Masaryk University

Faculty of Education

Department of English Language and Literature

Fat Shaming in Children’s Literature

Diploma Thesis

Brno 2020

Supervisor: Mgr. Pavla Buchtová Author: Bc. Veronika Jirků

Declaration

I hereby declare that I worked on the following thesis on my own and that I used only the sources listed in the bibliography.

Prohlášení

Prohlašuji, že jsem závěrečnou diplomovou práci vypracovala samostatně, s využitím pouze citovaných literárních zdrojů, dalších informací a zdrojů v souladu s Disciplinárním řádem pro studenty Pedagogické fakulty Masarykovy university a se zákonem č. 121/2000 Sb. o právu autorském, o právech souvisejících s právem autorským a o změně některých zákonů (autorský zákon), ve znění pozdějších předpisů.

V Brně dne 15.4.2020 ………………………...

Bc. Veronika Jirků

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Mgr. Pavla Buchtová for the useful comments, remarks and engagement through the learning process of this thesis. I would also like to thank my loved ones, who have supported me throughout the entire process.

Annotation

This thesis seeks to examine the issue of fat shaming in children’s literature, namely in selected works by Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling, two authors who are known for their writing aimed at young audiences. It aims to analyse the attitudes towards fatness in their work and to identify the stereotypical patterns of fat shaming. The selected works by Roald Dahl include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. For its extend, the analysis of works by Joanne Rowling includes only the first book of her famous Harry Potter series – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Apart from the analysis, the thesis acquaints the reader with the background of the 20th-century children’s literature. Furthermore, it highlights the significance and controversy of children’s literature. Moreover, the history of attitudes towards fat shaming and its occurrence in various media is summarized altogether with an introduction to the body positive movement advocating for positive body image. The thesis also provides a comprehensive insight into the issue of fat shaming in literature aimed at young audiences before analysing it in the selected children’s books. A chapter regarding the lives and works of Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling provides sufficient background for the analysis.

Keywords children’s literature, fat shaming, fatphobia, stereotypes, obesity, stigma, Roald Dahl, Joanne Rowling

Anotace

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou předpojatosti vůči nadváze (fat shaming) v dětské literatuře, konkrétně ve vybraných dílech z tvorby Roalda Dahla a Joanne Rowlingové, aturorů dobře známých pro jejich tvorbu mířenou na dětské publikum. Tato práce si klade za cíl analyzovat předpojatost vůči nadváze v jejich díle a identifikovat případné stereotypické vzorce týkající se dané problematiky. Z děl Roalda Dahla jsou analýze podrobeny knihy Karlík a továrna na čokoládu, Fantastický pan Lišák a Matylda. Z důvodu velkého rozsahu knih z tvorby Joanne Rowlingové zahrnuje analýza jejích děl pouze první díl ságy o Harrym Potterovi – Harry Potter a Kámen mudrců.

Kromě již zmíněné analýzy práce seznamuje čtenáře s kontextem literatury pro děti ve 20. století a upozorňuje na její důležitost i kontroverzi. Dále je nastíněna historie negativního postoje vůči nadváze včetně jeho přítomnosti v médiích a také vznik takzvaného „body positive movement“. Před samotnou analýzou vybraných děl práce poskytuje obecný vhled do dané problematiky v kontextu literatury pro mladé publikum. Za účelem zajištění dostatečného kontextu pro danou analýzu je jedna kapitola věnována životu a práci obou vybraných autorů.

Klíčová slova dětská literatura, předpojatost, nadváha, stereotypy, tloušťka, stigma, Roald Dahl, Joanne Rowlingová

Content

Introduction ...... 7 1 Children’s literature ...... 8 1.1 Definition ...... 8 1.2 The 20th century ...... 10 1.3 Significance of children’s literature ...... 13 1.4 Issues in children’s literature ...... 14 2 From fatphobia to body positivity ...... 18 2.1 The beginning of the movement ...... 18 2.2 Fat shaming and fatphobia ...... 20 2.3 Children and body image ...... 21 3 Fat stereotypes in literature for children and young adults ...... 23 4 The selected authors ...... 26 4.1 The life and work of Roald Dahl ...... 26 4.2 Roald Dahl and criticism ...... 28 4.3 The life and work of Joanne Rowling ...... 29 4.4 Joanne Rowling and criticism ...... 33 5 Roald Dahl and fat shaming ...... 36 5.1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ...... 36 5.2 Fantastic Mr Fox ...... 42 5.3 Matilda ...... 45 6 Joanne Rowling and fat shaming ...... 54 6.1 Vernon Dursley ...... 54 6.2 Dudley Dursley ...... 58 6.3 Hagrid ...... 64 6.4 Mrs Weasley ...... 67 6.5 Neville Longbottom ...... 69 6.6 Crabbe and Goyle ...... 75 6.7 The Fat Lady ...... 77 7 Two authors, two approaches ...... 79 7.1 The attitudes towards fat shaming ...... 79 7.2 The differences and similarities in stereotyping ...... 83 Conclusion ...... 89 Bibliography ...... 91

Introduction

Readers most often view children’s literature as a harmless genre that serves to entertain, to warn or to explain. What remains unnoticed are its problematic features that might do more damage than good to the self-perception of the children who are reading it. These problematic features regard violence, sexual motives or the presence of biased opinions, including bias against fatness. This thesis deals with the issue of fat shaming and fatphobia in selected works of children’s literature written in the second half of the 20th century, namely in the works of Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling.

Roald Dahl is one of the most acclaimed authors of children’s books despite his works’ often questionable content. One of the features of Dahl’s writing includes the issue of vilifying fat characters which this thesis examines in detail in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. The thesis also analyses a more contemporary literary piece – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the beginning of a world- known saga about a young wizard written by Joan Rowling. All four books are analysed in detail to map the way the two authors approach fatness.

The idea for this topic was born from my interest in modern body-positive movements which allowed me to see many of my favourite books from a different perspective. I began to perceive fat shame not only in media such as television, commercials or movies aimed at adults but also in children’s literature. As a teacher of very young learners, I realize that books can have a significant influence on children’s thinking. For this reason, I believe that fat shame appearing in children’s literature is an issue worth discussing.

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1 Children’s literature 1.1 Definition

Children’s literature is widely enjoyed not only by children but also by adults. It is timeless, versatile and powerful. Since the beginnings of its existence, it took many forms and went through many transformations allowing its immortality and relevance in the modern world.

The timelessness of children’s literature is rooted in passing the books and stories from generation to generation. Further contributing to its immortality is the fact that children are less likely to refuse a book for the sole reason of it seeming old or outdated (Hunt, 1994, p. 8). Many motives are being recycled in children’s literature which allows it to take on a modern form while its essential features remain the same.

In its early stages, children’s literature took the form of fairy tales, folk tales, myth narratives and legends which were passed through centuries either orally or in its written form. Nowadays, children’s literature is a much broader concept carrying the signs of the modern era including e-books, fan fiction and even computer games that are inclusive of a storyline (Reynolds, 2011, p. 2). Though the area of children’s literature is rooted in preliterate times, it has not begun to be established as an area of literature until the 1950s (Hunt, 1994, p. 9).

While children’s literature may seem like an easily definable area, there are some issues in naming its features and forms. The term “children’s literature” includes texts that are intended to be read by children and young people, commonly published by children publishers and shelved in the responding section of bookshops and libraries (Reynolds, 2011, p. 1). This seemingly straightforward definition can potentially include a wide range of written materials that are aimed at children or young adult audience. The following paragraphs focus more on the problematic aspects of defining this area of literature.

To start with, nowadays, the variety of children’s literature is so extensive that it is challenging to name the defining features of its form or content. Some features can be labelled as a common denominator such as the presence of pictures, larger font, the shortness of text, central characters who are children and specific recurring language.

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These features, however, do not suffice to define the area of children’s literature and, what is even more problematic, their occurrence is not a rule (Hunt, 1994, p. 12).

Secondly, some features are considered taboo in literary texts aimed at children such as the presence of sexual motives, moral ambiguity or violence. As a result, children’s literature’s most desirable feature is innocence. While this feature might seem like the most straightforward one, some of the listed taboo topics are vital in many of the oldest tales primarily aimed at children audiences, not to mention their consecutive appearance in contemporary literature for children.

Another problem with defining the area of children’s literature is its target audience. The intended readers are, of course, children. However, it is no exception that children’s literature is so versatile that its reach expands to adult audiences as well. This vast range of popularity does not help in forming a clear definition of the area.

The next aspect through which we might attempt to define children’s literature is the extent of the text. However, the definition in which all short texts are intended for children is also problematic. By using the definition of the textual extent, many books that were not written for children might be classified as children’s literature. What is more, a number of texts aimed at children exceed hundreds of pages (Reynolds, 2011, p. 28) which again stands in the way of attempting to give this area of literature a concise definition.

If we were to define the area of children’s literature depending on what children enjoy reading or are advised to read, the definition would, once again, not be successful. The range of written materials that children consume is wide, from the simplest picture books to books with several hundred pages. Children do not limit themselves to one form of writing, which means they read both verse and prose. Furthermore, they are consumers of adverts and computer games which are often accompanied by a narrative (Grenby, 2008, p. 2).

As a result, children’s literature is a seemingly easily recognizable area that is very difficult to define for its variability. Looking at all the forms children’s literature can potentially take and has taken in the past, it is quite reasonable that a consistent definition has not yet been invented (Reynolds, 2011, p. 28).

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For this thesis’ purposes, the knowledge of some intended features of children’s literature such as its appropriateness to children’s audience, harmlessness and a storyline appealing for children must suffice as a definition. After all, children’s literature is best defined by its suitability for its audience and for the enjoyment it brings.

1.2 The 20th century

As the texts analysed in this thesis all originated in the second part of the 20th century, this period is relevant to discuss in more detail. This sub-chapter briefly summarizes the key aspects of children’s literature produced during the 20th century, focusing mainly on its second half.

A significant part of the first half of the 20th-century literature was influenced by the war periods and produced many great authors. After the First World War, freedom was projected into children’s literature through realism. The books produced in the period between wars, however, were not exposed to any severe review, which resulted in the distribution of undeserved rewards (Hunt, 1994, p. 106). Children’s literature from this period was therefore of poor quality rather than the opposite.

Children’s literature in the between war period offered a minimal sample of representation due to its focus on a narrow type of protagonists – “prepubescent, white, middle class, and living in families with two heterosexual parents – and often some kind of domestic help – in a patriarchal culture” (Reynolds, 2011, p.19). This limited representation projected itself into the 1950s – a period in which children’s literature thrived as a safety promoting tool. Literature for children of this decade was free of the obtrusive adult. This trend began to recede towards the end of the 1960s when safety, protection, and nourishment were replaced by greater sincerity regarding the lives of lower-class families (Lathey, 2005, p. 20).

Another social aspect vastly changing the development of children’s literature of the 20th century was the decline of religious influence which was one of the critical factors for the literature of the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Due to the decrease of religious influence, children’s books began dealing with topics that, a few decades ago, would be considered taboo (Hunt, 1994, p. 35). As these values typical of the interwar period such as religion and safety were challenged, children’s literature began to include characters of different ethnicities, backgrounds and later even sexualities (Reynolds, 2011, p. 21).

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Moreover, after the Second World War, children’s literature has finally begun to develop as an individual area and commenced to produce new genres. In the 1950s, the most prominent genre was fantasy, emerging immediately after the war. The influence of realism replaced the popularity of fantasy. Realism rooted in the materialistic decades of the 1970s and 1980s, by then, children’s literature was no longer solely a tool to entertain but also to educate (Hunt, 1994, p. 32).

The features of new realism in children’s literature caused issues when determining its target audience. Too advanced for children and potentially not sophisticated enough for the adult audience (Hunt, 1994, p. 147), a brand new genre has begun to form from the area, and the term young adult literature (YAL) was coined to describe literature for children of older age.

The influence of new realism persisted until the 1970s, producing both realistic novels and picture books in which authors tackled taboo topics such as death, divorce, addiction or child abuse. Despite its realistic turn and the inclusion of taboo topics, the 1970s literature failed to include minorities (Tunnell and Jacobs, 2013, p. 83).

The 1980s were not a successful period for the production of children’s literature as it did not contribute with much high-quality writing. It was, however, a successful period for children’s reading as it enabled the literature from previous decades to become “modern classics” (Eccleshare, 1991, p. 19).

The issue of children’s literature published in the 1980s was one of racism and sexism. Later these issues were edited out. Furthermore, the literature of the 80s was inevitably the reflection of the shifting economic situation. With the transition to the 1990s, children’s literature began to mirror shifts in education as well (Eccleshare, 1991, p. 19- 20).

Although the 1980s were not a period in which children’s literature thrived, it was the decade in which one particular genre emerged. With a unique format, the so-called “choose your adventure stories” began to gain popularity. These stories were providing multiple storylines and outcomes. Besides allowing the “readers” to role-play, it also enabled them to be active in the narrative. One of the most famous examples of such stories is Dungeons and Dragons (Reynolds, 2011, p. 23).

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During the 1990s, children’s literature began featuring characters who were resilient, active, sociable and able of self-expression. Literature from this decade stood in high contrast with the children’s literature of the 1950s when books for children promoted security and did not realistically reflect the given period (Lathey, 2005, p. 20).

The diminishing feature of safety was rooted in the fact that the 1990s was a time in which issues such as eating disorders or STDs began to surface. As for the motif of family safety, it was suddenly alienated from children’s literature since parents often worked overtime and did not spend enough time with their children (Lathey, 2005, p. 20). Finally, towards the end of the 20th century, children’s literature began to include minorities and provided a more representative sample of characters from different ethnical backgrounds (Tunnell and Jacobs, 2013, p. 82).

As for the development of children literature as an independent area, it is worth mentioning the birth of picture-books – an area typical of children’s literature. The tradition of picture books with its roots in the pre-war period flourished mostly in the second half of the 20th century in many forms and targeting a broad audience from very young children to adults (Hunt, 1994, p. 155-156).

With the growing popularity of picture-books also came a wave of poetry aimed at children audiences. Short rhythmic narrative texts were commonly found in illustrated books for children. As a result, poetry was a form of literature scarcely enjoyed by adults but widely appreciated by children for its pace, rhythm, and euphony (Hunt, 1994, p. 160- 161).

From this overview of children’s literature in the 20th century, it is evident that it is as malleable as any other literary area. Children’s literature has been influenced by many historical, societal and religious changes and took on several forms. What is of the highest importance is that in the last century, it has managed to establish its role in the world of literature. Today, old titles written during the 20th century are not losing their popularity. Children’s books are being re-released in new editions and resurrected in both new hardback and paperback covers which contributes to their immortality.

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1.3 Significance of children’s literature

In childhood, our identity is shaped through what we encounter not only in real life but also in media such as literature. Childhood is a critical period of life in which we acquire knowledge about where we belong. Furthermore, it is a time in which we are given space to flourish as individuals (Reynolds, 2007, p. 2). Children are the future, and we should, therefore, pay attention to the information we convey to them. For this reason, children’s literature has the highest tendencies toward censorship (Hunt, 1994, p. 164).

The significance of children’s literature lies in its power to influence the development of a child’s thinking, imagination, and self-perception. Children’s literature is the tool through which the earliest connection to story-telling is made. It gives us a fundamental base to build our knowledge and to expand it. A great deal of information about the world as we know it comes from children’s literature. It is also relatable when dealing with real- life situations in our future adult life (Reynolds, 2011, p. 4).

Apart from helping to shape identity and values, children’s literature is an excellent source of language and helps children to connect to this complex system we use to understand and to be understood. Children’s first acquaintance with literature is usually through simple story-telling or rhymes. According to Kail (2010), reading rhymes to children helps vastly with developing their language skills, including their phonological awareness. Furthermore, as they read, children recognize words easier which increases their working memory capacity (p. 230).

Children’s books not only teach children to read but also to “acquire more general knowledge of their physical, social and psychological worlds, which allows them to understand more of what they read” (Kail, 2010, p. 233). As a result, literature provides them with the opportunity to explore the surrounding world as well as to understand it.

Parents can, in a significant way, influence their child’s development by reading to them, with them, or by encouraging reading. Reading to children is an effortless process that allows parents to engage with their children and can have a profound influence on their relationship (Kleeck, Stahl and Bauer, 2008, p. 3).

Storytelling and reading to children help to allow internalizing patterns of the story and to notice similar features between chains of events and emotions in the stories and real

13 life. As a result, children’s literature helps to develop both predictive skills and emotional intelligence. Later, children internalize not only situations and emotions but also language chunks and vocabulary. What is more, children’s literature helps them to gain the ability to recognize the features of a written text (Kleeck, Stahl and Bauer, 2008, p. 11).

