Quotes
“No one ever got rich being honest,” the father said. “Customers are there to be diddled.”
This quote uttered by Mr. Wormwood reflects his deeply ingrained belief in dishonesty as a means of achieving wealth. He says this as a response to Matilda criticizing his used car business, implying it's "unfair" and "cheating customers." His response showcases his moral bankruptcy and his misplaced priority on material gains over ethical practices. The irony lies in the reversal of roles: a young child calling out the immoral behavior of an adult who should be setting a positive example. This reflects the distorted values within the Wormwood household and foreshadows the clash between Matilda's moral compass and her parents' flawed worldview.
“The anger inside her went on boiling and boiling, and as she lay in bed that night she made a decision. She decided that every time her father or her mother was beastly to her, she would get her own back in some way or another. A small victory or two would help her to tolerate their idiocities and would stop her from going crazy.”
This quote marks a turning point for Matilda. Frustrated by her neglectful parents and yearning for agency, she decides to fight back with pranks. This allows her to challenge the power dynamics in her life and reclaim a sense of control, while also highlighting the vulnerability of children under adult authority. They may lack physical strength, but they find creative ways to assert their individuality and resist oppressive expectations. In Matilda's case, pranks become her weapon against neglect, offering a "small victory" and a means to survive in a world that fails to see her.
“I said you chose books and I chose looks,” Mrs Wormwood said. “And who’s finished up the better off? Me, of course. I’m sitting pretty in a nice house with a successful businessman and you’re left slaving away teaching a lot of nasty little children the ABC.”
Mrs. Wormwood's statement shows her superficiality and misguided priorities. By contrasting "books" with "looks," she equates intellectual pursuits with failure and prioritizes outward appearances over substance. It's ironic that, despite being a mother, she calls children "nasty," revealing a fundamental disconnect and lack of empathy towards her children. Her focus on a "nice house" and "successful businessman" further emphasizes her obsession with materialistic comfort. At a deeper level, this statement embodies the societal pressures on women to prioritize vanity and superficial success while devaluing intellectual growth. Ultimately, Mrs. Wormwood's flawed perspective sets her on a path of shallow comfort and missed opportunities, contrasting starkly with the true value and fulfillment found in genuine connections and intellectual pursuits.
“All the reading she had done had given her a view of life that they had never seen. If only they would read a little Dickens or Kipling they would soon discover there was more to life than cheating people and watching television.”
This quote underscores the transformative power of reading. Matilda, fueled by her literary immersion, sees the world through a lens her parents lack. Dickens and Kipling's stories expose her to diverse perspectives, values, and possibilities, shaping her worldview beyond the narrow confines her parents impose. Their priorities, focused on material gain and mindless entertainment, leave them blind to the richness and complexity of life offered by literature. Matilda's lament highlights the stark contrast between her intellectual pursuits and their shallowness, further emphasizing the importance of books in her personal growth and the limitations imposed by her environment.
