User:Student.Madeline/The Witches (novel)/Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

Bald, Margaret. Literature Suppressed on Religious Grounds. Rev. ed., Facts On File, 2006.


 * Waiting on library request

Curtis, James M., and James M. Curtis. “‘We Have a Great Task Ahead of Us!’: Child-Hate in Roald Dahl’s The Witches.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 45, no. 2, Springer Netherlands, 2014, pp. 166–77, doi:10.1007/s10583-013-9207-6.


 * Curtis’s article is an analysis of Dahl’s The Witches in both a historical and modern day lense. Curtis makes the argument that the mistreatment of children depicted in the novel allows it to be banned so commonly due to the idea that child-hate is worse in the novel than it has in the historical past and presence.

Carrick, Robert. "Roald Dahl." British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers, 1918-1960, edited by Darren Harris-Fain, Gale, 2002. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 255. Gale Literature Resource Center, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1200010566/LitRC?u=wash43584&sid=LitRC&xid=d0c415a3


 * Robert’s biography on Roald Dahl and his works is very enlightening for the background and initial reception of Dahl’s work The Witches. Robert writes that Dahl was “well satisfied” with his novel, and that the background for it was based on Dahl’s own life; the narrator’s grandmother was modeled on Sofie Dahl. It is also noted that the ending is a departure from Dahl’s usual “all-problem-solving finish.”

"DIRECTORS." Variety, 2020, pp. 118-128. ProQuest, https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/magazines/directors/docview/2486551533/se-2?accountid=11091.


 * This article has less information about the recent adaptation of the film than I was hoping it might have. It did include the important information that the film which was originally supposed to be released in theaters was released on HBO Max in October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Could be helpful in the section on film adaptations

Hulbert, and Ann. “Roald the Rotten: Biography; Review.” New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast), New York Times Company, 1994. ( https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/01/books/roald-the-rotten.html?searchResultPosition=1 )


 * This provides background information to Dahl’s life, which is important in understanding the background of the novel. It also includes information on the background and publication process of the novel; Stephen Roxburgh was revealed to be the source of the most help in the reworking of The Witches.

Karolides, Nicholas J. Censored Books II : Critical Viewpoints, 1985-2000. Scarecrow Press, 2002. ( https://wrlc-gu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_GUNIV/g1pe53/alma991016815709704111 )


 * I am waiting for the interlibrary loan request for this book (only chapter 62 is needed).

Mitchell, J. (2012). 'A sort of mouse-person': Radicalizing gender in the Witches. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/undefined/sort-mouse-person-radicalizing-gender-em-witches/docview/2152734069/se-2?accountid=11091


 * This article by Mitchell offers an analysis on the role of gender in the work by Dahl. The author discusses criticisms leveled against Dahl for his “misogynist” description of witches, but also brings an analysis of how the work can be beneficial to queer children. This would be useful for the analysis section.

"Not in front of the Censors." Times, 24 Nov. 1986, p. 17. The Times Digital Archive, link-gale-com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/apps/doc/IF0501705547/TTDA?u=wash43584&sid=TTDA&xid=f218ad5c. Accessed 18 Apr. 2021.


 * This article from the 1980’s mentions a case in which Dahl’s work was banned in the UK. This could be used for the section on censorship.

Schultz, William Todd. “Finding Fate’s Father: Some Life History Influences on Roald Dahl’s.” Biography (Honolulu), 1998, pp. 463–81–.


 * This source deals mainly with early life influences that affect Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Other sources deal better with influence for The Witches.

Waldron, Ann. "CHILDREN'S BOOKS." Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct 30, 1983. ProQuest, https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/newspapers/childrens-books/docview/1822257214/se-2?accountid=11091.


 * This is a newspaper article reviewing The Witches from 1983, the year of its publication. Waldron advises parents to not give the book to overly sensitive children, which may play a role in possible censorship of the book.