Sinister: More on Roald Dahl [non-B&S]

[Buick1967]

Ha! After writing that bit on Roald Dahl's adult novels I decided to do more
investigating of his works intended for children. On Amazon's page for WILLY
WONKA there is this very amusing review from a traumatized reader:

>I hate this book SOOOO much. I was seven when I read it for the first time.
It scarred me to irrevocable fear and forced its malicious, acrid depiction of
the murder of four innocent children down my vulnerable throat. Many have
argued with me and have said that the children didn't die. However, I argue
intensely. First of all, Willy Wonka is a liar and anything that expels from
his horrid monstrous mouth can be regarded only for the sake of malevolence
and remain at that. Second of all, even if they didn't die, they most
certainly lost their sanity - for who would not if one was nearly drowned and
sucked up a pipe only to be despensed in a boiler, turned into a blueberry
only to be mocked and rolled by evil little creatures, forced to fall down an
opening into a garbage disposal to be burned in a nightmarish furnace, or
shrunken beyond recognition by harmful rays of light? This book has caused
horrible nightmares to haunt me and every movement I make for the past nine
years. I have not even tasted a blueberry or anything blue colored since for
fear I will suffer the same fate as the characters. I hate this book and movie
with all the hatred I could possibly hate anything with. <<

Ha! Although I like this book & movie very much, I've always seen Mr. Wonka as
the embodiment of the worst sort of evil. I do wonder if it is influences such
as these that caused many of my malevolent urges, or if Mr. Dahl was merely
trying to provide comfort to the awful beast that resides within many
children, saying through Willy Wonka: "you are not alone." Hmm. Once again,
does art create sociopaths or does the sociopath create art?
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