess-with-the-magic-of-roald-dahl-zxk928mdz</ref> | ||
*'''Gender-neutral language''' – ''Cloud-Men'' in ''James and the Giant Peach'' were renamed "'''Cloud-People'''." | *'''Gender-neutral language''' – ''Cloud-Men'' in ''James and the Giant Peach'' were renamed "'''Cloud-People'''." | ||
*'''Removal of references to physical appearance''' – The "'''fat little brown mouse'''" in ''The Witches'' became simply "'''little brown mouse'''." | *'''Removal of references to physical appearance''' – The "'''fat little brown mouse'''" in ''The Witches'' became simply "'''little brown mouse'''." | ||
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After lots of backlash, Puffin announced it would publish the classic collection of 17 Dahl texts alongside the edited versions. Puffin acknowledged "very real questions around how stories can be kept relevant for new generations" while giving readers "the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl's magical, marvelous stories."<ref name="times1" /> | After lots of backlash, Puffin announced it would publish the classic collection of 17 Dahl texts alongside the edited versions. Puffin acknowledged "very real questions around how stories can be kept relevant for new generations" while giving readers "the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl's magical, marvelous stories."<ref name="times1" /> | ||
===Debate Over Modern Censorship=== | ===Debate Over Modern Censorship=== | ||
These edits sparked debate over whether these changes were necessary updates or excessive censorship. Critics argue that altering the original language distorts an author's intent and removes historical context. | These edits sparked debate over whether these changes were necessary updates or excessive censorship. Critics argue that altering the original language distorts an author's intent and removes historical context. | ||