02-18-2019, 07:48 AM
(02-18-2019, 07:27 AM)davidd Wrote: I read... sort of... A Tale of Two Cities in a high school literature class. At that time, I doubt I could have made my way through it on my own, and I definitely would not have understood much of it, if the instructor were not guiding us through nearly every chapter, page, and paragraph.
I guess I'm a little bit smarter now, and better at deciphering antiquated writing styles, because a few years ago I attempted, for the first time, to read A Christmas Carol, and to my surprise, I discovered that the story is funny! It's not entirely the grim, gloomy story presented in movies, but rather, it is rich in satirical humor and wordplay that I was not ekspecting.
I would imagine that reading Dickens in English as a non-English speaker would be extremely challenging, seeing as how his works are a bit of a slog for most of us who are native English speakers.
I suppose that among Dahl's works, or at least among those I've read (I have not read Matilda), my favorite would be James and the Giant Peach. Again, satire and snark. Some people, so I understand, do not care for it because it is "mean spirited." Back in the day, it was merely funny. Plus, the part about the aunts being eaten by an escaped rhinoceros has stuck in my mind since the moment I read it.
Curious thing, Dahl wrote the screenplay for the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. That would eksplain some of the more subversive, not-exactly-a-kids'-movie elements in the film.
Dickens is one of those writers we're introduced to young and it's held up as this work of art... And then you find out he was paid by the chapter and published in a cheap newspaper of the day, and often read by the "lower educated" of the time. (Though Dickens also had some standing thanks to his days of reporting on parliament and knew how to appeal to upper classes. There's good reason Oliver is such a little saint...) Kind of like the moment you realise Shakespeare has a ton of dirty jokes peppered throughout all his plays. Actually Much Ado About Nothing, well the title itself is a dirty joke.
A Christmas Carol is wonderful. There's a reason the Muppets rendition is actually the best adaptation and most book loyal. Not even kidding, even with added Muppet-ness.
James and the Giant Peach just has a lot of absurd humour and I think it throws people a bit. But I did not know that about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It ex.plains a lot.
(Matilda is well worth a read, as is The Witches. Rainbow Toys does a range of stuffed plush dolls for various Dahl works.)