There is an assumption that children may begin to learn the most from reading when they start the activity themselves without the parental figure as the mediator of the story. (Kleeck, Stahl and Bauer, 2008, p. 12). This claim makes sense as when children are active in their reading; they logically absorb more of the information, both linguistic and non-linguistic, encoded in the text. However, it does not in any way deem reading to children or with them non-beneficial or futile.

The importance of children’s literature also lies in its ability to carry cultural schemata within its content. It reflects the culture we live in and reveals more about the world in which we used to live. It can provide testimonies about history as it carries important information about the past (Reynolds, 2011, p. 4). Similarly, the literature that is being produced today will continue the cycle and allow the next generations of children to learn from it in the future. This capability to encapsulate a given period is what increases the already profound significance of children’s literature.

1.4 Issues in children’s literature

The previous subchapter examined the area of children’s literature with its positive aspects. This subchapter provides a brief insight into selected problematic features to illustrate both the beneficial and the harmful effects children’s literature has. It aims to prove that it is relevant to deal with the issues appearing in children’s literature to avoid manipulating children into harmful thinking about the surrounding world or even themselves.

The critical issue of children’s literature is the risk of perpetuating adult opinions rather than prioritizing the children’s actual interests and preferences. Texts for children are often inaccurate and, in a way, ideological and not representing the real world. Adult writers have the power to decide what to tell the children. This power over the text has become one of the characteristic features of children’s literature. As a result, young readers are denied their autonomy and their sense of belonging in a restrictive world of adult authorities (Bhrolchain and Kennon, 2012. p. 1-3).

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The most frequent motive in children’s literature is identity and the quest to find it despite the obstacles standing in the protagonist’s way. Overcoming struggles and the following self-realization comforts the reader with hope for a happy ending. This journey towards a successful identity search has as well become one of the most prominent features of children’s literature (Bhrolchain and Kennon, 2012, p. 12). The issue is, most of these identity searches are quite normative.

Normativity is typical for children’s stories. Characters who somehow do not fit into the desired norm of the society are often being name-called and humiliated in children’s literature. These characters are most often described as different due to their gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class, religion or even disabilities (Bhrolchain and Kennon, 2012, p. 14-15). At a very young age, children are influenced by this type of thinking about other individuals and easily convinced that different equals bad.

Moreover, children’s books frequently enforce gender stereotypes and highlight interests and tastes which boys and girls ought to enjoy. Literature for boys is more adventure centred while literature for girls perpetuates the importance of family values. These patterns found in children’s literature were a rule until the end of the 20th century. Consequently, most of the literature produced in the twentieth century perpetuates these stereotypes (Nodelman, 2008, p. 174). Since children’s literature is an area that is prone to recycling plots, normativity is challenging to avoid.

Another issue of children’s literature is its lack of representation. Children’s literature often fails to provide accurate ad healthy representation of characters that are not fitting into the norms of the society. When it comes to ethnicity, disability or out of the norms of beauty standard, children do not have access to representatives whom they could consider their role models. As a result, this area of literature provides space for the perpetuation of various stereotypes.

To give an example, it may seem that ethnic stereotypes are the issue of the past, but unfortunately, cultures are being misrepresented in literature even today. These stereotypes do not affect only the way ethnic groups are perceived by society but also the way they perceive themselves. The presence of such stereotypes in children’s literature perpetuates ignorance and fosters prejudice (Cai, 2011, p. 67-71).

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The issue of adult point of view, normativity and racism are of the most prominent and noticeable ones. One of the less palpable issues of children’s literature is its portrayal of characters that are not fitting into the societal beauty standards in another way than for their different ethnicity; for example, their disability.

Even in old tales such as the ones collected by Brothers Grimm, disability is a tool through which negative traits are depicted. Non-disabled protagonists are associated with beauty and strength. At the same time, disabled characters are marginalized to the point where their disability is portrayed as a punishment or used as a motive for betterment leading to consequential obliteration of their disability (Schmiesing, 2014, p. 1-2).

This negative portrayal of disabled people persists until today, although not as distinctively as it did in the works of Grimm brothers. Authors still fail to depict disabled characters as personalities with depth. Furthermore, disability is often treated as something that can magically be cured, although, in real life, it is permanent and incurable. Such inaccuracies can be very harmful to children who have the same disability. The issue of inaccurate disability portrayal has begun to become scarcer in the late 20th century. However, it still presents a challenge to find a children’s book which provides a positive representation of a disabled character (Price, Ostrosky, Mouzourou, 2015, p. 564).

Among problematic representation regarding people’s appearance, there is the issue of characters whose bodies are out of the presumed norm. Literature, in general, often promotes the idea that bodies that able and slim are good and healthy (Shelton, 2016, p. 174). Fat bodies are consequently put on the other side of the scale – perceived as wrong and ill and often associated with bad traits. The negative representation of fat characters in children’s literature is what this thesis deals with in detail, and more information about this issue is provided in chapter three.

To conclude, children’s literature is a domain that gives children a space to explore ideas and the possibility to find themselves in the world which is still unknown to them. Unfortunately, the presence of bias coming from the adult authors does not allow young readers to form an individual opinion but often chooses to perpetuate stereotypes. Subsequently, children’s literature frequently fails to portray the world with the diversity which surrounds us.

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Children’s books should teach acceptance and understanding of what is different, not enforcing its discrimination. Even though today, these issues are being addressed and the representation in children’s literature is on its way to improvement, bias, normativity, and stereotypes still find their way to infiltrate narratives aimed at young readers.

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2 From fatphobia to body positivity

This chapter includes a summary of the history and the present state of the body positive movement. It also provides a brief introduction to the matter of fat shaming and fatphobia and its effects on a person’s body image. Also, it explains the terminology which is essential for the analytical part of this thesis.

2.1 The beginning of the movement

In today’s world, a significant part of our worth is based on our looks. Our bodies are continually being examined, compared, judged, and either accepted or rejected by societal measures based on an ideal body type. We are regularly exposed to a vast number of body images in the media, including literature. Most of the body images that we encounter in media are uniform in their deemed perfection which lies in the unrealistic portrayal of both male and female bodies.

Body image dissatisfaction has been explored in more detail after the 1960s as specific problems such as eating disorders began to stem from body-image issues. The difference between how we look and our ideal self has become the source of many body image issues (Gunter and Wykes, p. 4). This ideal self might be based either on an image of a better version of ourselves or on the images we see and are constantly reminded of through media.

Being exposed to unrealistic images of what is deemed to be the ideal body sends a general message that thinness is the definition of beauty in women and muscularity in men. What is more, these images usually come with an assertion that when achieving this desired look, our lives will improve significantly (Healey, 2014, p.1).

Due to body image issues, we live in a world where diet culture exists. Diet culture is composed of everything that forces us to obsess over our weight and overall appearance. It includes the assertion that thin equals good and happy and is the source of disordered eating. With diet culture came the flourish of the diet industry at the beginning of the 20th century and diets became a great business. Diet books, diet pills, detoxes, weight-loss groups and other devices promising a happier and more fulfilling life began to be sold all over the world, perpetuating the body image issues everywhere (Crabbe, 2017, p. 41-42).

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The response to this was the emergence of so-called “body positive movement” which began to thrive and spread quite recently, in 2012. Reflective of the period in which it was formed, this movement uses especially social platforms to spread the word about body positivity (Cwynar-Horta, 2016, p. 38-39).

Body positivity, however, is not a trend that developed today. Its roots go back to the 1960s, the period in which second-wave feminism began to spread (Cwynar-Horta, 2016, p. 40). In this era, the so-called “fat liberation” or “fat acceptance” movement began to form, reflecting the outgrowth of the civil rights movement. This predecessor of body positivity movement spread the message that “dieting not only failed to make people thinner, but also contributed to poor health, lowered self-esteem, and higher weight over time” (Rothblum, Wann and Solovay, 2009, p. 84).

These claims were not a mere theory that fat activists invented. A few years later, the claims were supported by a great deal of research and organizations supporting these ideas began to form. Rothblum, Wann, and Solovay (2009) instantiate:

The groundbreaking work of many health professionals, backed up by the claims of fat activists, has formed the basis for development of the HAES (Health at Every Size) approach. The focus of the HAES paradigm is to create an environment of respect for body size diversity and to support lifestyle behaviours and attitudes that can improve health and well-being for people of all sizes, rather than focusing on weight loss. HAES promotes a holistic philosophy that acknowledges the harmful effects of stigma against fat people as a social justice issue, and aims to reduce barriers to participation in nutrition, physical activity, positive body esteem, social support, and community connection activities for people of all sizes. (p. 84)

As we can see, even back in the 1960s and later on, society rebelled against the idea that a number on a scale define people’s whole existence. Similar to the body positive movement of today, the fat acceptance movement aimed to spread the message that weight is in no way a determinant of health.

Meghan Crabbe (2017), a body-positive activist, describes body positivity the following way:

Body positivity is about accepting our bodies as they are, at any size, and challenging the oppressive systems that teach us we aren’t allowed to do that … it is the counter-culture to fatphobia and thin obsession, it was created as an alternative to buying into the messages that kept us small and at war with our bodies. Body positivity is an escape route from diet culture. (2017, p. 76)

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While being body-positive, Crabbe (2017) also emphasizes that pursuing physical health by changing our lifestyle and following diet culture are two very different things. Pursuing physical health means paying attention to our bodily needs while dieting contradicts this idea as it dictates when to eat, what to eat and how much to eat, ignoring the clues our body is sending to us (p. 77).

It is important to emphasize that body positivity by no means promotes obesity. It merely attempts to show that fatness has been made into a great business. It promotes the idea that a healthy lifestyle does not go hand in hand with fatness and that thinness is not necessarily an indicator of a healthy body. Through the body-positive movement, society slowly begins to realize that healthy does not come in one body type.

2.2 Fat shaming and fatphobia

For starting a movement, there must be an impulse, a need for a change. In the case of body positivity, the fuel driving it forward is the matter of fat shaming and fatphobia. This chapter shortly explains the meaning of these two terms as they are essential for this thesis.

Fat shaming is rooted in the attitudes taken towards fat people which are resulting in stereotypes. The most common stereotypes that fat people have to face are connected to their alleged laziness, incompetence, unattractiveness, lacking willpower, intelligence, and being blamed for their excess weight (Science Daily, 2017).

All these stereotypes that we daily encounter are the definition of fat shame. What is more, these stereotypes are being abused in media, making it impossible for fat people to be treated with respect. Fat characters in movies are more than often depicted as the funny sidekicks, the lazy friends, the not so bright members of the crew, the people whose lives revolve about nothing else but food and lying around. These depictions are not exclusively an issue of visual media such as movies, TV commercials and TV shows but also literature (Amato, 2019, p. 2).

Now let us take a more in-depth look at the term fatphobia. By the definition of the Macmillan dictionary, the word phobia describes “a very strong feeling of disliking or being afraid of someone or something”. The compound “fatphobia” therefore, logically translates into the fear of fat. Robbison, Bacon, and O’Rilley (1993) describe fatphobia

20 as a “pathological fear of fatness often manifested as negative attitude and stereotypes about fat people” (p. 468).

Fat shaming is “the act of criticizing or drawing attention to someone for being fat, making them feel embarrassed or ashamed” (Cambridge English Dictionary). Fatphobia is, therefore, something that precedes fat shaming. To create harmful stereotypical patterns that perpetuate the stigma of obesity, we need some ground to build on. Fatphobia provides this ground and recreates the fear of fatness into harmful stereotypes aimed at fat people. In fear of being fat, society has created a scheme in which fat is the worst thing a person can be. As a result, we are surrounded by images of fat people who serve as a cautionary tale.

The problem of fat shaming and fatphobia is in its significant effect on people’s body image and self-esteem. Even as adults, we find it challenging to deal with the fact that our bodies are different than what we see in the media. These harmful representations of fat people result in fear of being fat which can potentially lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise (Healey, 2014, p. 2).

For children, however, this is an even more difficult task as they are not aware of what is wrong or right and why. Whether we want it or not, children are learning about the world through media and obtain a great deal of information from it. Some of it regards the way they perceive themselves. If the media truly has the power to affect the development of children’s body image and self-esteem, this issue needs to be addressed.

2.3 Children and body image

Through connections to the world, children are forming their own identities. This identity and their body image, however, are often negatively influenced by the way their body types are displayed in media. Exposure to media displaying the “ideal body” can lead to children measuring their worth based on the similarity to this alleged ideal at a very young age (Healey, 2014, p. 27).

The inaccurate and shaming representation of fat people can seriously damage fat children’s self-esteem and body image. Healey (2014) claims that “a healthy body image in childhood can lay the foundations for good physical and mental health later in life” (p.

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28). On the contrary, when children foster an unhealthy body image, it can have severe consequences in their future adult life (Healey, 2014, p. 28).

Research has shown that being exposed to fat shaming and weight bias has adverse effects on both mental and physical health (Science Daily, 2017). However, this issue does not concern only fat children but also children who somehow fit into the alleged “ideal body type”. By witnessing fat shame through all kinds of media, children are predisposed both to absorb the bad ideas and consequently perpetuate fat shaming.

Healey (2014) gives several factors that result in an unhealthy body image, and he places “the pressure from family, peers or media to conform to a narrow social ideal of beauty and attractiveness” (p. 28) at the top of the scale For this reason, it is essential to address the issue of fat shaming and fatphobia in children’s literature as it is one of the first media to which children are introduced when beginning to form their identity.

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3 Fat stereotypes in literature for children and young adults

Literature is a vast area allowing its authors to express themselves in a variety of ways. However, it is not only a tool of expression but also a tool of influence. As was already established, by using specific patterns to bring their characters to life, the authors of literature often perpetuate stereotypes in real life. This chapter provides the available insight into the representation of fat characters in literature aimed at children and young adults and provides a more in-depth introduction into the matter.

Fat shaming and fatphobia take on many forms. One of the most common ones is perpetuating stereotypes, including laziness, greed, comicality, idiocy, and unattractiveness. In some instances, these stereotypes escalate and are used as a tool to create a villainous character.

Being fat is often depicted as something shameful. As children are growing up and being exposed to a negative representation of their bodies as a result of fat shame and phobia, it profoundly distorts their understanding of health. The impact of fat shaming and fatphobia in children’s literature is in its ability to fuel children’s bad relationships with both their body and food, resulting in eating disorders and obsessive behaviour regarding exercise (Shelton, 2016, p, 174).

Fat shaming is not an issue that began to appear in children’s literature recently. Its roots can be found in the 19th-century Victorian literature, the era of corset induced beauty standards. In children’s books from the 19th century, there is tangible evidence of the beginning culture of anorexia. In this era, literature praised young girls for not listening to their bodily hunger and denying their appetite, transforming this denial into desired feminine features. This appetite control was emphasized in Victorian children’s literature vastly (Silver, 2004, p. 51-52).

The issue with the emphasis on appetite control is what it represents. As a result, eating is associated with greed, lust, and even aggressive behaviour. The reason for this is that hunger was often described as something animalistic, not appropriate, especially not for young girls (Silver, 2004, p. 54-55). This portrayal of hunger and the asserted obligation not to listen to one’s body clues is what built a ground for fat shaming and ensured that fat would automatically be perceived as a negative character trait.

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As Silver (2004) says “when eating is over and over again associated with negative character traits, and rarely perceived as unambiguously positive and pleasurable, then the very act of eating takes on a negative cast” (p. 55-56). This claim was relevant for Victorian literature, and its relevance persists even in the literature of today. The majority of contemporary books aimed at children and young adults use this pattern of the negative association with food to highlight the unattractiveness of the desire to eat. As a result, fatness is automatically present as stemming from indulging in food and is accompanied by negativity.

Fat characters are often used as tropes, functioning as a fuel to the protagonist’s way to development. Certain stereotypical characteristic traits are connected to fatness. Fat shame has become a distinctive pattern to YAL as well. No matter whether the fat character plays a minor or central part in the narrative, as Nolfi (2011) points out on account of fatphobia in YAL, “either way, fat characters are pathologized” (p. 55).

Absorbing this stereotypical thinking can be extremely harmful, especially at a young age. Unfortunately, fat shaming and fatphobia appear not only in YA literature but also in literature aimed at younger children. Fat characters in children’s books are often depicted negatively, asserting that fatness is equal to moral corruptness. Even in picture books aimed at a very young audience, traits such as greed, laziness, ugliness, dull- wittedness and even evilness are associated with fatness.

An excellent example is a picture book called A Piece of Cake firstly published in 1989, written by Jill Murphy. The picture book, which was re-released in 2006 describes the life of an elephant family who goes on a diet. As if it was not alarming enough that a picture book contains the word “diet”, it also asserts that fatness is ugly and undesirable. Such a depiction of fatness might potentially fuel future eating disorders or lead to a disrupted body image.

