All Adults Are Portrayed As Ogres in Boy Essay

The novel Boy written by Roald Dahl is in relation to the different stages throughout his childhood. Roald Dahl exaggerates an autobiography is regarding boring details throughout there life and I would never write such boring details about myself. (Introduction Page) I strongly disagree that all the adults in this book are portrayed as ogres. An ogre is described as an unpleasant and horrible person by Roald Dahl. I strongly disagree because the adults throughout the stages of his childhood including his mother (Sophie Magdalene Hesselberg) and Dr Dunbar are very pleasant and easy going people. Although I agree that some adults like Mrs Pratchett and Mr Coombes are portrayed as ogres because they are very horrible and they do not respect Dahl and his friends.

One of the many few adults that were portrayed as an ogre throughout his childhood was Mrs Pratchett. She was a small skinny old had that had a moustache on her upper lip and a mouth as sour as a green gooseberry (Page 33). She would never welcome Dahl into the store and she always used to say nasty things to him like I am watching you so keep yer thievin fingers off them chocolates!, I do not want you in ere just to look around (Page33) and many other nasty things to Dahl. There were many filthy things about this lady some of them being uncleaned fingernails with dirt all through them and bits of breakfast always all over her aprons. Mrs Pratchett was so disrespectful to Dahl and his friends, one day they found a dead mouse and decided to scare Mrs Pratchett with it. This is something Dahl regrets doing and he will never forget this horrible deed. Mrs Pratchett demanded to his school principal (Mr Coombes) that Dahl and his friends were to be beaten with a cane several times. This is why Mrs Pratchett was portrayed as an ogre by Dahl.

Another adult that was portrayed as an ogre, a disrespectful and horrible person was Mr Coombes. He was the school principal and one of the biggest people at Llandaff Cathedral School. He was a giant of a man with a face like a ham and a mass of rusty-coloured hair that spouted in a tangle all over the top of his head. (Page 41) Literally every kid in Llandaff Cathedral School was terrified of this gigantic man and he was defiantly portrayed as an ogre not just by Dahl, but every other child at his school. A week or so after the dead mouse incident Dahl and his friends had to go to Mr Coombes office. Mrs Pratchett was in there and she watched on as they were all beaten several times. Mr Coombes hit them so hard that is sounded like a pistol-crack. (Page 49) Mr Coombes was such a disrespectful person that he didnt even feel bad after he did it, infact he told Dahl if he cant follow the rules at a British school he can move to an English school.

The first adult that was not portrayed as an ogre was Roald Dahls Mother (Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg). His mother loved Dahl and he loved her just as much. When bad things happened to Dahl, she was always the first person to stand up to help Dahl. For example the first time she saw Dahls bottom after he was caned, she cried to Dahl Who did this, tell me now (Page 51) and was the first person to do something about it. His mother cared so much at the end of the year she moved countries just to get him into an English school. His mother did the best she could for Dahl, and that is why Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg is not portrayed as an ogre.

The second adult that was not portrayed as an ogre was Dr Dunbar. When Dahl had attended boarding school for only 1 term, he faked that he had a stomach infection because he was homesick. He got past the school doctor but he had to get checked by another doctor (Dr Dunbar). When Dr Dunbar checked him, he knew that Dahl was faking his stomach infection because his stomach was perfectly normal. (Page 97) But he soon realised that Dahl had homesickness. Due to the fact Dr Dunbar was so kind and caring to Dahl, he wrote a note to St Peters explaining he had a severe stomach infection and he needed to have at least 3 days off school. Dr Dunbar faked Dahls sickness because he knew Dahl had to see his family and this is why Dr Dunbar is not portrayed as an ogre.

I conclude I strongly disagree that all adults in his childhood are portrayed as ogres. I disagree because adults like his mother and Dr Dunbar are really caring and polite to Dahl. Although many few of the adults like Mr Coombes and Mrs Pratchett are considered ogres by Roald Dahl because of there disgusting manner towards Dahl and his friends.