The BFG

“Suddenly she froze. There was something coming up the street on the opposite side. It was something black…Something tall and black…Something very tall and very black and very thin.”

The BFG is initially characterized as mysterious and malevolent. Suspense builds for both Sophie and the reader as the figure approaches. Roald Dahl pairs the approaching character’s darkness with a sinister air. This language, which has racist undertones, has been redacted in the most recent editions of The BFG.

“The nose was as sharp as a knife, and above the nose there were two bright flashing eyes, and the eyes were staring straight at Sophie. There was a fierce and devilish look about them.”

Suspense builds as the mysterious giant looks at Sophie. The simile “sharp as a knife” is used to characterize the BFG as sinister and terrifying. The BFG’s enormous ears are not detailed, as this feature is more foolish and playful, whereas Dahl initially characterizes him as sinister. This sinister characterization contradicts the BFG’s actual personality.

The mountain was dark blue and all around it the sky was gushing and glistening with light. Bits of pale gold were flying among delicate frosty-white flakes of cloud, and over to one side the rim of the morning sun was coming up red as blood.”

Giant Country is depicted as otherworldly and mystical. The reader understands that they have left behind the known world of the English streets and countryside. This sets the scene for Sophie to learn of the unbelievable existence of nine other even more enormous giants, as well as the adjacent magical Dream Country.

“‘Ha!’ shouted the Giant, walking forward and rubbing his hands together. ‘What has us got here?’ His booming voice rolled around the walls of the cave like a burst of thunder.”

The simile likening the BFG’s voice to thunder emphasizes the intensity of the intimidating sound, and it further contributes to the false characterization of the BFG as a malevolent giant who plans to eat Sophie. The giant rubbing his hands together, as if with excitement before a meal, also conveys this.

“[A]ll human beans is having different flavours. Human beans from Panama is tasting very strongly of hats.”

Word play is introduced as an important comedic feature in The BFG. This pun plays on the fact that Panama is both a country in Central America, as well as a type of hat.

“‘[H]uman beans from Wales is tasting very whooshey of fish. There is something very fishy about Wales.’ ‘You mean whales,’ Sophie said. ‘Wales is something quite different.’”

A play on words is created with the homophones Wales, a country in Britain, and whales, large sea-dwelling mammals. Humorously, the BFG cannot distinguish between these two words, and therefore thinks that it makes a lot of sense that Welsh people taste of whales. The BFG’s garbled manner of speaking is established as Dahl celebrates The Joy of Silliness and Imagination through this characterization.

“I is the only nice and jumbly Giant in Giant Country! I is the THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT! I is the BFG.”

Sophie is relieved to learn that she is staying with the only friendly giant in Giant Country. The reader learns that the BFG’s earlier characterization was a misnomer, and that he is in fact a kind character.

“‘But eating people is horrible!’ Sophie cried. ‘It’s frightful! Why doesn’t someone stop them?’”

Sophie’s indignation alludes to her later scheme to stop the vicious man-eating giants. This signals the important theme, The Victory of the Underdog. The BFG, the smallest and weakest giant, feels powerful to stop the larger giants. Only with Sophie’s help can he use his strengths, dream mixing, to stop the giants.

“‘I hated it,’ Sophie said. ‘The woman who ran it was called Mrs. Clonkers and if she caught you breaking any of the rules, like getting out of bed at night or not folding up your clothes, you got punished.’”

In detailing the orphanage, Sophie establishes herself as a friendless underdog in her own world. As well as signaling The Victory of the Underdog, this alludes to another important theme, The Importance of Friendship. The BFG and Sophie grow close because they are both lonely and friendless.

“‘I would dearly love to have an elefunt to ride on,’ the BFG said dreamily. ‘I would so much love to have a jumbly big elefunt and go riding through green forests picking peachy fruits off the trees all day long. This is a sizzling-hot muckfrumping country we is living in. Nothing grows in it except snozzcumbers. I would love to go somewhere else and pick peachy fruits in the early morning from the back of an elefunt.’”

The BFG’s vivid imagination is illustrated as he views the world uniquely, with an appreciation for its beauty and mysteries. His speeches, combined with his garbled language conjure vivid imagery. This signals the novel’s theme The Joy of Imagination and Silliness.

“‘A dream,’ he said, ‘as it goes whiffling through the night air, is making a tiny little buzzing-humming noise. But this little buzzy-hum is so silvery soft, it is impossible for a human bean to be hearing it.’”

The BFG reveals his secret pastime to Sophie: catching and distributing dreams. This skill allows Sophie to come up with her plan to rid the world of the nine man-eating giants. The BFG’s past time also refers to the recurring theme The Joy of Imagination and Silliness. The value which the BFG places on imaginative mental journeys is illustrated in his decision to dedicate his life to ensuring that many children have pleasurable dreams.