What is the most disturbing is that as adults who live in diet culture, we do not see the harm these books might do to our children. Silver (2004) points out the importance of the fact that children’s books are not produced by children but by adults. (p. 51). As adults, we are often so sure that what is the norm set by society is also the right way of thinking and we fail to realize that as a result, children’s books tend to be manipulative more than any other (Hunt, 1994, p. 3). This way, perhaps even unintendedly, we manipulate

24 children into thinking a certain way not only about the surrounding world but also about themselves.

By reducing fat characters in literature into stereotypes, authors normalize fat shaming and fatphobia in real life and teach children unsubstantiated fear of fatness and hate towards their bodies or the bodies of their peers. In the analytical part of this thesis, the issue of fat shame is analysed in detail to provide an informed inquiry on different ways fat characters are treated in selected children’s literature.

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4 The selected authors

This chapter provides short biographies of the authors whose works were selected for further critical analysis. Additionally, features of their works which were already subjected to criticism are discussed. The reason for this is to ensure the critical analysis regarding fat shaming and fatphobia is conducted in a sufficient context of authors’ production. Furthermore, it aims to aid the reader to understand the complexity of issues featured in children’s literature.

4.1 The life and work of Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was born on 13 September 1916 in Llandaff to his Norwegian parents. When he was only three years old, one of his three sisters died of appendicitis. This family tragedy was followed by the death of his father, whom Dahl hardly met. His education began in Cathedral School in Llandaff from which, at the age of eight, he transferred to St Peter’s, a boarding school which he did not favour. When he was thirteen, he attended Repton School, which brought experience with bullying and violence to his already sad childhood (Windsor, 2016, p. 16.-18).

Perhaps due to this negative schooling experience Dahl choose travels over university education (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2019) and during World War II., he served as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF). After severe health problems, Dahl was sent to Washington. There, inspired by the time he spent as a pilot, he began to work on his writing career (Treglown, 2016, p. 49).

Dahl’s first fiction ever to be published were stories based on his RAF experience. Subsequently, he began submitting plenty of work to newspapers and magazines. In 1943, Dahl produced his first children’s story – The Gremlins. Then, he took a long break from children’s literature and kept on writing for adults (Windsor, 2016, p. 16.-18). He turned back to writing for children in 1961 with his book James and the Giant Peach. This book was soon followed by other titles, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Witches and Matilda (Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia, 2019).

Dahl was married to Patricia Neal with whom he had five children. In 1962 the couple lost one of their daughters – Olivia. After dealing with this hurtful loss, Dahl helped his

26 wife to recover from a series of brain haemorrhages. Eventually, the couple divorced in 1983 and Dahl married film producer Felicity Ann Crosland (Windsor, 2016, p. 16.-18).

Spending the rest of his life at Gipsy House in Buckinghamshire, he wrote books the copies of which are being sold until today. In 1990, he was hospitalized due to severe leukaemia in Oxford at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where he died (Windsor, 2016, p. 16.-18).

As a writer, Dahl had all the qualities needed to intrigue his audience, both adult and children. His work was relatable and mesmerizing for the readers. The way he sympathised with children allowed him to create a credible voice through which he told his stories. While Dahl suffered from a troubled childhood, he did not project his experience into his work (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter three, par. 1-3).

When referring to his childhood years in his books, he does not show sadness and sentiment but refers to them with lightness and pragmatism which results in the use of survival as one of the greatest motivators for his young protagonists. Furthermore, parental figures in Dahl’s work are seldom positive or relatable characters, quite the opposite; they often represent the obstacles that children must revolt to in order to flourish. Towards the end of his life, Dahl claimed that he gave voice to the children who, in his eyes, lived in the world which was oblivious to their existence (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter three, par. 2-5).

Dahl’s work was greatly influenced by his mother, Sofie Magdalene, whose intellect and curiosity he deeply admired. He described his mother as “undoubtedly, the primary influence of his own life” (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter three, par. 6). Sofie devoted her life to her children, fostering their interests and providing a home for them. Possibly, it was Dahl’s mother who sparked his interest in writing as she was a marvellous storyteller and loved to entertain her children with imaginative stories about their own family (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter three, par. 6-7). As a reflection of love for his mother, Dahl wrote several childhood letters to her. The letters that were published under the title Boy (1984), together with photographs and illustrations (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter nineteen, par. 44).

Since his father Harald died when Dahl was only three years old, most of what he knew about him was gathered from his mother’s stories. As a result, Dahl found it challenging to define himself and was missing a father figure. Despite admitting that life with Harald

27 was difficult at times, Dahl’s mother made sure that her children remembered their father in a good light. There was, however, one reason why Dahl judged his father. In his will, Harald assumed that Sofie Magdalene would remarry and therefore would not require financial support after his death. For this reason, he bequeathed most of his money and property to his children. As a result, Sofie Magdalene remained a widow without access to family finances (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter three, par. 8-9).

Roald Dahl’s writing career was entwined with his complicated private life. Dahl was both a paradoxical writer and a man. He enjoyed the serenity of his writing hut, yet relished in public appearances. Despite his marriage to a film producer and his acquaintances among politicians and presidents, he remained a simple man living in the countryside (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter one, par. 7).

4.2 Roald Dahl and criticism

While Dahl’s work was commercially successful, it was also described as problematic on several occasions. The famous author of many children's books began to be associated with controversy after the success of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Years after being published, this book was considered vulgar by many publishers who expressed gratitude over the fact that they turned it down. It was not only Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that was facing criticism but also James and the Giant Peach with its violent language and bizarre character depictions (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter eighteen, par. 22).

The trouble with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory deepened when the book was to be made into a film. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People raised objections to the realization of the project based on its racist content. While Dahl, shocked by this accusation, allegedly never intended to offend anyone, by describing Oompa- Loompas as African Pygmies “from the very deepest and darkest part of the jungle where no white man had ever been before” (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter eighteen, par. 23)., he filled the children book with racist implications. Alterations were made to undo the racism in Dahl’s work, but his reputation was not restored, and his ongoing work began to be scrutinized for offensive insinuations (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter eighteen, par. 23-27).

The criticism surrounding Charlie and the Chocolate Factory did not end at this point. The book was called cheap, tasteless, sadistic and even harmful for children. To this, Dahl responded by advocating his work, deeming he would never write a book that would harm

28 children. The ongoing criticism discouraged Dahl from his further work and took away his drive for writing. This attitude did not linger for too long, and soon he wrote the sequel titled Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter eighteen, par. 29- 37).

The string of criticism continued when Dahl’s editor, Steven Roxburgh, read The Witches and expressed his concerns over its misogynistic content. Dahl argued against this, putting forward the fact that the protagonist’s grandmother is depicted in the best light possible and even expressed his disinterest in the adult opinion on his work (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter nineteen, par. 39).

Discussed issues of racism, violence, and sexism are the most severe ones contained in Roald Dahl’s work. They are, however, not the only ones. The writer’s work has also been subjected to critical opinions for not being realistic and often void of emotions. His novel way of depicting adult characters as evil was considered harmful. Contributing to this specific problem was the fact that adult characters were, despite their innocence, the victims of violence or death. The theme of a neglected child fuelled by the desire to get back at adults who wronged her, Matilda has become a topic for the critics as well for its potentially harmful effects on the young readers (Royer, 1998).

Dahl claimed that he censored his work quite meticulously, ridding his texts for children of violence (Sturrock, 2010, Chapter eighteen, par. 70). The content of his children’s books does not support this claim, as there are plenty of violent scenes in several of them, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mr Fox or Matilda.

Despite the issues accompanying the writing career of Roald Dahl, his compelling writing style transformed many children into avid readers. It was perhaps his controversy that drawn both children and adults to his work and ensured that his popularity lasts until today.

4.3 The life and work of Joanne Rowling

Joanne Rowling was born on July 31, 1965, in South Gloucestershire, England. Together with her sister Diana, who was born two years later, she recalls her childhood years as happy ones. Their parents, Peter and Ann Rowling passed on their love for reading to their two daughters. Rowling’s art to tell stories was greatly influenced by her

29 grandparents, who fostered her imagination by story-telling (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 3).

Apart from being imaginative and creative, as she grew, Rowling’s personality began to form into an achiever and a perfectionist. She began writing at a young age and always dreamt of writing for a living. Perhaps for her fear of failure, she never shared this desire with anyone so as not to disappoint. At the brink of her childhood, writing and reading were two of her greatest passions. Rowling’s young years were a great source of inspiration for her future writing. The majority of characters in her legendary Harry Potter books were based on people from her early life (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 4).

With her love for books, Rowling was excited about her schooling. This enthusiasm quickly passed when she enrolled in a village school in Tutshill. To her disappointment, she encountered a teacher who made seating arrangements based on her judgment of children’s intelligence. Due to her unfamiliarity of fragments, Rowling was labelled “stupid” and seated accordingly “in the stupid row”. This treatment must have been quite traumatic to an aspiring child. As a result, Rowling worked hard to regain her reputation and to win her right to the “smart” seat. Now, she admits that her need to achieve was her way of faking confidence (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 5).

Rowling’s schooling experience proceeded at Wydean School, a high school in Sedbury. Not being a team player, she spent most of her time doing solo activities such as dancing and continued to cultivate her tastes in reading. She no longer needed to fake her confidence and began to form profound friendships and romantic relationships. The careless teen years ended when her mother’s health worsened due to untreatable multiple sclerosis (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 5).

As a college student, Rowling lost her school aspirations. She seemed to be looking for direction, and her parents pushed her towards studying French. A year spent as a teacher in Paris helped her with her autonomy and confidence. Somewhere along the way, her need for achievement disappeared. Consequently, she became a mediocre student (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 6).

As for Rowling’s work life, she moved from one office job into another, eventually working the longest in London for Amnesty International. It was a place where her

30 empathy and sense of social justice grew due to the organization’s aim to protect human rights (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 6).

One thing that has not changed since her childhood years was her drive for writing. When her life in London seemed to have lost its charm, she decided to move to Manchester. During an inconvenience in the form of a delayed train on her way from Manchester to London, the idea of Harry Potter first saw the light of the day (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 7).

Rowling worked on the book intensely, being inspired and influenced by events of her own life and people she met. The death of her mother enormously shaped the first book and its characters. Haunted with regrets about not sharing her greatest passion with her mother, Rowling eventually decided to leave for Portugal to teach, to write and to heal (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 7).

There, she met Jorge Arantes, whom she married on October 16, 1992. After giving birth to their daughter Jessica, Rowling realized that keeping the relationship with Arantes was uneasy on both her and her daughter. In 1993, the relationship ended, and Rowling found herself in a difficult situation as her husband did not let her stay at the house. These circumstances led her back to England, to live with her sister Diana (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 8).

With no financial support and no job, struggling with depression, Rowling roamed coffee houses and worked on her draft of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The work and her daughter motivated her to sustain her efforts. After divorcing Arantes, she recollected her ambition for achieving proper education and went back to studying to get her postgraduate certification. With later provided grants and a teaching job, she was able to get back on her feet (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 8-9).

In 1996 her manuscript of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was, after several failures, finally bought by Bloomsbury and even though it was to be printed in only 500 copies, Rowling felt content about her achievement. A year later, a war of publishing houses broke out, and the story of Harry Potter began its journey to fame (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 10).

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Rowling was discouraged from including her full name on the cover for publicity. A female author meant lower sale rates. Joanne Rowling had no objections and took her grandmother’s name, Kathleen, to add the well-known initials “J.K.” to her name and make it more gender-neutral. (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 10-11).

The first book was soon followed by more as Rowling decided to devote all her time to writing. Chamber of Secrets (1998) was, despite Rowling’s worries, a great success. A year later, she finished Prisoner of Azkaban. The popularity of the books spread worldwide and, consequently, they were translated into 27 languages. After the third book, the proposal to recreate the world of Harry Potter in movies came. Rowling firstly stubbornly resisted this idea, but later she agreed under the condition that the movies would be faithful to the books and Rowling would have a say in their making (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 11-12).

With the fourth book, Goblet of Fire came complications. Rowling struggled in her writing process and barely met the deadline. Despite her struggles, the book came out in July 2000 as planned. Consequently, Rowling decided to take more time for the fifth one. Between publishing Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix, she remarried, had a son with her husband Neil Murray and faced criticism of her work due to the alleged content of witchcraft and promoting Satanism. In 2003, a much darker fifth book, Order of the Phoenix was published (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 12-13).

Before publishing the sixth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in 2005, Rowling gave birth to her third child – a daughter Mackenzie Jean. As she was writing the last book of the series, the mania around the wizarding world of Harry Potter persisted. In 2007 when the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published, millions of readers kept hoping the story is not over and that one day, Rowling would write more (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 14).

The readers’ hopes were fulfilled as Rowling was not ready to say goodbye to Hogwarts. She wrote several books accompanying the gripping saga including Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. These books were more than just an extension of her work as a writer. The profits were donated to several charitable organizations allowing Rowling to continue with her social work as well (Adney and Hassel, 2011, p. 15).

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4.4 Joanne Rowling and criticism

Harry Potter has become so much more than just a book or a movie. The story of the young wizard has become a worldwide phenomenon. It has become a part of the culture and, as a result, it influences those who consume the story. The saga of Harry Potter, of all the books for children, has a great power to shape their identity due to its lasting popularity. For this reason, the saga has been scrutinized by critics. This chapter shortly addresses some of the most common topics for criticism regarding the Harry Potter series.

One of the central issues of the series is its high involvement in the matter of death, which is also considered one of its major themes. The portrayal of death in Rowling’s books about a young sorcerer is often considered too dark for a children’s book (Taub and Sercaty-Seib, 2009, p. 22). Motives of death, in general, are not popular ones to be dealt with in children’s literature as they are perceived as something that might ruin the innocence and security of childhood. Rowling, however, takes the presence of death to an entirely different level as she fails to portray it as an inevitable part of life but instead suggests that it is “an evil force” (Taub and Sercaty-Seib, 2009, p. 23).

In Rowling’s narrative, death is usually presented as an outcome of violent or evil outbursts. This association connotes the darkness of death and perpetuates the idea that death is something uncommon and unnatural. A way in which Rowling manages to redeem herself and her inaccurate and misleading treatment of death is her mastery empathetic depiction of grief (Taub and Sercaty-Seib, 2009, p. 23).

Additionally, Rowling has been criticized for the positive way she deals with magic. Many parents’ worries stem from the assumption that depicting magic in a positive light might tempt their children to be interested in the occult. While these fears seem excessive, the books had to face several accusations of such kind, not only for its alleged promotion of the occult but also for encouraging Satanism. Rowling responds to this criticism with a claim that if her books are to promote anything, it is Christianity and its quest for answers regarding a matter of life and death (Taub and Sercaty-Seib, 2009, p. 14-16).

A more relevant and perhaps the most problematic feature of the whole saga is its inclination to gender stereotyping and sexism. The books are mostly centred on male characters. Heilman and Donaldson (2009) establish the ratio of male to female characters as quite revealing with the number of 201 male to 115 female characters featured in all

33 seven books of the series. Not only the books do not provide equal representation but also fail to introduce non-sexist female representation (p. 141-143).

Heilman and Donaldson (2009) provide an example of one of the central figures of the series – Hermione Granger. Despite her astonishing intelligence Hermione continues to disregard her wits and keeps accentuating the heroism of her friend Harry. Hermione is significant for several plot developments but scarcely participates in the action or is praised for her efforts. In a way, Hermione is co-dependent on the male characters, and her abilities serve only as a tool to improve the plotline of the male characters (p. 144).

The issue of female to male ratio is improved in the Order of the Phoenix where Rowling introduces several new female characters and extends the roles of the established ones. For some reason, this sudden addition of female characters seems artificial. Whatever the intention behind this change of ratio between female and male characters is, the attempt to make the series more gender-balanced failed due to the continuous gender stereotyping. Although some central female characters seem to abandon their normative femininity, the motive for their action remains normative (Heilman and Donaldson, 2009, p. 142-143).

An excellent example of this particular issue is Mrs Weasley depicted initially as a motherly figure whose life is family-focused. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she is allowed to step out of her housewife role and takes part in a battle of Hogwarts. The problem is, her motives do not change as she proceeds to be fuelled with the desire to protect her family and to remain in her motherly role (Heilman and Donaldson, 2009, p. 144). As is apparent Rowling attempted to give her female characters more depth but failed to do so due to the constant perpetuation of gender stereotypes and the inability to make her female characters independent of their friends and family.

Regarding accurate representation, the series also lacks in its overage of racial diversity. While the books include the issue of racism through metaphors, discussing the issue of wizards with pure blood and so-called “muggles” (Rowling, 2004, p. 43) – people who do not know magic, they fail to offer a diverse and accurate representation of different cultures and even show a lack of cultural awareness (Nel, 2009, p. 285).

