54 pages • 1 hour read
Roald DahlThe Twits
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1980A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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BetaCharacter Analysis
Mr. Twit
Mr. Twit is one of the main characters of the novel. The character was inspired by Dahl’s hatred of beards, which he had been known to malign publicly. His attitude toward and descriptions of Mr. Twit’s beard in the opening chapters are a direct line to Dahl’s feelings. The narrator states that Mr. Twit “felt that this hairiness made him look terrifically wise and grand” (4), and this detail reflects the disdain with which Dahl viewed men who grew beards. In this way, Mr. Twit is both a character in the story and a vehicle for the author to share his opinions. It’s been said that The Twits was inspired by Dahl’s dislike for beards, so the book raises the question of whether art should be considered on its own merits or as an extension of the author.
Mrs. Twit
Mrs. Twit is the other main character of the novel. Like Mr. Twit, she is cruel and ugly, but unlike Mr. Twit, who has always been this way, Mrs. Twit was once beautiful, made ugly by years of ugly thoughts. The narrator notes that having ugliness on the inside eventually makes a person ugly on the outside. Behind her appearance, there was nothing but unkindness, and at the time of the story, “Nothing good shone out of Mrs. Twit’s face” (10). Mrs. Twit also demonstrates that people have control over who they become. She chose meanness and cruelty, and she could only hide that ugliness of character for so long. After a certain point, her unkindness manifested externally.
Muggle-Wump
Muggle-Wump, a recurring character in Dahl’s works, appears in The Twits, The Enormous Crocodile (1978), and The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (1985). The Muggle-Wump of Dahl’s universe repeatedly says that he is not the best thinker but that he sometimes has grand ideas. The character himself represents how Teamwork Brings Us Together and the importance of strong leadership. Able to unite the other animals to get back at the Twits, he ultimately lets the monkeys escape and return home.
Roly-Poly Bird
The Roly-Poly Bird appears in several of Dahl’s works, including The Twits, The Enormous Crocodile, and Dirty Beasts (1983). Like the monkeys in The Twits, the Roly-Poly Bird is from Africa and speaks two languages, making him a vital part of the book’s plot. While the bird mostly exists as comic relief, he also represents the importance of breaking down communication barriers and being helpful to others regardless of what language they speak or where they are from.
Related Titles
By Roald Dahl
