Roald Dahl

It is always crucial that we as future educators have a keen understanding of the authors that we will portray in our classroom. It is a prime opportunity to briefly discuss the life of Roald Dahl, the author of the two previous books that I have analyzed: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach.

Roald Dahl was born in Liandaff, Wales on September 13th, 1916. His love for stories and books during his childhood was inspired by his mother who Dahl viewed as his "rock" and his source of security. His mother told him fantasy stories as a young boy, and as an older boy Dahl enjoyed adventure stories. Dahl's father, Harald, also played a role in Dahl's love for writing. Dahl's father was an avid writer and wrote in a diary his accounts of the war of 1914-1918.
Most of Dahl's plot lines for his stories derive mainly from his school days. Dahl attended St. Peter's prep school in Weston-Super-Mare. His many visits to the sweet shops and candy stores account for the story line of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, while Dahl's Head Mistress at his boarding school resembles the evil principal of an elementary school in Dahl's novel, Matilda.
As an adult, Dahl joined the Public School's Exploring Society's expedition to Newfoundland. Later, he worked for Shell as a salesman. When he was just 23 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force when war broke out where he served as a pilot.
However. it wasn't until 1942 that Dahl took an interest in writing. C.S Forester requested that Dahl make an account of his experiences at war. The draft was published in the Saturday Evening Post and a check worth nine hundred dollars was mailed to Dahl upon its arrival to Forrester. It was at this point in Dahl's life that discovered his niche for writing. Little did Dahl know that he would become one of the most beloved children's writer in history.
Throughout his writing career, Dahl created some of the most adored children's books in history. James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The Witches are just a few of Dahl's inspiring works. Even after his death in 1990, Dahl stories are still just as popular as they were when they were first published. Roald Dahl represents a legacy whose works will be cherished forever.