Like any other books aimed at children’s audience, the Harry Potter series need to be scrutinized, and the issues contained exposed. While the books are impressive for its

34 variety of significant literary themes such as friendship, courage, loyalty and the struggle of good and evil, they also contain several problematic features that need to be addressed.

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5 Roald Dahl and fat shaming

This chapter includes a literary analysis of selected works written by Roald Dahl concerning the issue of fat shaming and fatphobia and expands the list of problematic features appearing in the author’s work. The analysis aims to examine the way Roald Dahl constructs his fat characters. The following subchapters are dealing with each of the chosen books individually.

5.1 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in 1964 and harvested many positive and negative reviews ever since. This thesis has already given a short account of previously discussed issues appearing in Roald Dahl’s books for children, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What has not yet been adequately addressed by critics is the fat stigma contained in the book.

From the beginning of the story, it is apparent that food is crucial for the narrative. Charlie is depicted as a hungry underfed boy who loves chocolate very much. He loves it so much that even when he is famished, he desires chocolate more than any other more filling meal. Unfortunately, as opposed to other children, Charlie’s family is poor and cannot afford to keep him properly nourished or buying him chocolate bars which other children are “munching greedily” (Dahl, 1995, p.16).

Through this choice of words, Dahl makes a straightforward connection between food and greed, one of the seven deadly sins. By this link, he demonizes the most basic human need. Moreover, Dahl approaches Charlie’s depiction with a dose of hypocrisy as the author portrays the want for chocolate in other children as greed while Charlie’s desire for it is justified by the fact that Charlie cannot afford it and therefore cannot eat it regularly. The want for chocolate in children and Charlie is identical, but Dahl manages to manipulate the reader into pitying Charlie, and he condemns the children who are lucky enough to afford chocolate.

One of the most significant indicators of fat shame and fatphobia in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the character of Augustus Gloop. Before appearing in the story, Roald Dahl describes Augusts as “a greedy boy” in the list children featured in the book. As a result, readers are not allowed to form an opinion as the author provides an already finished picture of who Augustus is.

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In chapter six, when he is the first to find the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory, Augustus Gloop is depicted the following way:

The finder was a boy called Augustus Gloop, and Mr Bucket’s evening newspaper carried a large picture of him on the front page. The picture showed a nine-year- old boy who was so enormously fat he looked as though he had been blown up with a powerful pump. Great flabby folds of fat bulged out from every part of his body, and his face was like a monstrous ball of dough with two small greedy curranty eyes peering out upon the world. (Dahl, 1995, p. 36) We are introduced to Augustus by a series of non-flattering comparisons and similes. Dahl describes Augustus as “enormously fat” and ensures the depiction is graphic enough by using the words “flabby”, “bulge” and “dough”. The use of these onomatopoeic words paints a repulsive picture of Augustus and fills the reader with disgust. His head is compared to a “monstrous ball of dough”. The choice of words directly asserts the villainess and monstrosity of being fat. Once again, greed makes an appearance with the connection to fatness as it reflects in Augustus’ “curranty eyes”.

Together with Augustus, we are introduced to his mother, who comments on her son winning the golden ticket:

“I just knew Augustus would find a Golden Ticket,” his mother had told the newspapermen. “He eats so many bars of chocolate a day that it was almost impossible for him not to find one. Eating is his hobby, you know. That's all he's interested in.” (Dahl, 1995, p. 36) Augustus’ relationship with food is used to define him. In this initial introduction, he does not exist beyond the definition of food. After all, the esthetical comparison to a bun with currants provides a graphic depiction which strips Augustus of his humanity. Following the revelation of Augustus’ hobby, Mrs Gloop continues and expresses her relief over the fact that it is the food he is interested in rather than engaging in disruptive behaviour (Dahl, 1995, p. 36). In the context of Roald Dahl’s work where revolt is one of the most valued features, the lack of it in Augustus signifies the author’s negativity towards the character.

Similarly to the character of Augustus, even Mrs Gloop and the traits associated with her represent a problem. When justifying her son’s appetite, she is persuaded that the need for nourishment is its source. This utterance suggests the lack of intelligence in Mrs Gloop and therefore perpetuates the stereotype associating fatness with foolishness.

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The appearance of Mrs Gloop is not described as graphically as in the case of her son. Nonetheless, we do get an overall evaluation of her persona when Charlie’s grandmother Josephine comments “What a revolting woman” (Dahl, 1995, p. 37). To this, grandma Georgina tallies: “And what a repulsive boy” (Dahl, 1995, p.38).

The reaction to Augustus and his mother is mere disgust rooted in the weigh stigma. Through the comments of the characters, Dahl suggests that fatness is a reason to be ashamed. Furthermore, he proceeds to associate it with negative traits of greed, obsession, and dull-wittedness.

Food, hunger, and appetite appear in the book frequently, not only in association with fat characters. At the beginning of the story, the poverty accompanying the Bucket family causes Charlie to become “ravenously and desperately hungry” (Dahl, 1995, p. 57). Soon, Charlie starts to resemble a skeleton (Dahl, 1995, p. 58). The description of starving Charlie continues: “The skin was drawn so tightly over the cheeks that you could see the shapes of the bones underneath” (Dahl, 1995, p. 58).

When comparing the portrayal of Charlie’s thinness and Augustus’s fatness, we can notice several stark contrasts. While both depictions are graphic and ensure the reader can vividly visualize the appearance of the two, the result is different. Based on Augustus’ looks, the author creates a stereotype of a fat person whose whole life is centred around food and whose motives are driven by greed for it. Charlie, on the other hand, is not stripped of his whole personality solely for the reason of looking a certain way.

Every child featured in the story, besides Charlie, is defined by certain qualities, which are closely connected to greed and consumerism. Veruca Salt professes the desire for materialistic items (Dahl, 1995, p. 40), while Violet Beauregard is addicted to gum (Dahl, 1995, p. 47). For Mike Teavee, it is television and violence which define his personality (Dahl, 1995, p. 49). When visiting the factory, children leave it one by one after subduing to their rotten desires.

Leaving the factory in specific chronology, Augustus Gloop is the first one to depart due to his uncontrollable greed. His departure beings when he tastes the grass covering the ground of Willy Wonka’s factory (Dahl, 1995, p. 90) and ends when he falls into the chocolate river and is consequently sucked into a glass pipe (Dahl, 1995, p. 96-97). Before this happens, Augustus is deafened by the sensation of eating and unable to listen to anything else but “the call of his enormous stomach” (Dahl, 1995, p. 97). Greed is the

38 reason Augustus leaves the factory and therefore, metaphorically, it is the first one on the list of bad traits since he is the one to leave first.

After Augustus’ parents depart to see if their son is well, the Oompa-Loompas entertain the remaining members of the party with a song. In the lyrics, they mock Augustus’ foolishness, greed, and appearance. The offensive remarks, nonetheless, do not regard solely the traits that were assigned to his personality when he was introduced but also add several quite cruel assumptions. After calling Augustus “a pig”, the Oompa-Loompas continue to state that they “are positive he’d never give even the smallest bit of fun or happiness to anyone” (Dahl, 1995, p.104).

What this part of the song implies is that fat people are not worthy of love and affection, which continues to dehumanize and humiliate them. The song proceeds to describe how he should be turned into something that would make people happy. Again, treating Augustus as if he was an object and not a human being with emotions. Furthermore, the author keeps reminding the reader that Augustus is “unutterably vile, so greedy, foul, and infantile” (Dahl, 1995, p. 104), traits assigned to him that were already discussed.

When we see Augustus next time, he is transformed. Grandpa George comments on his change, saying: “He used to be fat! Now he’s thin as a straw!” (Dahl, 1995, p. 182). When looking at the transformation while considering the song from chapter seventeen, this change of appearance can be put into context. A significant part of the song is based on the idea of transforming Augustus into something that “will give great pleasure to us all” (Dahl, 1995, p. 104). The song then provides several examples of what might happen with Augustus in the factory after he has disappeared in the pipe, including a transformation into entertaining items such as a ball or a rocking horse. In the second part of the song, Oompa-Loompas suggest turning Augustus into a fudge. As a part of this transition, they mention boiling away his greed.

We boil him for a minute more, Until we’re absolutely sure That all the greed and all the gall Is boiled away for once and all. Then out he comes! And now! By grace! A miracle has taken place! This boy, who only just before Was loathed by men from shore to shore, This greedy brute, this louse’s ear, Is loved by people everywhere! (Dahl, 1995, p. 105)

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In a sense, the factory did rid Augustus of his greed. When we see him transformed, he is thin - an appearance that is not associated with greed. Augustus undergoes a procedure which rids him of greed. Consequently, his fatness disappears. This transformation confirms the author’s fat-shaming mentality as it ultimately connects greed to fatness.

The issue of fat shaming, however, does not concern only the central characters of the book. Veruca’s mother, Mrs Salt, is disrespected on several occasions by Mr Wonka. In chapter twenty-three when Mr Wonka proudly shares his invention of “square sweets that look round” (Dahl, 1995, p. 135) and Mrs Salt opposes him, the exchange of opinions goes the following way:

“They look round,” insisted Mr Wonka. “They most certainly do not look round!” cried Veruca Salt. “Veruca, darling,” said Mrs Salt, “pay no attention to Mr Wonka! He’s lying to you!” “My dear old fish,” said Mr Wonka, “go and boil your head!” “How dare you speak to me like that!” shouted Mrs Salt. “Oh, do shut up,” said Mr Wonka. “Now watch this!” (Dahl, 1995, p. 136)

Mr Wonka’s reaction signifies the lack of respect he has for Mrs Salt. Later on, she is described as “a great fat creature with short legs” which, when coming up the stairs “was blowing like a rhinoceros” (Dahl, 1995, p. 137). As a rule, a fat person is not regarded as a human being but as “a creature”. When comparing her to a rhinoceros, the efforts to associate fatness with non-human behaviour and appearance are exponentiated.

Mr Wonka’s disrespectful behaviour continues when Mrs Salt expresses her trouble climbing the stairs and asks for the party to slow down. Mr Wonka responds that it is “impossible” and continues to keep up the pace (Dahl, 1995, p. 138). In contrast, when the remaining party gets on the glass elevator, which consequently begins changing directions, Mrs Teavee finds it difficult to hold her balance and screams for help. To this, Mr Wonka responds with gentleman manners and offers Mrs Teavee his hand to hold on to (Dahl, 1995, p. 152). By this contrast in behaviour, it is visible that Mrs Salt is not worthy of respectful treatment because her hardship stems from her fatness.

As the story progresses, Mrs Salt attempts to save her daughter Veruca. This attempt is depicted in the following way:

Mrs Salt bent further forward to get a closer look. She was now kneeling right on the edge of the hole with her head down and her enormous behind sticking up in

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the air like a giant mushroom. It was a dangerous position to be in. (Dahl, 1995, p. 145) Her appearance plays a crucial role in the scene and is used to ridicule the mother’s attempts to save her child. Unnecessarily, Dahl graphically describes the woman’s appearance despite its irrelevance to that part of the story. Reminding the reader of her fatness one last time, when Mrs Salt falls down the hole, she is referred to as the “fat wife” of Mr Salt as if simply using the word “wife” without the specification would confuse the reader (Dahl, 1995, p. 145).

The issue of fat portrayal in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not the fat characters being called “fat” despite the word’s negative stigma. The main problem is using fatness as an indicator of a vile character and as a tool to dehumanize fat people. Apart from this issue, fatness is used as a key aspect of a fat person’s personality. In the eleventh chapter, when Charlie buys a bar of chocolate for a fifty pence he has found in the snow, the character of shopkeeper appears:

The man behind the counter looked fat and well-fed. He had big lips and fat cheeks and a very fat neck. The fat around his neck bulged out all around the top of his collar like a rubber ring. (Dahl, 1995, p. 62) The man is then continuously referred to as “the fat shopkeeper” (Dahl, 1995p. 63), giving the assertion that fatness is the defining feature of his character. Contrary to Augustus, the shopkeeper is not described as inherently bad. Apart from the overwhelming fixation on his fat appearance, we learn that, among all the people in the shop, he is the one to help Charlie when others begin their attempts to buy off his golden ticket. The shopkeeper encourages him to not wander on his way home so as not to lose the ticket and shares Charlie’s joy of finding it (Dahl, 1995, p. 65).

In a minimal amount of text, we learn of the shopkeeper’s integrity and kind-heartedness. It seems, however, that being righteous and kind is not enough to erase the label “fat”. Although the fat shopkeeper represents a positive character, the constant mention of his appearance suggests the irrelevancy of anything else making up his personality.

To conclude, fat characters in Charlie and the Chocolate do not exist beyond their fatness. Even though Dahl introduces a fat character who is inherently good, he fails to acknowledge this and continues to fixate on the character’s appearance instead of making him memorable for his actions. Moreover, the use of negative traits concerning fat characters displays stereotypical thinking and even leads to the demise of Augusts – one

41 of the central fat characters of the story. When the bad traits associated with fatness are eventually remedied, a change of appearance takes place as well, attributing greed to fatness.

As a rule, fat characters are dehumanized by various food and animal similes which aim to illustrate their appearance. Moreover, the use of greed, low-wittedness, laziness, and revulsion in connection to the fact characters contained in the book professes that fat shame is a relevant issue in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

5.2 Fantastic Mr Fox

The short children book Fantastic Mr Fox was first published in 1970. The analysis of this book aims to reveal whether it represents an issue concerning fat shaming and fatphobia, and explores the approach towards the fat characters featured in Fantastic Mr Fox. Apart from discussing these issues, this chapter examines the attitude towards fat and fatness in comparison with the previously discussed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Fantastic Mr Fox revolves around the life of a cunning Mr Fox who steals food from three farmers – Farmer Boggis, Farmer Bunce and Farmer Bean. All three of them are described as “three nasty men” (Dahl, 2016, p. 1). Although all of them are depicted as the villains and possess many negative traits, there is an inclination towards fat shame and fatphobia showing itself in the depiction of the villainy trio.

When taking a closer look at the way the characters are portrayed, we learn that Farmer Boggis is the fattest one of the three. He is described as “enormously fat” (Dahl, 2016, p. 2). His fatness is the result of him eating “three boiled chickens smothered with dumplings every day for breakfast, lunch and supper” (Dahl, 2016, p. 2). Farmer Bunce is a “pot- bellied dwarf” who excessively consumes “doughnuts and goose-livers” (Dahl, 1995, p. 3). As a result, he has a “beastly temper” (Dahl, 2016, p. 3). When the author introduces Farmer Bean, we learn that he substitutes food for apple cider and is “as thin as a pencil and the cleverest of them all” (Dahl, 2016, p. 4).

All three farmers are introduced as the villains of the story, and therefore it would be unjust to assume that a vile character comes with a fat body. It is in the association of slow-wittedness with fatness, where the author displays prejudice against fat. While the descriptions of Boggis and Bunce do not mention their intellect, when we read about

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Bean, it is clear that he possesses a quality that the two formerly described farmers are lacking – intelligence.

Although the author does not directly address greed, it is apparent that both Boggis and Bunce are greedy men. Dahl does not fail to mention how much the two of them consume. Consequently, he successfully connects their fatness to gluttony. The author uses a negative vocabulary to describe Boggis’ and Bunce’s eating habits. Boggis “ate three boiled chickens smothered with dumplings every day for breakfast, lunch and supper” (Dahl, 2016, p. 2). The depiction and the use of the word “smothered” accentuate the quality of greed which is central to the character of Boggis. Bunce’s meal is described as “doughnuts and goose livers” (Dahl, 2016, p. 3). Furthermore, a more detailed description of the food preparation is supplied: “He mashed the livers into a disgusting paste and then stuffed the paste into the doughnuts. This diet gave him a tummy-ache and a beastly temper” (Dahl, 2016, p. 3).

Undoubtedly, the author attempts to evoke disgust in the reader. Contrary to the revulsion in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl provides nauseating details about the food that is consumed rather than attributing revulsion directly to the character. When consuming the revolting food, Bunce’s personality is negatively altered, and he obtains his “beastly temper”. Food, therefore, is representing the bridge leading towards a vile character.

Examining the way the three farmers are addressed in the story, they are all defined by their appearance. The name Boggis is accompanied by the word “fat” four times, and Bunce is twice referred to as “the pot-bellied dwarf”. Furthermore, he is once called “tiny” (Dahl, 2016, p. 21). The adjectives used to describe Bean include “crafty” (Dahl, 2016, p. 9), “long” and “thin” (Dahl, 2016, p. 21) or “skinny” (Dahl, 2016, p. 27).

