The BFG
by Roald Dahl
What is it about?
The giant explains Sophie that he does not eat humans like other giants do, he is the Big Friendly Giant, the BFG, and they talk all over.The BFG comments Sophie that he collects good dreams from the Dream Country that he later gives to children with a trumpet.He also tells Sophie what the other giants do with humans and she gets terrified.
As the BFG is the smallest of the giants, they mistreat the BFG. This, and the fact that the giants hunt human everyday, make Sophie and the BFG to invent a plan to stop the giants in which are involved the Queen Elizabeth II, the Heads of the Army and the Air forces, and the population of England.
Roald Dahl
He was born in Llanduff, South Wales, of Norwegian parents, in 1916, and educated in English boarding-schools. Then, in search of adventure, the young Dahl took a job with Shell Oil in Africa. When World War II broke out he joined the RAF as a fighter pilot, receiving terrible injuries and almost dying in a plane crash in 1942.
It was following this “monumental bash on the head” and a meeting with C. S. Forester (author of the famous Captain Horatio Hornblower stories) that Roald Dahl's writing career began, with articles for magazines such as The New Yorker. He wrote successful novellas and short stories for adults, such asTales of the Unexpected, before concentrating on his marvelous children's stories. The first of these, James and the Giant Peach, in 1960, was followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and an unbroken string of hugely successful, best-selling titles.
Roald Dahl worked from a tiny hut in the pale orchard of the Georgian house in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire which he shared with his wife, Liccy. He was always brimming with new ideas and his many books continue to bring enormous enjoyment to millions of children and their parents throughout the world.
His work also includes Matilda, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Twits, George's Marvellous Medicine and The BFG.
The BFG review
The BFG is a fantasy adventure book set in England and in Giant Country.
The book talks about the friendship of a little orphan girl and a nice giant whom fight together to beat the evil giants.
The main idea of that book it is that no matter what size you are, you can achieve what you propose. Another theme you can read into is that we need to respect each other as well as respect nature.
It’s a highly entertaining read for children and for adults who have not yet said goodbye to the child within. It is a fun and an easy reading despite the peculiar language. It is very predictable but addictive.
Summarizing, it has been 'razztwizzler', sometimes 'slushbungle' and 'twitch-tickling' because of the 'crodswoggle' of the author, but in my opinion the book it is 'whoppsy-whiffling'.
(The translation for humans will be:
Summarizing, it has been a great experience, sometimes nonsense and confusing because of the craziness of the author, but in my opinion the book it is excellent.)
Main Characters
Sophie
The BFG
The Queen of England
Secondary characters
Mary
The Heads of the Army and the Air Force
The Giants
- The Fleshlumpeater
- The Bonecruncher
- The Manhugger
- The Childchewer
- The Meatdripper
- The Gizzardgulper
- The Maidmasher
- The Bloodbottler
- The Butcher Boy
Interesting vocabulary
Difficult words
- wasteland (p. 23).- a barren or desolate area of land, not or no longer used for cultivation or building
- wiggle (p. 24).- to move or caus.e to move with jerky movements, especially from side to side.
- to boggle (p. 26) .- to be surprised, confused, or alarmed.
- dollop (p. 28).- a large serving, especially of food.
- rotten (p. 31).- affected with rot; decomposing, decaying, or putrid.
- girth (p. 41).- the distance around something; circumference.
- lasso (p. 42).- looped rope for catching animals.
- dusky (p. 69).- dark in colour; swarthy or dark-skinned.
- harm (p. 71).- physical or mental injury or damage.
- mist (p. 73).- a thin fog resulting from condensation in the air near the earth's surface.
- swivel (p.73).- such a device made of two parts which turn independently, such as a compound link of a chain.
- to faint (p. 77).- to lose consciousness, esp momentarily, as through weakness.
- to wink (p. 81).- to close and open one eye quickly, deliberately, or in an exaggerated fashion to convey friendliness.
- wriggle (p. 82).- to make or cause to make twisting movements.
- lump (p. 84).- a small solid mass without definite shape.
- limb (p. 84).- an arm or leg, or the analogous part on an animal, such as a wing.
- fist (p. 86).- a hand with the fingers clenched into the palm, as for hitting.
- smack (p. 86).- a smell or flavour that is characteristic.
- gutsy (p. 87).- gluttonous; greedy.
- bathtub (p. 111).- a bath, especially one not permanently fixed.
- astonishing (p 151).- causing great surprise or amazement; astounding.
Language of the Giants
(Source: Oxford Dictionaries; Image above: The BFG, via Roald Dahl Museum.)