Roald Dahl – Boy : Tales of childhood

Boy by Roald Dahl is a collection of true stories that happened to Dahl when he was a boy, as he says in his introduction “Some are funny. Some are painful. Some are unpleasant.” 

Your tasks are to:

·        Read Boy

·        Do this online quiz to see if you have understood the main elements in the book: http://www.roalddahlfans.com/games/quiz.php?quizID=1

·        Create a class website related to Boy

The class website should include the following sections: 

You should find out information on the web about Roald Dahl (see  http://www.roalddahlfans.com/index.php or http://www.roalddahl.com/ or go on to Google - http://www.google.fr/). Include all the interesting information you can find, DO NOT copy and paste information, read it and select the useful bits and then put it into your own words. Remember the book gives you all the information you need about his childhood. 

Write a summary of the story including all the major events that take place in Dahl’s childhood  

Choose your favourite passage(s) in the book and state briefly what happens and then write a paragraph to explain why you chose the passage. 

In the book there are passges that talk about corporal punishment (the cane), explain what happens in the book and then write a few paragraphs to exlain what your opinion on caning is and why. Should we introduce caning here at IST ? Perhaps it would be a good way to control unruly students or teachers. What do you think? 

There are lots of practical jokes in the book. Describe what happens with each one then provide examples of some that you have played on people or that you have heard of someone else playing on people. 

List the sweets that are mentioned in the book and write a list of your favourite sweets and say why you like each one. Invent ten delicious new sweets of your own with names to make the mouth water in anticipation! (use adjectives, metaphors, connotations) and  think of a gruesome process for the way your sweets are made (remember the rat’s blood liquorice!) . Finally, invent and describe a hideous sweet shop owner – even Mrs Pratchett should seem nice in comparison. 

Roald Dahl tells us about his family holidays when he was a child, write an account of one of your holidays. Include details about where you went, what you did, who you went with, what you enjoyed and what you didn’t enjoy.   

Make a list of what you would put in your tuck box if you had one, say why you have chosen each item. 

In your own words describe some of the injuries or accidents that happen in the book.

 In the book some of Dahl’s teachers seem awful, others are funny, either invent your own terrible teacher or describe some of your actual or past teachers; remember you had better change their name if you are going to say that they weren’t very nice like Mr Hardcastle – here are some example names:

Mr Thwackem, Mrs Starchshirt, Miss Twitch, Mr Hardnail … or make up your own. 

Tales of my childhood

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