In the vast range of words used to describe the three farmers, it is unsure whether the depiction of Boggis’ and Bunce’s appearance is used as a tool to mock fat people. The adjectives commenting on the appearance of the characters are in quite equal numbers, and Bean’s size is also used while describing his features. Nonetheless, there is a contrast between the way the author refers to Bunce and Bean. When moving past the general descriptive words related to their size and shape, it is Bunce, the fatter one of the two, who is ridiculed by being compared to a dwarf. Due to this ridicule, the fatness of Bunce stands out in comparison to the thin character of Bean.

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At the beginning of the book, we learn that Bean is the most intelligent one from the three and his position in the group as the smart one is emphasized when he is described as “crafty” (Dahl, 2016, p. 9). The author attributes a positive adjective to Bean, which regards his abilities and therefore, does not let the character’s appearance be the defining feature. Additionally, attributing good qualities only to thin characters suggests a bias against fat people but cannot be considered evidential for this analysis due to its non- repetitiveness.

Fantastic Mr Fox does not feature many secondary characters who are human. Besides the three farmers, the character of Mabel is introduced. Mabel appears at the end of the fifteenth chapter and from what can be understood based on the text, she is an employee in the Bean household. The woman is continuously described as “huge” (Dahl, 2016, p. 67) and “big” (Dahl, 2016, p. 69). In addition to the brief look description, we learn more about Mabel’s character based on her comments about the situation regarding the hunt of Mr Fox and his family.

“I’ll be glad when the rotten brute is killed and strung up on the front porch,” she called out. “And by the way, Mrs Bean, your husband promised I could have the tail as a souvenir.” (Dahl, 2016, p. 69) Mabel’s opinion on the hunt demonstrates the cruelty of her character. She also expresses her desire to keep the fox’s tail as a memento and shows disappointment when she discovers it is ruined (Dahl, 2016, p. 69). From the information that the author provides, it is apparent that Mabel is not a positive character. It is doubtful, however, whether her mean personality is in correlation with her fatness considering all the human characters featured in the book are the villains.

One particularly interesting aspect of the narrative is food and its different roles in the lives of humans and animals. In the human world, food is depicted as an object of greed and is associated with negative words such as “smothered” (Dahl, 2016, p. 2) and “disgusting” (Dahl, 2016, p. 3). When first coming across the mention of food in the animal realm, the author uses more neutral or even positive words, for example, “plump” and “nice” (Dahl, 2016, p. 7). As a result, in the animal world, the need for food is a matter of a survival instinct and a solution to hunger while in the human world, it is the source of gluttony and evil.

Mr Fox and his family begin to starve when being trapped underground by the three farmers. Hunger is a great motivator for most of their actions contrary to the actions of

44 the three farmers whose primary motivation is to protect their stocks of food and drinks to maintain their livelihood. While the motives of the three farmers seem reasonable, from Mr Fox’s perspective, it is preventing both him and his family from obtaining food and therefore, from surviving. As a result, the farmers are depicted as greedy and mean. By contrast, Mr Fox is portrayed as reasonable and righteous. In terms of morals, such thinking represents a corrupted point of view.

As a whole, in Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl does not provide much variety in the characters’ behaviour. No matter their looks and size, every human featured in the story is evil. To a certain degree, the author maintains his biased attitude towards fatness and continues to associate it with greed, revulsion and lack of intelligence.

In the animal realm, food is a matter of survival. By contrast, the food consumed by humans is used as a tool to evoke repulsiveness and to represent greed. In the context of Fantastic Mr Fox, however, the negative portrayal of fatness does not stand out as much as in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where their appearance and negative traits defined a majority of fat characters. It is possible, however, that in the case of Fantastic Mr Fox it is the lack of diversity that covers up explicit fat shame and fatphobia.

5.3 Matilda

Matilda is a story of an extraordinary girl adored by children and adult audiences worldwide. The book, first published in 1988, was not originally intended to be centred on the life of a smart, warm-hearted girl. In the first draft, Matilda was an evil child resisting all the attempts of her parents to raise her to be a good person (Treglown, 2016, p. 124). Eventually, the roles were shifted, and Matilda as the readers know her is a bright loveable child living in a home where her horrible parents do not appreciate her.

The book features several fat characters, one of the most prominent ones being Miss Trunchbull, who is the headmistress of the school Matilda attends. The reason this analysis concerns itself with the character of Miss Trunchbull is that despite the primary feature of her personality being masculinity and massiveness, the implications regarding her fatness are present in the story.

Primarily, Miss Trunchbull is described as a “formidable middle-aged lady” (Dahl, 1988, p. 66). This concise depiction is followed by introducing Miss Honey, Matilda’s teacher, who is undoubtedly used as a stark contrast to Miss Trunchbull:

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Their teacher was called Miss Honey, and she could not have been more than twenty-three or twenty-four. She had a lovely pale oval madonna face with blue eyes and her hair was light-brown. Her body was so slim and fragile one got the feeling that if she fell over she would smash into a thousand pieces, like a porcelain figure. (Dahl, 1988, p. 66)

The depiction is mellow and illustrative, using many positive words. The author also supplies the description of Miss Honey’s personality and professes that she is “mild and quiet” and rarely loses her temper (Dahl, 1988, p. 66-67). Miss Honey is very popular among children due to her warmth and homeliness. When Roald Dahl introduces the petite serene Miss Honey in the best light possible, he is doing so purposefully. Bringing the attention back to Miss Trunchbull, he creates a contrast between the two:

Miss Trunchbull, the Headmistress, was something else altogether. She was a gigantic holy terror, a fierce tyrannical monster who frightened the life out of the pupils and teachers alike. There was an aura of menace about her even at a distance, and when she came up close you could almost feel the dangerous heat radiating from her as from a red-hot rod of metal. Dahl, 1988, (p. 67)

The words used for Miss Trunchbull’s depiction are tinted with negativity. Miss Trunchbull is neither slim nor fragile. She is the exact opposite of Miss Honey, not only in appearance but also in her nature. She is the terror of the school, a person who is feared by the children. Everything about Miss Trunchbull is aggressive, including her movement, which is defined as a march rather than a walk. The noises she makes when moving and the lack of consideration to those who stand in her way also contribute to her aggression (Dahl, 1988, p. 67). As a result, she is a definition of ruthlessness. Her behaviour is in parallel with her looks. Not only she is angry on the inside but also projects the anger to her outer self and is radiating a “dangerous heat” (Dahl, 1988, p. 67). A similar approach is taken in the depiction of Miss Honey, whose mildness is reflected in her neat appearance.

Roald Dahl creates a parallel between looks and character traits. Thin is associated with positive qualities while fat adopts negative ones. Interestingly, the depiction of Miss Trunchbull’s appearance is not as graphic as in the fat characters from the previously discussed books. In the first paragraphs, we learn more about her personality than her appearance. The lack of good qualities in her character and the latter depiction of her looks, however, do suggest that the author’s fat-shaming attitude endures.

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After acquainting the readers with Miss Trunchbull’s monstrosity, the author is consistent in comparing her to inanimate objects and animals such as a tank or an enraged rhinoceros (p. 67). These similes aim to dehumanize her character. Furthermore, we learn that both her behaviour and her appearance are “almost impossible to describe” (Dahl, 1988, p. 67- 68) as if she was not human but something ungraspable.

In her first lesson, Miss Honey informs the children about Miss Trunchbull’s cruelty and strictness. Her words come off as a warning followed by advice to never disagree, argue or even talk to her when not asked to (Dahl, 1988, p. 69). At this phase, Miss Honey does not express her fear of Miss Trunchbull verbally. Through offering advice to her students, nonetheless, she shows the degree to which she knows Miss Trunchbull. The concern she expresses seems to stem from the experience she has with the headmistress, and it is evident that the terror Trunchbull casts is not only befalling the students but also the teachers. Miss Honey confirms this when she decides to consult Miss Trunchbull about Matilda’s extraordinary intelligence and shares that she is “terrified” of the headmistress (Dahl, 1988, p. 82).

In the chapter titled “The Trunchbull”, we learn more about the headmistress’ character. To start with, the author adopts an approach of stating what Miss Trunchbull lacks in her suitability to do her job correctly (Dahl, 1988, p. 82). Furthering the depiction of her horrible personality, the author provides more information about her overall appearance. The former athlete Trunchbull is described to have a “bull-neck”, “big shoulders”, “thick arms” and “massive thighs” and her overall facial features do not add up to a beautiful face (Dahl, 1988, p. 83).

The character of Miss Trunchbull represents a change in Roald Dahl’s presentation of fat characters. Unlike in the previously discussed books where fatness is explicit, Trunchbull is never called fat directly. The author does, however, adopt different techniques to inform the readers of her enormousness.

The hints accentuating Miss Trunchbull’s size are present in the author’s repetitive fixation on descriptive words such as “gigantic” (Dahl, 1988, p. 67), “massive” (Dahl, 1988, p. 83), “giant” (Dahl, 1988, p. 150) and “enormous” (Dahl, 1988, p. 166). As a result, the headmistress’ body type stands out in comparison to the expected beauty standard.

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Apart from general depictions regarding her size, Roald Dahl often parallels Miss Trunchbull’s looks. She has “a finger the size of a salami” (Dahl, 1988, p. 114). Later, her face is described as looking as “a boiled ham” (Dahl, 1988, p. 166). Similar food- related appearance depictions are present in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The persistence of these similes shows the author’s inability to divert form defining fat people in terms of food.

Setting aside Trunchbull’s looks, the following paragraphs deal with the matter of her personality using specific examples. Unlike in Fantastic Mr Fox, where the three farmers are presented as villains without providing a more complex depiction of their characters, the villainy of Miss Trunchbull is an intricate one. The author does not fail to show the extent of her evil endeavour through several situations allowing the reader to identify her as a horrid character.

When we witness the discussion between Miss Honey and Miss Trunchbull, we best see the contrasting features of their personalities. In the headmistress’s expression, we do not notice the serenity that Miss Honey adapts. Quite the contrary, Miss Trunchbull is described as never speaking in a normal voice. She opts to bark or shout instead (Dahl, 1988, p. 85).

When the two women discuss Matilda’s parents, Miss Trunchbull shows a lack of independent thinking as she immediately recalls a discussion she had with Mr Wormwood, Matilda’s father, who informed her that his daughter is “a bad lot” (Dahl, 1988, p. 85). Without even considering that Mr Wormwood might be wrong and Miss Honey telling the truth, she begins to judge Matilda based on what she heard about her. Before encountering the girl in person, Miss Trunchbull judges Matilda. This feature of her personality, the ruthlessness with which she arrives at conclusions, makes her quite an erratic villain.

Another negative feature of her personality is her aggression which does not show only in her non-verbal expression. Miss Trunchbull verbalizes her anger, mostly with threats and violence addressed to the students of her school. On several occasions, she uses violence for punishment. She even expresses her disappointment of no longer being able to use her “birch and belt” (Dahl, 1988, p. 89). The overall impression the character gives is that of a brute.

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Her ruthlessness and cruelty are complemented by a lack of empathy for her students. Miss Trunchbull is not interested in the well-being of students. She is very old-fashioned in her teaching and insists that “all children remain in their own age groups regardless of ability” (Dahl, 1988, p. 89). Since Miss Trunchbull is the one holding power over the decision making of the school, Miss Honey, who is representing a good character, is unable to change her mind.

After she attempts to persuade the headmistress of Matilda’s high intellect, Miss Honey is described as helpless “before this great red-necked giant” (Dahl, 1988, p. 89). Miss Trunchbull being called “red-necked” signifies the lowliness of the character and points out her complex villainy, including her rough personality, aggressive behaviour and lack of good manners. The term is also tinted with the insinuation that Miss Trunchbull lacks intelligence.

The headmistress’ cruelty is firstly encountered in the chapter “Throwing the Hammer” in which Hortensia, another student of the school, informs Matilda and her friend about the cruel practices Miss Trunchbull applies in her schooling, including the use of “the Chokey” (Dahl, 1988, p. 104) – a tall and narrow cupboard with its three walls covered in spikes and glass shreds. This device is allegedly used by the headmistress to punish misbehaving children. The use of such a device to punish children adds savagery to the already diverse mixture of her negative traits. Hortensia continues to describe the headmistress’ favourite punishment which is inspired by “throwing the hammer” – her former athletic discipline (Dahl, 1988, p. 110).

The fear Miss Trunchbull and her punishments evoke in children is multiplied by her nonsensical reasoning and her lack of sense for justice. Even if her way of disciplining the children was acceptable, her punishments are not deserved and often regard petty things such as her hatred towards pigtails (Dahl, 1988, p. 112). Miss Trunchbull also does not stop at the insufficient evidence and has the tendencies to guess when she is unable to identify the child responsible for mischief (Dahl, 1988, p. 108), a habit that shows her lack of integrity.

Miss Trunchbull’s personality is composed of negative traits only, including her insensitivity towards children. When addressing children and speaking directly to them, Trunchbull uses aggressive, violent and often offensive language, not setting a good

49 example to the students of her school. Her interactions with children are filled with insults and threats. To give an example, in the chapter titled “Throwing the Hammer”, the headmistress insults the looks of little girl Amanda, when expressing her disapproval of Amanda’s pigtails. Calling her a rat, Trunchbull, punishes the little girl by throwing her like a hammer across the playground (Dahl, 1988, p. 144-115). What is more, the headmistress calls the girl’s mother a “twit” (Dahl, 1988, p. 114) which illustrates the absence of respect for adults as well. This way of conduct displays a lack of good manners and exceeding impulsiveness.

The headmistress’ hate towards children is illustrated by the language she uses to address them. She expresses her utter disgust with the students and even calls them “nauseating little warts” (Dahl, 1988, p. 141). Furthermore, she shares her opinion on children and says:

“I don’t like small people,” she was saying. “Small people should never be seen by anybody. They should be kept out of sight in boxes like hairpins and buttons.” (Dahl, 1988, p. 151)

The traits, including intense cruelty, hatred and lacking justice, are surely present to underline the villainy of Miss Trunchbull. These shortcomings ore often emphasized by her enormousness. Roald Dahl uses “massiveness” to create a villainous character and includes several stereotypical traits often assigned to fat people. The evil actions of Miss Trunchbull are mostly defined or accompanied by the reference to her looks. By this approach, Dahl is creating harmful assumptions regarding fatness.

What is interesting is that, on several occasions, the children and Miss Honey wonder whether there is an explanation for Miss Trunchbull’s foul character. Often, her sanity is questioned. Matilda’s classmate Hortensia states that “she is mad” (Dahl, 1988, p. 116) after Miss Trunchbull throws Amanda like a hammer over the school premises. On one occasion, another student asks Matilda whether she thinks the headmistress is mad (Dahl, 1988, p. 117). It is not only children but also the representative of the reasonable adults, Miss Honey, who doubts Trunchbull’s sanity (Dahl, 1988, p. 160).

It is questionable why Roald Dahl persistently shows the reader the uncertainty behind the headmistress’ motives. This feature of possible madness could, however, be rooted in the backstory of Trunchbull’s character. If this is the case, it partly explains the reasons for her cruel behaviour. What is more, if her conduct indeed does root in her madness, it

50 is out of her control which makes her actions explainable. It is unclear, however, why Roald Dahl decided to provide this ambiguous back story.

Miss Trunchbull is not the only fat character featured in the story. As the story progresses, the author reveals more about Matilda’s parents – Mr and Mrs Wormwood. Both of them are ignorant adults and do not possess any good qualities. Dismissing the word “fat” from his vocabulary, Roald Dahl describes Mrs Wormwood as “a large platinum blonde woman” (Dahl, 1988, p. 94) who is lazy to cook for her family and occupies herself with playing bingo and watching soap operas on TV (Dahl, 1988, p. 12 and 94). When Miss Honey attempts to inform Matilda’s parents about the girl’s brightness, Mrs Wormwood is submerged in the happening on the TV screen and does not pay attention to Miss Honey. Finally, after some of Miss Honey’s words get through to Mrs Wormwood, she replies with an argument that “looks are more important than books” (Dahl, 1988, p. 97).

Her argument continues to advocate for beauty over intelligence. Mrs Wormwood stubbornly believes that beauty is what enables a woman to find herself a good husband who would take care of her (Dahl, 1988, p. 97). Through expressing her opinion, Mrs Wormwood displays the shallowness and self-centeredness of her personality. What is more, her thinking reflects the normativity of gender roles which assert that looks define a woman. Additionally, Mrs Wormwood points out the differences between Miss Honey and her:

“Now look at me,” Mrs Wormwood said. “Then look at you. You chose books. I chose looks.” Miss Honey looked at the plain plump person with the smug suet- pudding face who was sitting across the room. (Dahl, 1988, p. 98)

In this short section, the use of food to describe looks reappears. The conclusion which can be drawn from what Miss Honey thinks of Mrs Wormwood’s appearance is far more interesting. It is more than evident that Mrs Wormwood is not a conventionally beautiful woman. It is not Roald Dahl’s intention to create a character who is both fat and beautiful. He presents a fat character who believes in her beauty and is ridiculed for that belief. As a result, the character of Mrs Wormwood is that of a grotesquely fat woman who foolishly believes in her beauty which the author deems non-existent.

