Matilda

Matilda
Story Summary
Matilda is a children’s story written by Roald Dahl, first released in 1988. It’s about a
young girl named Matilda Wormwood, who has an incredible intellect and magic
powers, including the ability to levitate objects.
She is a lover of books, and can read stories meant for adults by the age of four. Her
clear intelligence goes unnoticed by her uncaring family, who often treat her badly. Her
parents even refuse to let her go to school despite her wishes, and she is kept from
attending at first.
When eventually able to go to school, Matilda is placed in the lowest class within
Crunchem Hall Primary School. Luckily, this is Miss Honey’s class. This kind-hearted
teacher instantly recognises Matilda’s intellect and is determined to help her, by pushing
her ahead in her education.
However, Crunchem Hall is run by an evil woman named Miss Trunchbull, a bitter and
cruel headmistress who uses her large size and athletic ability to torment kids who get
on the wrong side of her. She makes Crunchem Hall into a makeshift prison, locking
children in the “chokey” if they misbehave (a room which is literally a closet filled with
sharp nails and no light!).
After meeting some of Matilda’s friends such as Lavender and Bruce Bogtrotter while
getting into adventures at the school, we eventually learn more about Miss Honey’s life.
Miss Honey’s parents died when she was young, and she has been under the thumb of
her aunt ever since. Her aunt controls her finances, bullies and belittles her, and has
even taken her family home away from her. This aunt is none other than... Miss
Trunchbull herself!
Matilda hatches a plan to help Miss Honey to get her family home back. She uses her
bravery, smarts and supernatural powers to discover that the grand house Miss
Trunchbull lives in belonged to Miss Honey all along. She secures the deeds and scares
Miss Trunchbull into leaving.
In the end, Miss Honey becomes the headmistress of the school. After Matilda’s parents
announce that they plan to move to Spain, Miss Honey offers to adopt Matilda, and the
two live happily in the family home they both should have had all along.
If you want to know more about the author who wrote Matilda, try this Wiki page
on Roald Dahl.
The Characters in Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda Wormwood
Matilda is an exciting protagonist for children to follow. She is brave, clever and a bit of
an outsider in relation to her family. Though growing up in hard circumstances, she still
sees the good in the world. Early in the book, we are treated to some funny examples of
Matilda getting her own back on her parents, like gluing her father's hat to his head, and
sticking a parrot in the chimney to make them think there’s a burglar or ghost around.
Miss Honey
Miss Honey is described as "a mild and quiet person who never raised her voice, and
was seldom seen to smile, but there is no doubt she possessed that rare gift for being
adored by every small child under her care".
This gentle nature is one of the characteristics that makes her such a good fit for
Matilda. The two have also shared similar ill-treatment from people who were meant to
take care of them.
Mr and Mrs Wormwood
The difference between Matilda and the Wormwoods is especially highlighted by their
disgust at Matilda’s interests in reading. They have nothing in common with their
daughter. Her father in particular is characterised as a liar and a cheat, due to his dodgy
used-car business.
Miss Trunchbull
Agatha Trunchbull is one of the most memorable villains in children’s literature. Her
cruelty and unfair treatment of children at the school leads to some of the most action-
packed sections of the story.
Lavender
She is one of Matilda’s closest friends at school. In chapters 12 and 13, Lavender tricks
Miss Trunchbull by making her drink a glass of water with a newt in it, as a form of
payback for all the horrible things she has done to the children. It’s this bravery, along
with the bravery of her classmates, that makes Matilda eventually defeat their wicked
headmaster.
Bruce Bogtrotter
Bruce Bogtrotter is bullied by Miss Trunchbull for his weight and his love of cake. She
even calls him a ‘blackhead’, a ‘foul carbuncle’, and a ‘poisonous pustule’. This leads to
one of the most memorable moments in the text, where the wicked Trunchbull attempts
to humiliate Bruce in front of the school by making him eat a whole chocolate cake. The
plan backfires when the kids begin to cheer Bruce on, and he rebelliously does what
she asks without getting nauseous.

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Matilda

The Characters in Matilda by Roald Dahl

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