The characters in this extract all seem to have something interesting about them. The young Dahl and his friends are devilish boys who love candy and nasty pranks. They have a diabolical delight in their exploits, which happens to include the plan of placing a dead mouse in the candy store owner’s candy jar. This excerpt seems to be all about boyhood--about the many things that boys everywhere know and do and fear and learn. They have to pass the shop every day on their way to school. The lady that owns the shop, Mrs. Pratchett, is a “filthy and disgusting” woman. None of the boy’s like her, and one day they decide to fool around with her, which portrays their mischievousness. Roald, in particular, can be considered trustworthy, friendly, and outgoing, however, the reader also perceives him as a profound thinker. This is evident by the fact that he contemplates things like “our moments of brilliance and glory”. The character Mrs. Pratchett is also an interesting antagonist. She seems to have a horrible personality based on the youth’s perspective of her, as she does not wash her hands very often and is very fat. However, Dahl would be the type of person to remember the importance of sweets, or the horror of a nasty lady behind the counter or conducting a scheme simply for the sake of childhood. This gives us the impression of his heroic nature, at least in the eyes of his friends, who are young but strong-willed.

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3 years ago