THE VULNERABILITY BEHIND THE TERROR: AN ADLERIAN SKETCH OF AGATHA TRUNCHBULL FROM ROALD DAHL’S MATILDA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhgyan.v1.i1.2023.9Keywords:
Roald Dahl, Matilda, Villainy, Trunchbull, Adlerian Individual Psychology, Alfred Adler, Inferiority, SuperiorityAbstract [English]
The paper provides a brief introduction to Roald Dahl, one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time. Aside from witty punch lines, fascinating worlds and iconic literary characters, Dahl’s works serve as a reservoir of diverse villains. The paper focuses on Matilda’s tyrannical villain Agatha Trunchbull, well-known for her outrageous savagery. For anybody familiar with Dahl’s work, the villain deserves strong condemnation for her child-endangering actions. The paper takes a psychological approach to explain the hostile nature of Miss Trunchbull utilizing the theory of Individual Psychology as postulated by Alfred Adler. It constitutes an attempt to unravel the psychological vulnerabilities that plague the menacing villain.
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