Happy birthday, Mr. Dahl

Yesterday was Roald Dahl Day – his birthday, as well as a day now set aside to commemorate this wonderful author and his beloved books.

I can’t remember which came first, but these two memories stand out as my first encounters with the author. One was a friend giving me a copy of The BFG back in primary school; another was being introduced to The Twits during one of those holiday programs at the British Council that my mom sent my brother and I to.

Dahl’s books always had a special place in my heart; for me, he’s not just a children’s author, but an author that caters to all ages. I still reread his books whenever I go back home (where all my copies of his books are at the moment). His stories are not ones of candy-floss, fantasy and fluff, but often there is an dark element beneath the facade, and I think that’s what really draws me towards him. The BFG contains horrendous child-hating giants (not exactly typical fare of children’s books); the Twits – well, they are the most revolting couple. But I think kids being kids, Dahl probably understood what makes children tick – what might disgust an adult usually appears delightful to them.

The Witches stands out in particular off the top of my head now for having an unconventional ending; I say unconventional because [spoiler] Luke does not go back to being a real human being at the end of the story (unlike the movie adaptation, but that’s another story). I always love that bit at the end where he converses with his grandmother about the lifespans of mice, and musing over how much longer his grandmother might live – it’s such a bittersweet ending that contrasts deeply with Disney-like happy endings. Each time I arrive at the ending, I find myself sighing, feeling somewhere between satisfied and devastated for Luke, and a yearning to want more of Luke and grandmother and how they live out the rest of their limited time on earth.

Then there’s his short stories too that are catered for an older audience, and most have that quirky dark humour as well. I won’t go into details lest I bore you all.

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On a (final) note, I don’t know how other Dahl fans feel, but seeing the trailer and general look of the ‘coming-to-the-theaters-soon-near-you’ Fantastic Mr. Fox was a bit of a disappointment. Okay, very disappointing. Let’s not even talk about the A-list Hollywood cast they procured for the voices. Personally I really don’t like the concept they came up with for Fantastic Mr. Fox on the big screen. Don’t get me wrong – stop-motion animation is one of my favourite medium, but what I had in mind when I first heard of the adaptation format was something along the designs of Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep-sort of style (which are done excellently imo). But the trailer revealed a … I don’t know how to describe it. Garish. (Even the word leaves a nasty aftertaste.)

Adaptations, unless done well, should leave their sources alone to the reader’s own imagination. But then again, “well-done” is subjective.

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Anyway! Enough of my bookworm rants.

Mid-sem break next week… Yay. I want to go watch (500) Days of Summer!

And I finally caught Up in the cinema! Watched the 3D version – I don’t think there’s any noticeable differences from the normal one, actually. 3D animations have been rather underwhelming thus far. And for some inexplicable reason, when I watched Up, they didn’t show the short that usually comes with it! I am so disappointed. I think it’s because we chose to watch it in 3D, but that’s just ridiculous. Anyway, I enjoyed it immensely… I think I’m just too sensitive, but the touching scenes between Carl and Ellie really brought tears to my eyes (the time montage, no dialogue is superb). Having said that, what is actually a very simple plot and concept was accomplished outstandingly, but I think I still very much prefer Pixar’s older works. Put it this way: I will probably watch Monsters, Inc. or Ratatouille countless times, but I probably won’t want to watch Up again (at least not in the cinema). Incidentally, Cars remain the lowest on my Pixar films list; Toy Story and its sequel was rewatched countless times in my younger days (thanks to my youngest brother who somehow never tire of it), and up till today I can still remember lines from the films (yes, that’s how ’sad’ we became – my siblings and I would end up reciting lines along with the film – and outside of film).

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It’s already mid-September. Week 8 of the semester. Too fast. I should be back in Brunei mid-December, and I can’t wait already… been feeling a little homesick the past few weeks too, don’t know why… maybe it’s just because the year’s drawing to a close. In addition, a recent incident made me realize how much my family means to me, and I want to just be home. Saturday and bad telecommunications system was not a pleasant experience… (Karen, you know I received all your SMS-es today!)

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Anyway. I’ll update again when I feel another verbal diarrhoea coming on. (I realize I tend to update in huge blocks of text.)

Words that still ring true.

“Religion!” said St. Clare, in a tone that made both ladies look at him. “Religion! Is what you hear at church, religion? Is that which can bend and turn, and descend and ascend, to fit every crooked phase of selfish, worldly society, religion? Is that religion which is less scrupulous, less generous, less just, less considerate for man, than even my own ungodly, worldly, blinded nature? No! When I look for a religion, I must look for something above me, and not something beneath.”

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

I’ve been positively blazing through Uncle Tom’s Cabin, that great American classic work by Beecher Stowe over the past few days, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more moved. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this touched by a novel, in no part due, of course, to its theme of slavery that Beecher Stowe speaks against so strongly through her characters and the morals expounded by the author as well.

I’m amazed by this Christian woman, who lived so many centuries before us, who made such an impact. In fact, this novel has been particularly described as almost reading like a sermon, due to her many reflective interjections in between narration. The injustice of slavery and push for abolitionism in nineteenth century America had reached a new high, and Beecher Stowe addresses this so eloquently, weaving a rich tale around characters that will either endear themselves to you, or repulse you.

The quote I’ve taken from the novel above seems to me the epitomization of the morally (and immorally) driven characters, Christian or not; and in this fiction, the truth in her words resonate so deeply within me – words that still ring true well into the 21st century.