The next representative among fat characters is a boy named Bruce Bogtrotter, who is accused of eating Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake. Bruce denies the accusation, but eventually, the truth is revealed when he impulsively admits the cake was delicious.

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Consequently, the boy is punished in front of everyone’s sights by being forced to eat a whole cake on his own. He eventually manages to eat the cake Miss Trunchbull intended as a punishment and comes out of the incident victorious (Dahl, 1988, p. 118-133).

Bruce is described as “decidedly large and round” (Dahl, 1988, p. 118) and has a “plump flabby face” (Dahl, 1988, p. 120). The author portrays Bruce as a polite boy. When the cook brings the cake, he is shocked and thanks to the headmistress (Dahl, 1988, p. 124). Later, as he finishes the first slice, he expresses his gratitude once again, claiming he had enough (Dahl, 1988, p. 127). Through the lenses of the narrator, Bruce is a boy of manners.

In contrast, when the headmistress accuses Bruce of her cake gone missing, she calls the boy “greedy little thief” (Dahl, 1988, p. 128). Through this accusation, it is evident that Miss Trunchbull associates the boy’s appetite with gluttony and decides to punish him for it. By making this assumption about the boy, she displays her stereotypical thinking. In a way, the headmistress is the mediator through which the author perpetuates fat shame. Through the character of Miss Trunchbull, Dahl distances himself from the action of fat- shaming.

Trunchbull’s goal is to humiliate Bruce and to shame him in front of the whole school. By using food as the tool to humiliate the boy, Dahl assigns specific power to it. Bruce, however, manages to overcome the situation by eating the cake and comes out of the incident victorious. After consuming the cake, he is sitting on the chair looking like a “huge overstuffed grub, replete, comatose, unable to move or to speak” (Dahl, 1988, p. 133). Bruce’s overeaten state is depicted in a repulsive way, and he is numbed by the consumed food. The use of the word “comatose” implies that he is not present in the moment and unable to perform any action. This inability represents the power of food and suggests that consumption and overindulgence results in numbness and lack of care for anything else. The association between food and the inability to think casts a negative shadow on eating.

In Matilda, the author distances himself from fat shame by opting to use more neutral expressions to describe the fat characters’ appearance. The expressions used to depict the characters and to imply their fatness are used repetitively and redundantly without being relevant to the happening in the story. Their primary function is to insult and to shame.

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Furthermore, fat shame is often expressed through the medium of the characters such as Miss Honey and Miss Trunchbull. This, however, does not erase the stereotypical thinking associating fatness with greed, lack of intelligence and ugliness. In Matilda, Roald Dahl’s fat characters are more complex than in the previously discussed works. Mostly, however, the fat characters’ existence is not linked to positive traits which reaffirms the issue of fat shame in the book and the overall work of Roald Dahl.

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6 Joanne Rowling and fat shaming

This chapter provides an analysis of the first book from the Harry Potter series written by Joane Rowling – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, first published in 1997. The analysis is conducted concerning the issue of fat shaming and fatphobia and examines the author’s approach towards fatness.

Unlike in the chapter dealing with Roald Dahl’s work, the subchapters regarding Joanne Rowling’s work are divided according to the individual fat characters chronologically appearing in the book to provide a compacted overview of the character’s possible development.

6.1 Vernon Dursley

To introduce the character of Vernon Dursley, the author begins with his family background and his occupation. Mr Dursley lives with his wife Petunia and son Dudley in number four, Privet Drive. He runs a company called Grunnings, the occupation of which is drills and prides himself and his family on being normal (Rowling, 2004, p. 7). About his appearance, we learn that “he was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache” (Rowling, 2004, p. 7). The depiction of his appearance is unflattering and emphasizing his fatness with the comical assertion that his neck is practically non-existent.

Mr Dursley’s fatness is often accentuated, especially by references to his face. When warning Harry before taking him to the zoo on his son’s birthday, his face is described as “large” and “purple” (Rowling, 2004, p. 23). On the way to the zoo when Harry mentions something out of the ordinary which disturbs Mr Dursley to the point he almost crashes the car, his face is depicted looking like “a gigantic beetroot with a moustache” (Rowling, 2004, p. 24). During his attempt to get hold of the letter from Hogwarts, Harry steps “on something big and squashy on the doormat” (Rowling, 2004, p. 33) which later turns out to be Mr Dursley’s face.

As the first chapter progresses, we gather more about Mr Dursley’s personality. In the work environment, he seems to be rather strict and displays signs of enjoyment when having the opportunity to reprimand his employees (Rowling, 2004, p. 9). During his lunch break, he sets to visit a bakery and then goes back to his office “clutching a large

54 doughnut in a bag” (Rowling, 2004, p. 9). While this assertion is not directly fat shaming, it displays an association between fatness and unhealthy eating habits.

As a person, Mr Dursley is old-fashioned and has no tolerance for controversy or out of the ordinary. When witnessing people in wizarding cloaks in the streets, he refers to their clothing as “stupid new fashion” and uses the word “weirdoes” to describe them (Rowling, 2004, p. 8). These comments illustrate more about his personality and show his lack of open-mindedness. This argument is supported when he reveals his disapproval of imagination (Rowling, 2004, p. 10).

Concerning his family life, he is a content man. His family takes pride in their normalcy, which reflects his narrow-mindedness (Rowling, 2004, p. 7). There is, however, an element of non-normalcy in Dursley’s family – Petunia’s sister Lily whose existence the Dursleys deny due to her and her husband being “unDursleyish” (Rowling, 2004, p. 7). This approach towards his wife’s sister shows that the whole family is condescending and suggests that anyone who is not a Dursley is not worth their time and energy.

As a parental figure, Vernon Dursley is benevolent and indulges his son with materialistic items. When his son Dudley receives one less present than the previous year and begins to make a scene, his mother solves the situation by announcing that he is going to receive two more. Mr Dursley defends Dudley’s behaviour by asserting that he simply “wants his money’s worth, just like his father” (Rowling, 2004, p.21). Undoubtedly, Mr Dursley plays a role in his son’s poor upbringing as he mostly stands by and takes no action against Dudley’s tantrums. More evidence supporting this claim can be found in chapter two “The Vanishing Glass” in which Dudley makes a scene about the insufficient size of his meal and Mr Dursley solves the situation by buying him another one (Rowling, 2004, p. 24- 25). As a result, Vernon Dursley supports his son’s greed and shows that he is easy to manipulate.

Further affirming the statement regarding Mr Dursley’s tendencies to be manipulated, more evidence is to be found when examining the interactions with his son. In the zoo, Dudley wants to see the snake behind a glass wall to move. Instead of tapping on the glass himself, he orders his father to do so, and Mr Dursley obliges the request (Rowling, 2004, p. 25). In the third chapter, Mr Dursley asks his son to go and get the post to which Dudley

55 replies “make Harry get it” (Rowling, 2004, p. 29). Obediently, Mr Dursley redirects his request to Harry, not insisting on the original one aimed at Dudley.

Another aspect of Mr Dursley’s personality is his proneness to express his dissatisfaction. He is described to complain redundantly, mostly about his cousin Harry (Rowling, 2004, p. 24). This aspect of his personality provides detail to it but does not improve its overall impression since it is a negative one. In some situations, he reacts almost violently. When Harry receives his first letter from Hogwarts, Mr Dursley is described to “roar” at the boys to get out of the room and to take “both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and throw them into the hall” (Rowling, 2004, p. 29). His explosiveness and difficulties with anger management are visible when he visits Harry in his cupboard, and Harry mentions the letter from Hogwarts. Mr Dursley reacts by yelling and then looks as if it was very demanding for him to restrain himself (Rowling, 2004, p. 32).

Mr Dursley’s communicative style is mostly described by aggressive words which signify his impatience, anger or overall irritation. Especially when engaging in communication with his nephew Harry, he “barks” (Rowling, 2004, p. 20), “yells” (Rowling, 2004, p. 24), “shouts”, “sneers” (Rowling, 2004, p. 30) or “roars” (Rowling, 2004, p. 31). Using these verbs, the author attempts to illustrate the relationship between Mr Dursley and Harry and accentuates the hatred Mr Dursley has for the boy.

In contrast, there are passages where Vernon Dursley is content, and it is when communicating with his wife and son. In the company of his family, he “chuckles” (Rowling, 2004, p. 21) and “mutters” (Rowling, 2004, p. 31). He displays positive emotions when expressing pride in his son (Rowling, 2004, p. 29) or enjoying Sunday breakfast with his family, knowing no owls can ruin it as there is no post on Sundays (Rowling, 2004, p. 34). The contrasting behaviour illustrates his attitude towards Harry, who represents out of the ordinary, which Vernon Dursley fears.

Besides being a narrow-minded tyrant whose life centres on his work life and family, the character of Vernon Dursley often serves as comic relief. Either being depicted as a wimp, laughing at his jokes (Rowling, 2004, p. 30) or as a person who is ridiculed for his appearance, the character is not taken seriously. The ridicule of his character is evident after the letters begin to stream into Dursleys’ living room and Mr Dursley attempts to stop Harry from seizing one. After this incident, tired form stopping Harry from learning

56 the truth about his wizarding origin, he slowly begins to display signs of insanity. While Mr Dursley attempts to remain calm, he is “pulling great tufts out of his moustache” (Rowling, 2004, p. 35). This absurd image of Mr Dursley which is accentuated with the statement that “he looked … dangerous with half his moustache missing” (Rowling, 2004, p. 35) is undoubtedly intended to entertain the reader.

As his lunacy escalates, Mr Dursley takes his family to a dilapidated house at sea in the middle of nowhere (Rowling, 2004, p. 37). Mr Dursley is perfectly content with his insane plan to save his family from anything abnormal, and the author continues to ridicule the character for his irrational decisions. Not thinking ahead, Mr Dursley’s food supplies include “a packet of crisps each and four bananas” (Rowling, 2004, p. 37). This assertion confirms his impulsivity and suggests a lack of practical thinking.

Vernon Dursley is quite evidently not a positive character. He is, however, not a character lacking back story for his actions. The author provides reasons for his hateful relationship with Harry and his intolerance for out of the ordinary. He and his wife Petunia are aware of the fact that Harry comes from a wizarding family which is something his wife has no respect for (Rowling, 2004, p. 44). In her youth, Petunia Dursley felt overshadowed by her sister’s abilities and despised her. Since Mr Dursley is easily manipulated by his son, it is likely that, instead of forming his own opinion, he mirrors his wife’s approach towards the boy. Harry has become a reminder of Petunia’s inadequateness and as a result, the target for their hatred.

In conclusion, family and work-life are central to the life of Vernon Dursley. He adopts narrow-minded attitudes towards everything abnormal and finds his stereotypical life fulfilling. His behaviour is vastly influenced by whom he communicates with, which mostly reflects his small-mindedness and the need to embrace the ordinary.

In the depiction of his appearance, we see the overall emphasis of his body size. The author repeatedly reminds the reader of Mr Dursley’s fatness through references to his body shape. Providing graphic depictions in which his face is described as “squishy” (Rowling, 2004, p. 33) or comparisons to vegetables (Rowling, 2004, p. 24), the author shows overall fixation on his looks. Nonetheless, despite the redundant reference to his appearance, which is most likely used to entertain the reader, Mr Dursley is a complex

57 character. The motive for his hatred towards Harry and his lack of tolerance of extraordinary is provided. As a result, Mr Dursley is given a backstory.

Vernon Dursley is a complex character who is, from a significant part, defined by his bad qualities. There are, however, certain positive personality traits such as loyalty to his family which provide more in-depth insight into the intricacy of the character. Unfortunately, his primary function is that of comic relief and a tyrant. Such treatment makes his character a stereotypical one when taking into consideration the issue of fat shame.

6.2 Dudley Dursley

Dudley is the son of Mr and Mrs Dursley, who undoubtedly have a high opinion of him (Rowling, 2004, p. 7). In the first mention of his appearance, Dudley is described as “a large, blond boy” (Rowling, 2004, p. 19) who, in comparison to his cousin Harry, is “about four times bigger” (Rowling, 2004, p. 20). Followed by this concise depiction of Dudley’s appearance, implicit information about the vileness of his character is provided when the author narrates the day of Dudley’s birthday:

The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley’s birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had got the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise – unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley’s favourite punch-bag was Harry, but he couldn’t often catch him. (Rowling, 2004, p. 20)

The paragraph informs us that Dudley is overindulged by his parents. Furthermore, his bullying tendencies reflect in the way he treats his cousin. What is more, apart from learning that Dudley is a spoiled bully, we are provided with information regarding his attitude towards exercise, which is negative. This assertion is made in connection to his fatness and connects Dudley’s largeness to laziness.

Looking at the depiction of Harry, we see a stark contrast between the two characters:

Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley’s and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and bright-green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Sellotape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. (Rowling, 2004, p. 20)

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In comparison to Dudley, Harry is tiny and skinny, and the overall depiction seems to reflect the suffering Harry went through while living with Dudley. Harry’s frail appearance is used as a tool to illustrate the differences between the two, suggesting that Dudley, who is much bigger than Harry, is the bad one. The author aims to victimize Harry in the shadow of Dudley’s cruelty and creates a parallel between fatness and vileness. Such parallel contributes to the fat-shaming narrative regarding Dudley’s character.

To underline Dudley’s vileness, more detailed and negative description of his appearance is provided, no longer put in contrast with Harry but in comparison to Dudley’s father, Vernon Dursley:

Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel – Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. (Rowling, 2004, p. 21)

In the continuous reference to his size, the author uses descriptive language in which she displays her attitude towards fat and fatness. Being compared to a “pig in a wig”, the character is stripped of his humanity. With the use of negatively tinted words concerning his size, the writer fat shames the character using both his looks and the stereotypical features assigned to his personality. Overall, in the few lines, Joanne Rowling makes fatness central to Dudley’s character and states her negative attitude toward his body size.

The author also implies that Dudley lacks intelligence. Continuing to manifest his negative traits, Dudley throws a tantrum since the number of the presents he receives is one less than last year. His parents opt to solve the situation by offering to buy two more presents on the trip to the zoo. As he begins to calculate whether taking this offer is advantageous, the author asserts that the action seems “like hard work” (Rowling, 2004, p. 21), implying his lack of intellect.

The reference to Dudley’s lack of wit is not always well justified. In the chapter titled “The Keeper of the Keys” Dudley is awakened by a big blow and asks “Where’s the cannon?” (Rowling, 2004, p. 39). The narrator evaluates this question as “stupid” not taking into consideration Dudley’s confusion after such sudden awakening.

Further underlining Dudley’s negative personality is his display of materialistic thinking on several occasions. The action of counting birthday presents shows Dudley’s interest 59 in quantity. This is further affirmed by the fact that he has two bedrooms, one of which serves mostly as a storeroom for his possessions (Rowling, 2004, p. 32). The following part of the text shows more about Dudley’s personality as it illustrates a lack of respect for his possessions:

Nearly everything in here was broken. The month old cine-camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over next door’s dog; in the corner was Dudley’s first-ever television set, which he’d put his foot through when his favourite programme had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air- rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. (Rowling, 2004, p. 32)

This passage shows that Dudley is not only materialistic but also a consumerist. No matter the expensiveness of his possessions, Dudley soon loses interest in them as, in his world, they are easily replaceable. The narrator also informs us that not long after his birthday, Dudley has broken several of the gifts he received (Rowling, 2004, p. 28). Overall, Dudley is pictured as ungrateful and disrespectful to his belongings which relates to his negative trait of greed. The author notes that some shelves in his second bedroom are filled with books and adds that they lay there intact Rowling, 2004, (Rowling, 2004, p. 32). This remark emphasizes the assertion that Dudley lacks intelligence.

Dudley’s consumerism does not concern only materialistic objects. His aggressive reaction to his favourite TV program being cancelled (Rowling, 2004, p. 32) illustrates his addictive relationship to media. Furthermore, as the Dursleys and Harry are leaving their home to avoid Hogwarts letters, Dudley attempts “to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag” (Rowling, 2004, p. 35). This behaviour reaffirms his obsession with media and electronic devices. His attempt to pack these gadgets is unsuccessful, and as a result, he misses “five television programmes” (Rowling, 2004, p. 35). Due to this, his day is described as the worst day of his life. Such depiction implies his preoccupation in media bordering with addiction. What is more, media and gadgets playing such an essential part in Dudley’s life, reveal his shallow interests and make him even less likeable.

