Boy: Tales of Childhood Reviewed by Roald Dahl

 In addition to the other books I’ve read this summer, I go into the childhood of Roald Dahl in the wondrous bibliography Boy: Tales of Childhood. This book began in the early 20th century where young Dahl’s sister died from a burst appendix, and sadly weeks before his father died. While living in Wales during Roald Dahl’s period of grade school, he came across the utmost horrendous candy saleswomen, where Dahl found it ironic since her job brought peer joy into children’s lives. As in the book, it significantly detailed that her filthy hands would dig deep into the delicious treats the children relished. As Dahl brought up in the book, he constructed the most devious plan to place a dead rat in the gobstopper bowl, so when she often pulled out the candy she would find something else. Yet, later in the week during the school hours, the victim of their act told the principal the boys who did the prank, and each one was belted as the wicked women admired the act which was taking place. Hence why Dahl’s mother decided to send her child to a British boarding school (which was sought by their dead father.) Bringing Dahl to Repton school. 

Yet, Repton academy was not absent-minded to brutal beatings, and even more immoral the only source of contact to-and-from the boarding school was regulated. In addition to the beatings, the teachers at Repton were horrendous and heinous. Such as the Matron who abused her power of being able to send a student down to the headmaster's study and get beat. To elaborate, if in the boarding houses a student was heard by the Matron past curfew they would be disowned and beat by the headmaster. A specific scenario is when Rag sprinkled sugar around the hallway, so they could know when the Matron is near. 

Dahl's family originated from the Netherlands, moreover, during the story, he indicated a time where he visited his homelands. Where his traditions were indicated, such as Skol “cheers," or "good health," defined as a salute or a toast, as to an admired person or group.

After his span at Repton Dahl moved to St. Peters. One of the many scenarios indicated in the story during the span of St Peters, Dhal was accused of cheating where in reality he was asking for a neb. Because of this, Dhal was beaten by the headmaster 10 times through Lectures of wrongdoing, sins, and smoking a pipe. This puzzled Dahl as this man was supposed to be a son of God and made him have doubts about religion. As this man was a chosen salesman of the religion and had the audacity of beating children. Ironically, the schoolmaster became the bishop of Rochester, to then the bishop of London, then archbishop of Canterbury and then lastly crowned by the queen. In addition to this scenario, between 13-18 they would mark candy bars, critiquing Cadbury chocolate. This leads to dhal daydreaming of working in a chocolate company which brought him to write Charlie and the chocolate factory.

Personally, I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this book as I was not keen on reading a bibliography.