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{{work}}
{{Infobox book
[[File:miss-trunchbull.jpg|frame]]▼
| title = Matilda
| caption =
| author = Roald Dahl
| central theme = The liberating power of knowledge
| elevator pitch = A very smart girl born from boorish parents develops psychic powers, which comes on handy when the times comes to confront the terrifying headmistress of her new school
| genre = Modern fantasy
| publication date = October 1, 1988
| source page exists =
| wiki URL =
| wiki name =
}}
The first half of the book deals with Matilda discovering how to use her intellect against her parents by playing tricks, like supergluing her father's hat to his head. The second half of the book pits her against a far more formidable enemy
▲A [[Roald Dahl]] book about an exceptionally clever little girl, Matilda Wormwood, who has exceptionally horrible and ignorant parents. Matilda has a love of learning and books, and her parents think she is stupid and deride her for reading while they watch mindless [[Soap Opera|Soap Operas]] and Game Shows.
In 1996 a [[Matilda (
▲The first half of the book deals with Matilda discovering how to use her intellect against her parents by playing tricks, like supergluing her father's hat to his head. The second half of the book pits her against a far more formidable enemy -- "The Trunchbull", her school's [[Sadist Teacher|sadistic headmistress]], as well as introducing the only person to truly recognize Matilda's amazing talent, Miss Honey. Matilda ultimately has to pit her prodigious intellect (and newly discovered telekinetic powers) against the Trunchbull to liberate both the sorely oppressed children and her beloved teacher, as well as making a better life for herself.
In 2010, it was adapted into a [[The Musical|stage musical]], written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by [[Tim Minchin]]. An film adaptation of the musical is to be released on Netflix in late 2022, starring Alisha Weir as Matilda and [[Emma Thompson]] as Trunchbull.▼
▲In 1996 a [[Matilda (Film)|film adaptation]] was made, starring Mara Wilson (''[[Miracle On 34th Street]]'', ''[[Mrs. Doubtfire (Film)|Mrs. Doubtfire]]'') in the lead and a frighteningly accurate Trunchbull in the form of Pam Ferris.
▲In 2010, it was adapted into a [[The Musical|stage musical]], written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by [[Tim Minchin]].
{{tropelist}}
* [[Abusive Parents]]: Matilda's parents verbally berate her and neglect her every need. Later in the book, it's revealed that {{spoiler|Miss Honey was raised by The Trunchbull, who wasn't any less abusive to her than she is with the students}}.
* [[Adults Are Useless]]: None of the teachers at Crunchem Hall challenge The Trunchbull because they are absolutely terrified of her. It is eventually discovered that Miss Honey's fears of her are particularly justified. The parents, however, don't have much of an excuse. Not a single student manages to convince their parents that The Chokey exists. It's sort of justified by Matilda's theory that the various punishments from The Trunchbull are so over-the-top that the parents simply don't believe it. Of course, it's probably Dahl's commentary on the boarding schools he himself attended as a child.
** It's possible it was set in a time when child abuse laws didn't exist, and the parents probably thought it was good for them.
**
* [[Bald of Awesome]]: Matilda's father, who is thoroughly reprehensible and stupid, believes that smart men have a good, thick set of hair. Matilda points out that Shakespeare was bald. Her father's answer: "Who?"
* [[Beauty Equals Goodness]]: Miss Honey.
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* [[Evil Counterpart]]: Miss Trunchbull is this to Miss Honey.
* [[Evil Teacher]]: The Trunchbull.
* [[Fantasy
* [[Fat Bastard|Fat Bitch]]: Matilda's mother.
* [[Force Feeding]]: Involves a overweight kid who is forced to eat chocolate cake, as punishment for supposedly stealing Miss Trunchbull's cake, while the whole school watches. In other words, he is not allowed to stop eating until he has finished the ''whole'' cake, and it's HUGE too (18 inches in diameter). Even if he gets sick, he has to keep eating.
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* [[Hair-Trigger Temper]]: Miss Trunchbull.
* [[Happily Ever After]]: Well, Matilda and Miss Honey anyway.
* [[Harsh Life Revelation Aesop]]: The opening chapter outright state that some parents are plain terrible. The Wormwoods neglect their younger daughter Matilda, ignore her polite requests to buy a book, and deny that she's a genius. Matilda fights back by playing pranks, and eventually begs her grade school teacher Miss Honey to adopt her when the Wormwoods have to flee the country. (The book, movie, and musical adaptation all depict this as a happy ending.)
* [[Honest John's Dealership]]: Mr. Wormwood's secondhand car business. Matilda's dad is the stereotypical sleazy car salesman, even putting sand in the oil so that the engine will burn out and they have to come back and buy a new car. The book contains a scene in which Mr. Wormwood teaches Michael the tricks to making a lemon look better.
* [[Hot Teacher]]: Miss Honey.
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** Agatha Trunchbull.
** Also, Harry Wormwood, whose used-car company sells cars made from stolen parts - at outrageous prices - that only survive for a few miles. Because their engines are filled with ''sawdust''. And then there's how he acts around Matilda.
* [[Gentleman and
* [[Large Ham]]: The Trunchbull, even in the book.
* [[Mary Sue]]: While it's probably grandfathered in due to both its age and Dahl's [[Signature Style]], ''Matilda'' could probably be used as the [[Trope Codifier]] for Mary Sue fiction. The main character is a perfect, kind, sweet child who develops superpowers, while everyone who opposes her is a cartoonishly evil villain who's mean for the sake of being mean, but in the end all the bad characters are punished and the main character is given everything she ever wanted.
* [[Maximum Fun Chamber]]: The Chokey, which turns out to be a Medieval iron maiden.
* [[Mind Over Matter]]: Matilda's telekinetic powers.
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* [[Punishment Box]]: the sadistic headmistress is fond of [[Cool and Unusual Punishment|(among other things)]] using the "Chokey," a closet lined with spikes, thus like an iron maiden in which there is just barely enough room to stand.
* [[Refuge in Audacity]]: This is how the Trunchbull gets away with such shocking cruelty to the students. Any parent who heard their kid tell them the principal threw them in a closed chamber with broken glass and nails jutting out of the walls for several hours would naturally assume their kid was lying. Not to mention her regular use of schoolchildren for practice throwing the hammer.
{{quote|
* [[Sadist Teacher]]: The Trunchbull.
* [[Social Services Does Not Exist]]: It's not in evidence, anyway, despite all the child abuse going on.
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{{reflist}}
{{The Big Read}}
[[Category:Childrens Literature]]▼
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Matilda]]
[[Category:Children's Literature]]
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