To continue with the enumeration of his negative qualities, Dudley uses emotional extortion to meet his needs and demands on several occasions. Learning that Harry is joining the family on the trip to the zoo, Dudley begins to cry. The narrator informs the reader that this outburst of emotions is not real, and Dudley uses this technique only to

60 get his way (Rowling, 2004, p. 22). In the zoo restaurant, he throws a tantrum over the small size of his meal (Rowling, 2004, p. 24), a reaction revealing his explosiveness. What is more, the author illustrates how important food is for Dudley since it is a reason for an emotional outbreak. Using his explosive anger, Dudley manipulates his parents into buying him a larger meal (Rowling, 2004, p. 25).

Dudley is surrounded by several friends who join him in his bullying. During the summer break “Dursley’s gang” (Rowling, 2004, p. 28) daily visits his home and makes Harry’s life miserable. When acquainting the reader with its members, the author describes Dudley’s friends the following way:

Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley’s favourite sport: Harry-hunting. (Rowling, 2004, p. 28)

The direct association between their body size and stupidity is evident and further accentuated with the addition that Dudley, the leader, is exceeding them all both in size and lack of wit. The narrator also illustrates the power of Dudley Dursley and his gang. Harry is a victim not only at home but also at school, where the remaining children are reluctant to oppose Dudley and his hate towards Harry (Rowling, 2004, p. 27). The status Dudley has at school reflects his manipulative personality.

As mentioned in the previous subchapter, his father follows Dudley’s commands and does not object to any of them, most likely for fear of his son’s reaction. From his behaviour, it becomes apparent that Dudley represents a bully not only to Harry but also to his parents, Mr and Mrs Dursley, who continuously attempt to oblige their son to keep him content.

Dudley’s reaction to Harry moving into Dudley’s second bedroom illustrates the controlling behaviour he exercises on his parents. Insisting that he needs the second bedroom (Rowling, 2004, p. 32) he displays signs of greed and lack of empathy for his cousin who spent his whole life in a small cupboard under the stairs (Rowling, 2004, p. 25). What is more, Dudley is not opposed to using violence against his parents as he is described to “whack his father with his Smeltings stick” and to “kick his mother” (Rowling, 2004, p. 33) to achieve his goal and get his room back. By this point, it is

61 evident that Dudley’s violence has no boundaries as he does not limit himself to Harry but also attacks his parents.

Dudley not being able to regain his second bedroom is one of the examples in which Mr and Mrs Dursley do not oblige and are not attempting to compensate for his loss. Another similar situation arises when the family packs to escape the letters addressed to Harry. In the car, Dudley is “sniffling” because “his father … hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, video and computer in his sports bag” (Rowling, 2004, p. 35). The interpretation of this situation is an uneasy one as at this point in the story Mr Dursley begins to lose his mind, and it is, therefore, difficult to identify whether he acts under the influence o panic or not. It is also possible that Mr Dursley’s sudden opposition to his son is rooted in his fear of the unknown which Harry represents. If Mr Dursley’s violent reaction to his son’s delay does no stem from his panic and occurs regularly, Dudley’s violence may be rooted in the violence of his father.

Analysing the part where Dudley expresses his distress over the fact that he has to leave his gadgets behind, it is noticeable that he exhibits his materialistic nature. Additionally, it also reflects his priorities and highlights his interest in technology over sports as, ironically, he does not use his sports bag for its purposes but to hold on to his comfort. Dudley’s priorities are belittled and ridiculed when the author connects his misery and discomfort to the feelings of hunger and the absence of television and computer games (Rowling, 2004, p. 35).

What is interesting is the complexity with which Dudley’s character is built. Even in his baby years, his rebellious nature is foreshadowed. Before the family’s destiny is entwined with Harry’s, Petunia Dursley excitedly informs her husband their son’s vocabulary was enriched for the word “shan’t” (Rowling, 2004, p. 10), a negative word expressing disagreement.

To a certain degree, it can be assumed that his parents are at fault for Dudley’s rotten personality. His mother’s attention is smothering and indulgent. She addresses her son “popkin”, “sweetums” (Rowling, 2004, p. 21) or “Ickle Dudleykins” (Rowling, 2004, p. 29) to show her affection. Being a proud mother, she fails to see the vileness of her son’s character and continues to unknowingly foster it by obliging his requests and providing constant praise. Similarly to Mrs Dursley, Mr Dursley as well fails to discipline his son

62 and does not insist on his good manners, not even when it is his wife who is being attacked. If not entirely responsible for their son’s vile character, the two undoubtedly contribute to it.

What is also interesting about the fat-shaming attitudes projected into Joanne Rowling’s work is that it is not only the narrator who utters offensive remarks. When Harry and Dursley are at the zoo and watching a gorilla, Harry thinks about the resemblance between the animal and Dudley (Rowling, 2004, p. 24). Even Hagrid, the keeper of keys from Hogwarts, comments on Dudley’s appearance: “Yer great puddin’ of a son don’ need fattenin’ any more, Dursley, don’ worry” (Rowling, 2004, p. 41). The comparison to pudding affirms the association between food and fatness. Besides, Hagrid accentuates Dudley’s fatness by sarcastically emphasizing its sufficiency.

There is more evidence suggesting that the author projects her fat-shaming attitudes to other characters featured in the book. As a response to Mr Dursley insulting Albus Dumbledore, Hagrid uses magic to grow Dudley’s pig’s tail (Rowling, 2004, p. 48). Commenting his magic trick, Hagrid says: “Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn’t much left ter do.” (Rowling, 2004, p. 48). This attempt at transforming Dudley into an animal associated mostly with fatness is ultimately the most significant evidence of fat shame. Not covertly, Hagrid fat shames Dudley in front of Harry and Dudley’s family. What is worse, Hagrid targeting his anger at Dudley is unreasonable as it is Mr Dursley, who enrages him. From this particular situation, it is evident that fat shame constitutes a big part of the author’s narrative as it is perpetuated even by characters who do not have any reason for it.

All in all, Dudley Dursley’s character is composed of negative traits, most of which are presented in connection to his fatness. He is a manipulative bully who lacks good qualities. His looks are often used as an emphasizer to his laziness and low intelligence, which makes the character a victim of fat shame. Besides, the author opts to use other characters featured in the story to convey her fat-shaming thoughts. Conclusively, Dudley represents a negative fat character in the narrative, and his treatment reflects the author’s fat-shaming attitudes.

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6.3 Hagrid

Hagrid is a giant and “the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts” (Rowling, 2004, p. 40). Perhaps due to his giant origin, Hagrid’s size is often emphasized. As fatness is connected to body size, it is relevant to consider the giant’s character to make the analysis of fat shame in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as thorough as possible.

The reader encounters Hagrid for the first time through a conversation between Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore, which takes place on the night when Harry is to be left on the Dursleys’ doorstep. When Dumbledore informs McGonagall of the fact that it is Hagrid who is at the moment taking care of Harry, she is concerned, asserting that perhaps it is not “wise” (Rowling, 2004, p. 16) to give such responsibility to the giant. To this, Dumbledore replies, advocating for Hagrid (Rowling, 2004, p. 16). The conversation foreshadows that Hagrid is not reliable and perhaps should not be trusted with certain tasks. McGonagall further continues to claim that he is “careless”. She does not manage to finish her statement as Hagrid’s entrance interrupts her (Rowling, 2004, p. 16).

As Hagrid arrives, the author depicts him as “twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide” (Rowling, 2004, p. 16). Considering the depiction of his bodily proportions, even when not stated as a fact, we can assume that he is a fat man. The narrator emphasizes his enormousness when adding that “he looked simply too big to be allowed” (Rowling, 2004, p. 16). This remark suggests that there are rules about body size which Hagrid is somehow breaking.

Despite not being depicted as straightforwardly fat, Hagrid’s personality consists of some stereotypical features often assigned to fat characters. To begin with, when saying goodbye to Harry as Dumbledore is about to leave the boy at the Dursley’s doorstep, he overly displays his emotions. Sobbing uncontrollably, he is reprimanded by Minerva McGonagall so as not to wake anyone (Rowling, 2004, p. 17). Such an outburst of emotions in association with a giant appears comical.

Furthermore, the outburst of emotions illustrates that Hagrid is an affectionate person. While this could be perceived as good quality, in the case of Hagrid, it proves to be a source of many issues. When obtaining an illegal dragon egg (Rowling, 2004, p. 171), Hagrid is blinded by his emotions and displays an unhealthy amount of fixation on the dragon when it hatches. Hagrid referring to himself as the dragon’s “mummy” (Rowling,

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2004, p. 172), makes him appear both comical and also over-affectionate. Hagrid’s behaviour and unwillingness to recognize the issue of hiding an illegal dragon lead to potential trouble which exposes his gullibility. As a result, Hagrid appears as a comical character who is not to be taken seriously and cannot be trusted.

Hagrid is an impulsive man. His impulsivity reflects in his communication with the Dursleys. Finding out that Harry has not been informed about his wizarding origin, Hagrid is infuriated. In his rather one-sided interaction with the Dursleys, his anger “fills the whole hut” (Rowling, 2004, p. 41) and causes distress to the family. The depictions of his conduct illustrate his bad temper. He is described to look “as if he was about to explode” (Rowling, 2004, p. 41). As Hagrid is speaking, it reflects his rage (Rowling, 2004, p. 42).

Hagrid’s fury escalates when he uses magic in his attempt to turn Dudley into a pig (Rowling, 2004, p. 48). For some reason, Hagrid does not turn his anger on Vernon Dursley, the one who angered him in the first place, but opts to attack his son instead. Apart from the author distancing herself from fat shame, this action shows a lack of rational thinking and an excess of impulsivity in Hagrid.

Being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year (Rowling, 2004, p. 48), Hagrid is not well-read. Moreover, when asked to write the name “Voldemort”, he admits he cannot spell it (Rowling, 2004, p. 45). Hagrid’s lack of education is reflected in his overall intellect. As a result, Hagrid appears to be an uneducated character who acts on impulse and consequently gives the impression of an uncouth person. What is more, due to his occupation at Hogwarts, he is seen as inferior by many students. For example, Draco Malfoy shares what he knows about Hagrid when he and Harry meet for the first time while shopping for their school supplies. His opinion on the gatekeeper is not high as he mentions his savagery and his excessive drinking habits (Rowling, 2004, p. 60).

It is not incidental that Hagrid’s drinking is mentioned quite frequently. When Hagrid arrives at the hut where Dursleys and Harry are hiding, he begins to warm up the place by starting a fire. As he starts to take his possessions out of the pockets of his coat, he also takes out “a bottle of some amber liquid which he takes a swig from” (Rowling, 2004, p. 40). During the welcoming feast at Hogwarts, the author does not fail to mention that Hagrid is “drinking deeply from his goblet” (Rowling, 2004, p. 94). Next, during the

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Christmas feast, the giant requires more wine and eventually ends up “kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek” (Rowling, 2004, p. 150). Finally, Hagrid admits being drunk when revealing the secret about how to get past the three-headed dog, swearing never to drink again (Rowling, 2004, p. 219).

Whether used as a reason for his impulsiveness or simply to aid his irresponsibility, drinking is often associated with Hagrid. His drinking habits might be viewed as a motive for Hagrid’s actions. If this is the case, the author is providing a back story to the character and explains his reckless actions. This explanation seems most likely as Hagrid is drunk when revealing the secret, which eventually leads to the gradation of the narrative – the attempt to steal the Philosopher’s stone. The provided reason for his irresponsibility, however, does not erase the overall negativity of his character. It merely suggests that apart from being irresponsible and unreliable, he also has alcohol issues.

Hagrid further professes his impulsiveness and lack of consideration when sharing secret information with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This does not happen on only one occasion but repeatedly. He reveals the name of Nicolas Flamel (Rowling, 2004, p. 142) and also a way to get past the three-headed dog Fluffy (Rowling, 2004, p. 194). While these leaked pieces of information are vital to the progression of the narrative, they make Hagrid an untrustworthy character which is coincidentally the positive trait Dumbledore claims to appreciate the most about him (Rowling, 2004, p. 16). Such a paradox appears comical and ironic in the scope of the narrative.

Besides Hagrid displaying signs of unreliability due to his tendencies to reveal secrets, he is also a gullible character. As the trio of friends attempts to gather information about the magic protecting the Philosopher’s stone, it requires simple flattery for Hagrid to reveal more. While being complimented, he shows signs of pride and as a result, is easily persuaded to share his knowledge regarding the professors who helped to guard the stone (Rowling, 2004, p. 170). Being easily manipulated into giving out information does not shed a good light on his character. Hagrid revealing secrets after being complimented proves both his gullibility and lack of thinking ahead.

To a certain degree, Hagrid’s impulsiveness and his inability of critical thinking serve a humorous purpose in the narrative. When obtaining a dragon egg, his parental instincts begin to cloud his judgment even more as he is unable to see the issue raising a dragon

66 represents (Rowling, 2004, p. 170). Naming the dragon and calling himself his “mummy” (Rowling, 2004, p. 172), Hagrid and his foolishness entertain the readers but also discredit his opportunities to be perceived seriously.

Despite being represented as a good friend to both Harry and Dumbledore, Hagrid’s character proves to be problematic in many ways. Dumbledore expresses his trust to him, which seemingly makes him a trustworthy character. This assumption, however, is broken when we learn more about his tendencies to reveal secrets. While Hagrid’s intentions seem to be well-meant, he displays signs of recklessness and impulsivity which cannot be excused. Hagrid’s anger and its projection into violence display the lowliness of his character. Furthermore, Hagrid professes a lack of intelligence and deep thinking.

Many of the negative features making up Hagrid’s character are often associated with fat and fatness. Not directly asserting Hagrid’s fatness, the author avoids making a straightforward connection between his size and the negative traits assigned to his character. Characteristics such as naivety, lack of intelligence, and serving a comic purpose, however, do get associated with fatness in most of the analysed works. While fat shame is not as blatant as in the depiction of Dudley and Vernon Dursley, the author undoubtedly projects it into the depiction of Hagrid’s personality as well. The mildness with which Hagrid’s body size is treated may be due to his closeness with Harry.

To conclude, the problematic features of Hagrid’s personality are not as easy to identify as with the two previously discussed characters since it was not the author’s intention to vilify the gatekeeper. The continuous association of large body size and negative traits, however, do persist in the author’s narrative. As a result, the author’s approach towards the character of Hagrid indicates the presence of fat shame.

6.4 Mrs Weasley

Mrs Weasley, a mother of Harry’s friend Ron, is depicted quite briefly. As far as her appearance is concerned, we learn that she is “a plump woman” (Rowling, 2004, p. 69) which is the only noun phrase used to describe her persona until we know more about her identity. As soon as Harry begins a conversation with Mrs Weasley, she is no longer a plump woman but “a mother” (Rowling, 2004, p. 72) which shows that plumpness and motherhood are the distinguishing features used to describe Mrs Weasley. The repetitiveness of the word “plump” shows fixation on her appearance. Due to attending

67 mostly to her one-sided role as a caring mother, the author does not provide much space for building a good representative of a fat character. Instead, Mrs Weasley is reduced to a plump witch whose primary concern is her family.

Every time we encounter Mrs Weasley in the narrative, it is in relation to her children. We do not see her existing apart from her family life. The author does not provide any information on her occupation or any other details to specify and deepen her personality. All we learn is that she is very busy with five of her children (Rowling, 2004, p. 76). Mrs Weasley even substitutes motherly role to Harry. Metaphorically, Harry is quickly considered to be a part of her family as she sends him a “Weasley jumper” as a present for Christmas (Rowling, 2004, p. 147). Despite being extremely busy with children of her own, she sacrifices her time by attempts to compensate Harry’s lack of mother figure.

Although her main occupation is her motherhood, Mrs Weasley’s mothering skills do not seem to be perfect as she makes obvious differences between her children. These differences are based on her children’s success. While her son Percy is awarded a new robe and a new owl due to his newly acquainted role as a Prefect, her son Ron is left with Percy’s old rat (Rowling, 2004, p. 72-75). The premise is that the family cannot afford to acquire new things for all its children. There is, however, a hint of surrender in Ron’s voice as he expresses his worries about not being good enough for being the youngest of the boys (Rowling, 2004, p. 75). Ron is concerned about his abilities to meet his mother’s expectations which does not reflect well on Mrs Weasley’s upbringing.

Ron’s concerns continue to show when the first-years are to be sorted by the sorting hat into the individual houses. Sharing with Harry that both his parents and all his brothers were sorted into Gryffindor, he voices his fear over not fulfilling his parents’ expectations. He is described to look “gloomy” and “depressed” due to the upcoming sorting ceremony (Rowling, 2004, p. 80). Mrs Weasley’s parenting is problematic as she tends to compare her children’s achievements rather than approaching them individually. This approach causes her children to be under constant pressure to meet their mother’s expectations.

