Roald Dahl Revisions: ‘Regular’ Inclusivity Changes or ‘Absurd’ Censorship?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A decision to edit Roald Dahl’s famous children’s books to make some language more inclusive has stirred controversy across the political spectrum.
For Context: According to The Telegraph (Lean Right bias), publisher Puffin Books and copyright manager Roald Dahl Story Company decided to edit “hundreds” of words in the latest edition of Dahl’s works to be more inclusive regarding “weight, mental health, violence, gender, and race.” For instance, “fat” is changed to “enormous,” and some character descriptions are altered to be gender-neutral.
Key Quotes: Writer Salman Rushdie tweeted, “Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship. Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.” Within the revised editions, a note from the publisher states, “This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” A statement from the Roald Dahl Story Company said it was “not unusual to review the language used,” adding, “Our guiding principle throughout has been to maintain the storylines, characters, and the irreverence and sharp-edged spirit of the original text. Any changes made have been small and carefully considered.”
How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread across the spectrum, with articles generally covering both sides of the issue. Left-rated outlets were somewhat more likely to mention accusations of antisemitism against Dahl. Some coverage from the right displayed hostility toward the revisions by highlighting critics’ arguments and saying “sensitive” or “woke” editors had “scrubbed” Dahl’s “beloved” books.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Salman Rushdie calls revisions to Roald Dahl books ‘absurd censorship’
A decision to change hundreds of words in Roald Dahl’s children’s books has drawn condemnation from author Salman Rushdie, who called it “absurd censorship.”
His is the latest prominent voice in the heated debate sparked after a report Friday in Britain’s Telegraph detailed a litany of changes by Dahl’s publisher and the Roald Dahl Story Co., which manages the works’ copyright and trademarks, that were designed to make the famous books more inclusive and accessible for today’s readers.
“Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship,” Rushdie, a Booker Prize-winning...
From the Center
Roald Dahl Books Get New Edits—And Critics Cry Censorship: The Controversy Surrounding ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’ And More
Changes have been made to the language in several beloved children’s books by late author Roald Dahl, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Witches and The Fabulous Mr. Fox, to make them more inclusive, but some authors and critics have labeled the edits a form of censorship—here’s what to know about the revisions.
On Friday, The Telegraph reported that “hundreds” of words in Dahl’s books had been changed; the character Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is now described as “enormous,” instead of “enormously fat,” as he was in the original 1964 version, and in The Twits, Mrs....
From the Right
Famed Children’s Author Roald Dahl’s Books Altered In Massive Woke Effort
The publisher of Roald Dahl, the famed children’s author who wrote “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” “James and the Giant Peach,” and “The BFG,” among other works, has collaborated with the Roald Dahl Story Co., which manages the works’ copyright and trademarks, to make hundreds of alterations in order not to offend anyone with Dahl’s original works.
The Roald Dahl Story Co. admitted they had worked with Inclusive Minds, which monitors children’s literature for inclusion, diversity, and accessibility, The Washington Post reported.
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