Analysing the illustrations in Matilda: Miss Trunchbull.

By: Kristian Granås

Matilda by Roald Dahl is a book about a small child named Matilda who possesses an extraordinary power, and her struggle dealing with her family at home and the principal, Miss Trunchbull, at her school. Roald Dahl describes Miss Trunchbull in an excellent way with the use of his words, however this text will focus on the how the illustrator Quentin Blake uses his illustration to make Miss Trunchbull a mean character that all the child and adults alike fear.

So how does Quenting Blake and Roald Dahl use illustrations to make Miss Trunchbull a fearsome character?

Introducing Miss Trunchbull.
p. 1.
In the very first page of the book there is an illustration of the all characters that play a part in the story. The illustration of Miss Trunchbull is different to say the least! Miss Trunchbull has a stern expression in her face, and is in fact the only person to look quite unhappy of all the 8 characters being introduced. So the readers get to make an early assumption on how Miss Trunchbull acts just by looking at the first page.


Amanda Thripp vs. Miss Trunchbull.
  p. 107
This next illustration shows Miss Trunchbull standing over a quite baffled girl named Amanda Thripp. In this illustration you can clearly see the enormous size of the Miss Trunchbull, especially if we are comparing her to the small Amanda Thripp. Miss Trunchbull is also pointing a huge finger at the girl, so you can assume that the girl supposedly did something the vast giant didn’t adore (in this case it was because Thripp had her hair in pigtails).


Miss Trunchbull, the former athlete. 

p. 108 and 143.

These two next illustrations display Miss Trunchbull demonstrating her brute force. The two pictures also shows terrified children in the background, while Miss Trunchbull is punishing another child. This is obviously a quite scary illustration, and it is understandable that the children in the background (and maybe even the readers) are terrified.  

Although both pictures show off a mighty principal, I find the first illustration most fascinating. Miss Trunchbull is actually smiling! She is obviously quite happy and satisfied by spinning the small girl above her head (before she throws her out the window). I believe this just emphasise her hatred for small children, and her exhilaration by showing off her former athlete strength. It is no big mystery that Miss Trunchbull, only by looking at the illustrations, is a most fearsome character.



Sources.

Dahl. R (1988) – Matilda – Puffin Books.