Betty and Books

Why was the story "James and the Giant Peach" banned?

When a book is banned, the negative responses generally reflect the ideas, ethics, beliefs, or fears within society during the period of banishment. In some cases, a book is involved in the process of acceptance and rejection several times during its life cycle; this is the case with the children’s story, James and the Giant Peach, published in 1960 by the author, Roald Dahl. The structure of the story features a boy who loses his parents and is sent to live with his cruel aunts. After a mystic and divine intervention, he finds an escape from his terrible life by traveling in an enormous peach. He meets lively and artistic insect characters inside the giant peach who show him the meaning of true love and friendship.

            James and the Giant Peach struck a dissonant chord with audiences all over the United States. Florida banned the book due to the images of James’ two aunts, Sponge and Spiker. The aunts verbally and physically abuse James, forced him to do all the work around their house, and they do not feed him regularly. The aunts are also prideful and constantly concerned with how “beautiful” they perceive themselves to be, but in reality both aunts are described as ugly. Protestors claimed the description of the aunts cause children to question their outward appearances and question themselves in regards to what is acceptable or attractive in the eyes of peers. Critics also disliked the death of the aunts; they were both rolled over and squashed by the giant peach. The character descriptions of the aunts are vivid, and graphic; however, such depictions are necessary as Dahl uses the imagery to support the grotesque and hateful personas of the two aunts. Structurally speaking, in regards to the plot of the literature, a conflict (cruel aunts) and resolve of that dilemma (death) is necessary for a well-written and entertaining hero’s journey.

            Wisconsin banned the book for profanities because the word “ass” makes approximately three appearances. Also, the character, Grasshopper, speaks of alcohol and tobacco use once. Critics see racism in the book when Grasshopper states, “I’d rather be fried alive and eaten by a Mexican.” (Dahl, 90). Wisconsin banned the book for sexual references. The female spider character is seen as a sexual symbol because she “licks her lips”. Some people see the Wisconsin interpretations of the book as petty and a far reach of actual meaning. If these are reasons for banishing children’s stories, then Sunday school lessons might as well be banned too.

            Other reasons for banishment include disobedience to authority figures, the mystical elements of the magic crocodile tongues given to James by an old man, and the supernatural oversized peach. Ohio banned James and the Giant Peach because of the promotion of communism.

            If viewing the book through a literary Marxist filter, some communist ideals emerge. First, while the aunts are still alive they try to make money from showcasing the peach, charging admission for viewers to experience an aspect of the natural world, even though the peach was chemically or magically enhanced. James lives off the grid, free from authority after his aunts are killed, and James becomes self-sufficient. When he and his friends need food, they eat the peach. When James needs a boat, he floats in the peach. When he needed a hot air balloon, he creatively fashioned the peach to serve that function. The insect creatures he meets inside the peach become his friends. They help each other with their own special talents and represent a free-thinking, communal government. In example, the grasshopper is the musician; he plays music with his legs which is described as a violin sound. His music, songwriting, and dancing soothes and entertains the others. Spider is the weaver, an artist with thread and in several instances aids James when he needs a rope. She also weaves their beds. Earthworm explains to James that he is the most important character because “every grain of soil upon the surface of the land, every tiny little bit of soil that you can see has actually passed through the body of an Earthworm during the last few years.”(Dahl, 74).  The previous statement given by earthworm and the concept of the peach sum up one of the themes of the book (the possible theme causing the most rejection of the book): the natural world will overcome the industrial. The concept is supported at the end of the book when the giant peach lands on top of spike of the Empire State building in New York City. James practices the love he has learned from his insect friends and shares the peach with everyone in the city. After the peach is eaten, James is still independent; he carves out the center of the seed, the pit of the peach, and calls it home while inviting in as many visitors that would like to stop by and hear his story of self-reliance.

     This is an imaginative story for adults and children; the children enjoy the fun characters and mystical elements, while there are obvious social and political overtones for adults. Other than suppression of these ideas, I see no reason why the government should banish the book.