“Whizzpopping is a sign of happiness. It is music to our ears!”

The BFG’s love of whizzpopping symbolizes his joyous approach to life. Whizzpopping explosively amuses and delights the BFG and represents Dahl’s belief in The Joy of Silliness and Imagination. Dahl’s values are epitomized in the character of the BFG, who is silly and imaginative in his beliefs, his way of life, and in his manner of speaking.

“‘Here comes the runty one!’ boomed the Fleshlumpeater. ‘Ho-ho there, runty one! Where is you splatch-winkling away to in such a hefty hurry?’ He shot out an enormous arm and grabbed the BFG by the hair.”

The BFG is further established as the underdog in Giant Country. He is verbally and physically bullied by the other giants, who enjoy taunting and hurting him. The BFG’s eventual triumph over the other giants is more significant considering the power they initially held over him, illustrating the novel’s theme, The Victory of the Underdog.

“‘Ah, you wicked beastie, you!’ he cried, holding up the jar and staring into it. ‘Never more is you going to be bunk-doodling the poor little human-beaney tottlers!’”

The BFG’s hatred of nightmares, and desire to destroy them to avoid any child ever having to experience them, characterizes him as a compassionate character. He devotes his life to ensuring that children have pleasant dreams, even though he receives no thanks or acknowledgement for this.

“I is making myself a marvelus pair of suction boots and when I put them on I is abel to walk strate up the kitshun wall and across the ceiling.”

The carefully labeled and annotated jars detail the contents of each dream. The ability of the BFG to hear the contents of each whispering dream is revealed in the depth of content on the annotated jars. This foreshadows Sophie and the BFG’s plan to design a dream for the Queen.

“‘Grown-up human beans is not famous for their kindnesses. They is all squifflerotters and grinksludgers.’ ‘That simply isn’t true!’ Sophie cried angrily. ‘Some of them are very kind indeed.’ ‘Who?’ the BFG said. ‘Name one.’ ‘The Queen of England,’ Sophie said. ‘You can’t call her a squifflerotter or a grinksludger.’”

The British patriotism inherent in the novel is signaled with Sophie labeling the Queen as the epitome of integrity in human adults. The Queen’s involvement in Sophie’s scheme is hinted as she decries considering the Queen to be a bad person.

“‘If we can’t save tonight’s children, we can anyway save tomorrow’s,’ Sophie said.”

Sophie is characterized as extremely determined in her plan to rid the world of man-eating giants despite overwhelming odds. Her determination helps her to succeed in the plan and she and the BFG save countless lives after developing their friendship, reiterating the story’s theme of The Power of Friendship.

“Slowly, he swivelled his huge right ear until it was like a great shell facing the heavens. He lifted Sophie up and placed her into it. The ear itself, which was about the size of a large tea-tray, was full of the same channels and crinkles as a human ear. It was extremely comfortable.”

Dahl conjures the image of a tiny girl riding comfortably in a giant’s ear as he runs across countries. This is typical of Dahl’s style as humor is created through scenarios that, when pictured, are unrealistic but delightful.

“Suddenly, unexpectedly, the BFG leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek. Sophie felt like crying.”

The growing affection between the BFG and Sophie is illustrated in the BFG gently kissing Sophie. Sophie’s overwhelmed reaction suggests that the loving feelings are mutual between the two unlikely friends.

“I dreamt that as well! I dreamt there would be a little girl sitting on my window-sill in her nightie and she would talk to me.”

The Queen believes the unbelievable events of her dream when they are confirmed by Sophie’s presence. Sophie’s intelligence and ingenuity are demonstrated in the success of the plan and when the Queen agrees to help the BFG and Sophie.

“‘I has Her Majester’s permission!’ cried the BFG, and all at once he let fly with a whizzpopper that sounded as though a bomb had exploded in the room.”

In line with Dahl’s signature style, the loud and musical farting of the 24-foot giant, as he is at breakfast with the Queen, turns the formality of eating with the Queen on its head. He loudly and rudely farts in her presence. The toilet humor appeals to Dahl’s audience of young readers.

“‘I is having early suppers today!’ he shouted, holding the poor squirming soldier at arm’s length and roaring with laughter.”

The cruelty of the Fleshlumpeater is foregrounded in his happy laughter as he holds the terrified soldier, preparing to eat him. The Fleshlumpeater is presented as a foil to the compassionate and kind BFG.

“This is the repulsant snozzcumber, Majester, and that is all we is going to give these digestive giants from now on!”

Poetic justice is achieved when the giants, as penance for a life spent eating humans, are now forced to subsist on the disgusting snozzcumbers. On the other hand, the BFG—who ate snozzcumbers for years to avoid hurting humans—gets to enjoy beautiful food provided by the Queen’s kitchens.