The BFG

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I'm not going to lie, I'm rather disappointed with BFG (which I've never read before)-- but is the favorite Dahl book of many of my friends. I found it to be pretty grating and not that pleasant a read for the following reasons: There is something intrinsically frightening about giants, especially the thought of giants snatching children (or indeed anyone), out of bed at night with a hand through the window, and this is exactly how The BFG begins, with the orphan Sophie, (named for Dahl's grand daughter), seeing a tall thin giant on the street of her village and promptly being kidnapped by him and taken off to his cave in Giant country. I love the BFG's speech - so original. The tale is loads of fun. The fact that the giant gives people good dreams is enough to convince me he is a Big friendly Giant. There are beautiful moments in this story and I am impressed by how unique the story is. James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the chocolate factory are better, but not by much. This is a fantastic story. It actually amazes me rereading the novel now just how much of the action involves simply an on running dialogue between Sophie and The BFG, ranging on subjects from the constitution of dreams, to the number of amazing noises The BFG can hear with his giant ears, to a rather stark discussion of the ethics of the other giants eating of humans when contrasted against the way we treat our own species. It is surprising just how much terror and wonder, and how much of a boundless, colourful world Dahl can create simply by having a 24 foot tall giant and a little girl talking to each other. While Dahl's skills as a wordsmith and indeed word mangler are evident in all of his works for children, the BFG is arguably where he indulged in this most. Everything from small exclamations such as "by gum frog!" to alterations in usual phrases like "Let’s wait for the gun and flames to begin!" make the BFG, both the titular character and the work he comes from a truly delightful and unique reading experience.

Roald Dahl challenge week three: The BFG | National Literacy Roald Dahl challenge week three: The BFG | National Literacy

Like many others, I remember the Roald Dahl books that I read, or had read to me, during my childhood fondly, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and especially, Matilda. Perhaps because I expected to have the same childhood reading adventure as I had with those books, I liked, but did not love, The BFG. I think that Dahl's idea for the story is a creative one, but little things, such as the puns on the names of countries when the BFG describes the taste of "human beans" in those countries, or what I think were stereotypical remarks at the end of the novel. For instance, when Dahl describes thankful world leaders bestowing gifts upon Sophie and the BFG for saving their people from man-eating giants, he writes that "The Rule of India sent the BFG a magnificent elephant...The King of Arabia sent them a camel each. The Lama of Tibet sent them a llama each" (pp. 204-5). However, to me, the worst line was when the Queen of England called the Sultan, "next best thing" to a Lord Mayor to ask him whether any of his subjects had mysteriously disappeared recently, and he responds, "Every night unpleasant things are happening in Baghdad...We are chopping off people's heads like you are chopping parsley" (p. 174). Read the play version of the story and prepare your own performance. You could also use this video for inspiration: Sophie, an orphan, is taken away by a giant named BFG (Big Friendly Giant) as she sees him in the witching hour (a time when everyone is sleeping and giants show up). He takes her away because he is afraid that she will tell everyone and he will be in danger. BFG is a good giant. But his fellows aren't. They eat humans. But BFG don't. He considers it immoral. When Sophie learns this, she makes a plan with BFG to stop them. The BFG then explains that he must stay with her forever, as no one can know of his existence. He warns her of the dangers of leaving his cave, as his neighbors are sure to eat her if they catch her. The BFG then explains what he was doing with the trumpet and suitcase. He catches dreams, stores them in the cave, and then gives the good ones to children all around the world. He destroys the bad ones. The BFG then explains that he only eats snozzcumbers, which are disgusting vegetables that taste of frogskins. Another giant, the Bloodbottler, then storms in. Sophie hides in a snozzcumber and is nearly eaten by the Bloodbottler.Using the BFG theme is perfect for teaching topics that children might otherwise shy away from and find difficult. Our huge range of BFG activities and sheets range from drama activities to prepositional phrase skills. These are great to use in the classroom to whip up some confidence and creativity in children. Roald Dahl was always creative with his language so see if your class can replicate his amazing work. Roald Dahl lists the characters (including humans and giants) in the book at the start. Could you write a sentence / paragraph to describe each one? For example, people from Greece taste greasy while people from Panama taste of hats. The giant then says that he will not eat her as he is the Big Friendly Giant, or BFG for short.

The BFG Summary | GradeSaver The BFG Summary | GradeSaver

After this, Sophie and the BFG vow to make the other giants disappear. The BFG and Sophie then partake in some frobscottle, which is a carbonated liquid that causes extreme flatulence. After this, the two go to Dream Country to catch some dreams and the BFG shows Sophie his collection of dreams. Later, Sophie has an idea on how to beat the other giants. She has the BFG give the Queen of England a dream that shows the malevolent giants. This frightens the Queen and wakes her up, at which point Sophie explains that her dream was real. The Queen then vows to help the two.

If you didn’t dream, maybe you could write about your best dream ever! You could even keep a dream diary for a whole week if you want to. You are once again gobblefunking!' the Giant shouted. 'Don't do it! This is a serious and snitching subject. May I continue?' 'Please do,' Sophie said. 'Danes from Denmark is tasting ever so much of dogs,' the Giant went on. 'Of course,' Sophie said. 'They taste of great danes.' 'Wrong!' cried the Giant, slapping his thigh. 'Danes from Denmark is tasting doggy because they is tasting of labradors!' 'Then what do the people of Labrador taste of?' Sophie asked. 'Danes,' the Giant cried, triumphantly. 'Great danes!' 'Aren't you getting a bit mixed up?' Sophie said. 'I is a very mixed up Giant,' the Giant said. 'But I does do my best. And I is not nearly as mixed up as the other giants. I know one who gallops all the way to Wellington for his supper.' 25 As you will gather, one of the most major themes in the BFG is Dahl's wonderful use of language and humour, especially regarding the giants dining habits. All of the giants, but in particular The BFG himself speak in a decidedly unusual fashion, using a plethora of invented words, spoonerisms and puns, indeed as a child I regularly used terms like "Gloryumptious" or "Boot bogglers" as a matter of course. I grinned from ear to ear, I laughed out loud, and I even nodded in grave seriousness. These are the reactions The BFG had evoked from me. Before seeing the new film adaptation I decided it was time to revisit one of Roald Dahl's classics. The BFG, which is worryingly now exactly as old as I am, was probably my favourite of the Dahl books as a child, as well as paradoxically being the one that scared me most.