Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed his disapproval of recent changes to Roald Dahl books, after the removal of references to characters’ appearance and weight sparked a fierce debate. The Roald Dahl Story Company, the author’s estate and publisher, said the updates were made to make the works more suitable for modern audiences. However, Mr Sunak’s spokesman said that works of fiction should be “preserved and not airbrushed”.
The changes have been met with criticism from a variety of sources. Sir Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight’s Children and Satanic Verses, posted on Twitter: “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.” Meanwhile, His Dark Materials author Philip Pullman suggested that Dahl’s books should be allowed to fade away rather than be changed if they are deemed offensive.
On the other hand, poet and author Debjani Chatterjee believes it is “a very good thing that the publishers are reviewing his work”. She believes the edits have been done “quite sensitively”, citing the example of Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, who is now described as “enormous” instead of “fat”.
Children’s author John Dougherty argued that if Dahl’s works are deemed offensive, then the only answer is to put them out of print. Kate Clanchy, an ex-teacher who revised her own memoir after being criticised for some descriptions, said children’s books should be treated particularly carefully. Laura Hackett, deputy literary editor of the Sunday Times, said she would continue to read her original copies of Dahl’s books to her children in all “their full, nasty, colourful glory”.
The books have been amended after being reviewed by sensitivity readers, who check for potentially offensive content. The Roald Dahl Story Company worked with publishers Puffin and Inclusive Minds to ensure that Dahl’s stories and characters can still be enjoyed by all children today. They stated that their guiding principle was to maintain the storylines, characters and spirit of the original text.
Dahl remains one of the UK’s most popular children’s authors, despite antisemitic comments made throughout his life. In 2020, his family apologised for the “lasting and understandable hurt caused” by these statements. The debate surrounding the changes to his works shows how important it is to consider how literature can be made more inclusive and accessible for modern audiences.