Similarly to the character of Hagrid, it is not the author’s intention to depict Mrs Weasley as a negative character. The intention is neither to make her dimensional and relatable as she is presented quite one-sidedly and lacks depth. Mrs Weasley is a character reduced to a model of a stereotypical woman who attends to her household and family. What is more,

68 her mothering approach proves to advantage her successful children, and her upbringing lacks an individual approach. As a result, she cannot serve as a positive representative of a fat character.

6.5 Neville Longbottom

Neville Longbottom is one of the first-year students at Hogwarts. Neville’s character is not a major one but is essential for the narrative. In connection to Neville’s character, several indicators reveal that he is fat. He is introduced as a “round-faced boy” (Rowling, 2004, p. 71) which presents the first hint to his body size.

Neville is frequently a target of mockery which, in some cases, directly uses his appearance as a fuel. Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter’s enemy, refers to Neville as a “great lump” (Rowling, 2004, p. 110) which can both point to Neville’s clumsiness and body shape. Draco also calls Neville a “fat little crybaby” (Rowling, 2004, p. 110), making his fatness evident to the reader in a deriding manner.

Neville often finds himself in tricky and embarrassing situations. When mentioned for the first time, he is searching for his lost toad Trevor (Rowling, 2004, p. 71). The storyline of the lost toad shows most of the central qualities Neville’s character is built on as it illustrates his distractedness and his tendencies to being emotional. When visiting Harry and Ron in their compartment to ask them whether they have seen Trevor, he is described as “tearful” (Rowling, 2004, p. 78). As the narrative progresses, the weakness accompanying his character, which causes outbreaks of emotions slowly becomes one of its defining features.

Continuously, Neville’s actions are illustrative of his feeble personality. As the students walk to the Hogwarts castle, Neville “sniffs” (Rowling, 2004, p. 83) – an expression that may signify his exhaustion from the journey. Considering that Hagrid then reassures the students that their destination is near, it is the most probable explanation. Through such small action, Neville shows his weakness which none of the other children expresses.

Besides his weakness, the author also points out Neville’s distractedness on several occasions. Emphasizing that Neville has lost his toad more than once (Rowling, 2004, p. 71) the author illustrates his incapability in the very first mention of his character. When Professor McGonagall informs the first years about the upcoming ceremony, she notices

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Neville’s improperly buttoned cloak (Rowling, 2004, p. 86). As his name is called during the sorting ceremony, he “falls over” on his way to the sorting hat and eventually even forgets to take the sorting hat off when returning to his seat (Rowling, 2004, p. 90). Such incidents seem humorous, and by this point, it becomes apparent that Neville’s distractedness serves not only to define Neville’s character but also to entertain the readers.

Following Neville’s narrative, we discover his brief family background. Brought up by his witch grandmother, Neville did not exhibit any magical powers. In an attempt to awaken his wizarding skills, his relatives took some quite drastic measures:

“My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned – but nothing happened until I was eight. Great uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased.” (Rowling, 2004, p. 93)

The story surrounding Neville’s discovery of his wizarding powers shows that his family bullied him. What is told as a harmless anecdote serving to entertain the reader is reflecting a quite twisted family dynamic when considered in more depth. Neville’s family desired his wizarding skills to appear to such extend they were willing to risk the little boy’s life more than once. Needless to say, if his magic did not awaken by the fall from the window, Neville most likely would not survive the incident. The situation in which Neville’s magic is finally awakened, he is described to “bounce”. As this verb is most frequently used with connection to balls, the author may be referring to Neville’s body shape.

His family does not play a positive role in Neville’s life. Receiving his Hogwarts letter is a piece of pleasing and even surprising news to his family as they did not believe he is “magic enough to come” (Rowling, 2004, p. 93). Neville is highly underestimated by his relatives which results in his lack of confidence. Consequently, his status of a weakling and a coward at the Hogwarts School reflects the treatment he received at home.

Further affirming his family’s awareness of Neville’s shortcomings, his grandmother sends him a “Remembrall” (Rowling, 2004, p. 108), a magical device serving to tell its owner he or she has forgotten something by changing its colour to red. Immediately after

70 unwrapping the present, the Remembrall turns red. Neville, however, is unable to recall what it is he has forgotten (Rowling, 2004, p. 108). While pointing out his forgetfulness, the author also uses the whole situation to entertain the reader. Neville is depicted as hopeless and incompetent to control such a simple device due to his poor memory.

An incident in which Draco Malfoy takes Neville’s Remembrall follows. Professor McGonagall, who witnesses this, rushes to the table to solve the situation. Neville does not hesitate to inform her of what Draco did (Rowling, 2004, p. 108). Such behaviour in which Neville tells on his schoolmate does not make his character likeable. Quite the opposite, it reaffirms his position of a coward and illustrates his inability to stand up for himself.

Neville’s forgetfulness, similar to other negative traits composing his character, is not occasional. Forgetting the password to access their dormitory, Neville is forced to wait in front of the entrance for someone to help him (Rowling, 2004, p. 116). After Harry, Ron, and Hermione find him fast asleep in front of the dormitory entrance, he wakes up and enthusiastically expresses his joy over the fact that someone has finally come to help him out of the situation. Having different concerns, the trio of the students decides to leave after revealing the password to Neville. The patron of the dormitory who grants access to the students, however, is not present and therefore cannot let Neville in (Rowling, 2004, p. 116).

In a panicky manner, Neville tries to stop Harry, Ron, and Hermione from leaving: “‘Don’t leave me!’ said Neville, scrambling to his feet. ‘I don’t want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron’s been past twice already’” (Rowling, 2004, p. 116). Besides reaffirming Neville’s lack of courage, the author illustrates the dependency of Neville on others.

Neville’s dependency is reaffirmed through the course of the whole book. As the students go to their dormitory, they must climb through a hole behind a painting. During climbing through, Neville needs “a leg up” (Rowling, 2004, p. 96) which, apart from his co- dependency, illustrates his clumsiness and even might be appearing in connection to his heavy bodyweight. During classes, Neville often encounters trouble which leads to him getting hurt. In potion class, his cauldron leaks. This incident ends with “angry red boils” (Rowling, 2004, p. 103) covering his limbs. The professor leading the lesson reacts by

71 addressing Neville as an “idiot boy” (Rowling, 2004, p. 103), ridiculing him in front of his schoolmates.

Before attending flying lessons, Harry admits he understands why Neville’s grandmother never allowed him to fly a broomstick as he “managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground” (Rowling, 2004, p. 107-108). This Harry’s inner thought shows that Neville’s lack of competence is common knowledge among the Hogwarts students. As Neville’s broom seems reluctant to move during their first flying lesson, Harry ponders whether brooms can sense fear and his thoughts even inform the reader of how obvious it is that Neville has no interest in flying (Rowling, 2004, p. 109). This situation and Harry’s inner thoughts highlight the fact that clumsiness and cowardice are the main features which compose Neville’s character.

Encountering the three-headed dog, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville run away to seek hiding in their dormitory. Neville’s fear is directly addressed. He looks “as if he’d never speak again” while the trio discusses the possibility that the dog might be guarding something (Rowling, 2004, p. 120). After the encounter, Neville does not show interest in these theories, and his priority is “never going near the dog again” (Rowling, 2004, p. 121). The reaction to the three-headed dog of Harry, Ron, and Hermione is mostly fascination and curiosity. By contrast, Neville is repeatedly depicted as a coward in comparison to others which shows that he is used as a tool to highlight the abilities of the main characters.

Neville’s overall position in the group of his schoolmates is firstly illustrated during the sorting ceremony. His forgetfulness causes him to go back to his seat with the sorting hat still on which evokes amusement in his schoolmates who do not hesitate to laugh (Rowling, 2004, p. 90). Such behaviour points to the assumption that Neville is an outsider. This assumption is reaffirmed when Neville falls victim to Draco Malfoy’s practice of magic:

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone’s guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognised at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. Everyone fell about laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter-curse. (Rowling, 2004, p. 159)

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Witnessing Neville’s inconvenience, his schoolmates begin to laugh. Such a reaction shows a pattern in which Neville is a comical figure. Harry, Ron, and Hermione help Neville and ask how he got into the situation, advising him to consult a professor. Neville disagrees, arguing that he is not interested in getting into more trouble. Harry reacts to Neville’s possible outburst of sadness and gives him some chocolate which signifies a pitiful attitude towards the boy (Rowling, 2004, p. 160).

Even Harry, who otherwise treats Neville in a friendly manner, expresses concerns when Neville manifests his interest to work with him during their Charms lesson. Eventually, Harry is relieved when not being paired up with Neville. (Rowling, 2004, p. 126). For his clumsiness and misfortune, Neville is discriminated against by all his schoolmates, including his friends.

There is one occasion in which Neville decides to stand up for himself. After being repeatedly attacked by Draco Malfoy, both physically and verbally, Neville protests against his bullying by saying that he is “worth the twelve of him” (Rowling, 2004, p. 163). This protest copies words of Harry (p. 160) which reaffirms Neville’s lack of autonomy. Furthermore, it shows a momentary sign of courage which is, however, met with mockery from Draco and his friends.

Draco continues to insult Neville, and also mentions Ron in his taunting. Ron, unlike Neville, reacts swiftly and defends himself. This incident escalates into a fight that Neville hesitantly joins (Rowling, 2004, p. 164). While this action may show a growth of courage in Neville, it is vital to consider the situation in which this sudden change of attitude takes place. Neville’s reaction is likely induced by the collectivity and the excitement of the action.

As Neville’s narrative continues, he is back to being cowardly and weakling. After getting detention for not being in bed after a curfew, Neville is “sobbing into his pillow for what seems like hours” (Rowling, 2004, p. 178) and continues to express his sadness as he and the other students are to face their punishment for breaking the rules (Rowling, 2004, p. 181). Without the excitement of action which accompanied the escalated commotion after Draco Malfoy began to insult Neville and Ron, Neville lacks courage. What is more, he even shows tendencies to self-pity when spending most of the night crying over what awaits him.

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There are several more instances in which the author reaffirms Neville’s cowardice. In the dark forest where the students fulfil their detention, Neville constantly expresses his fear. Neville’s emotions are often vocalized as he “moans” or makes “a choking noise” (Rowling, 2004, p. 182).

It is essential to mention Neville’s determination to stand up to his friends and to stop them from getting into trouble. Catching Harry, Ron and Hermione sneaking out from the dormitory, Neville refuses to let them pass the exit. During the dispute, he fights back when Ron indirectly calls him “an idiot” (Rowling, 2004, p. 198). An interesting exchange of opinions follows:

“I don’t think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!” “Yes, but not to us,” said Ron in exasperation. “Neville, you don’t know what you’re doing.” He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. “Go on then, try and hit me!” said Neville, raising his fists. “I’m ready!” (Rowling, 2004, p. 198) Neville becomes a victim of his friends’ hypocrisy. Attempting to apply what he has learned from his new friendship with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Neville is shut down by the argument that he should not use it to pose as an issue to them. Persuaded he is doing the right thing, Neville is adamant and refuses to back down which eventually results in Hermione using a binding spell to ensure he is not in their way (Rowling, 2004, p. 198- 199). Even in this situation, Neville is an outsider not allowed to enter the world of the main characters. Harry, Ron, and Hermione could inform Neville of the whole situation, but instead, they consider him not worthy of knowing and therefore solve the conflict by what can only be perceived as violence.

Against his will, Neville is bound by magic and unable to move his body which is a humiliating experience. What is more, he is described to “fall flat on his face, stiff as a board” (Rowling, 2004, p. 198). This depiction attempts to provide comic relief as a person falling on his face, unable to move appears humorous to the reader. Contrasting with its possible humorous effect is both the physical and emotional pain Neville must endure when this happens. Not being adequately informed on why Harry, Ron, and Hermione attempted to leave the dormitory during night time, he experiences betrayal from his friends.

For his manifestation of bravery when confronting his friends, Neville’s action is acknowledged and rewarded by Albus Dumbledore (Rowling, 2004, p. 222). Such

74 appreciation, however, does not erase how Neville is treated in the context of the book. Even after his bravery is addressed, the author emphasizes the fact that Neville “never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before” (Rowling, 2004, p. 222). While this statement highlights his success, it also reminds his primary role of an incapable character and an outsider.

Another problematic feature of Neville’s character is the emphasis on lacking certain abilities. Regarding his exam results, we learn the following:

Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, came top of the year. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. (Rowling, 2004, p. 222) While Neville manages to pass the exams, the successful aspect of it is diminished by the fact that he failed to perform equally well in all his subjects. Similar to the situation in which Gryffindor is granted ten points due to Neville’s efforts, this as well reflects the balance between Neville’s success and the following reminder of failure.

As a whole, Neville is defined by his cowardice, incompetence, and clumsiness. These traits are often emphasized with reference to his body size, which proves to show the author’s fat-shaming attitudes. Even when he professes bravery, his efforts are either ridiculed or diminished by the mention of his shortcomings. Neville is not intended to be a negative character, but the author associates him with many negative traits and habits.

Similarly to the character of Hagrid, his body size is scarcely addressed harshly. Providing Neville’s proximity to the protagonist, it is possible that fat shaming is mediated through the main character. When in proximity to Harry, the fat-shaming attitudes towards fat characters are not as obvious because fatness is not associated with strongly stereotypical features of greed and vileness. Nonetheless, Neville fails to represent a fat character who is treated without bias. As a result, his character is a victim of fat shame in the scope of the book. 6.6 Crabbe and Goyle

Crabbe and Goyle are minor characters defined mainly by being Draco Malfoy’s bodyguards. We scarcely see them without the company of Draco, and their role in the story is quite straightforward and lacking depth. On the Hogwarts Express, before Draco introduces the two to Harry and Ron, Harry describes them as “thickset” and assumes that

75 they are “extremely mean” (Rowling, 2004, p. 81). A straightforward connection is made between fatness and a vile character. While not in such depth as in the case of Dudley Dursley, Crabbe and Goyle are also reduced to being evil in connection to their sturdy body image.

Crabbe and Goyle are described to be “a lot bigger” (Rowling, 2004, p. 82) than Harry and Ron. Using the positive main characters for the comparison illustrates the difference between the two parties – one thick and evil, the other thin and good. Through their actions, Crabbe and Goyle prove that Harry’s first impression of them was not a mistake.

Following Draco’s hints, Goyle attempts to take away Harry’s chocolates. This action ends abruptly when Ron’s rat bites him (Rowling, 2004, p. 82). Since Draco mentions all the food they have already eaten (Rowling, 2004, p. 82), Goyle’s action is fuelled both by greed and vileness. The whole situation also illustrates that he is unable to think for himself and listens to Draco’s orders instead. The three antagonists leave the compartment looking distressed by the whole situation (Rowling, 2004, p. 82), which reveals that their courage is a pretence easily threatened by an inconvenience.

In their encounters with Harry, Crabbe and Goyle profess their spitefulness when revelling in other people’s misfortune. Mostly, they serve to support Draco Malfoy’s insulting comments. When Professor Snape refers to Harry as a “celebrity”, Crabbe and Goyle “snigger” (Rowling, 2004, p. 101), enjoying the uncomfortable situation Harry is put in. Witnessing Harry’s gaps in knowledge during a Potion class, they are “shaking with laughter” (Rowling, 2004, p. 102), which reaffirms their maleficent characters.

The dynamics between Draco and Crabbe and Goyle are revealed when Draco finds himself in an uncomfortable situation without them. When Harry notes that Crabbe and Goyle are not present to protect Malfoy (Rowling, 2004, p. 111), he expresses his awareness of the roles Crabbe and Goyle carry in the group of the villainy trio. From Harry’s observation, it is apparent that Draco seems to realize their absence as well (Rowling, 2004, p. 111). As Draco is seldom lost for words, it is evident that Harry’s assumption was correct. Through the use of the two bodyguards, the author illustrates Draco’s cowardice as it substitutes his egoism the minute he is alone.

Reaffirming this claim is the fact that when reunited with Crabbe and Goyle, Draco reverts to his mockery. Harry notices this and says: “You’re a lot braver now you’re back on the ground and you’ve got your little friends with you” (Rowling, 2004, p. 114). A

76 statement that the narrator then comments and adds that “there was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle” (Rowling, 2004, p. 114) which circles back to their size being used as the main defining feature of their appearance.

Following the stereotypical pattern in which most of the fat characters featured in the book are treated, Goyle’s lack of intellect is addressed. Pondering their exam results, Harry, Ron, and Hermione “hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he has passed too” (Rowling, 2004, p. 222).

What is particularly interesting about the two characters is their muteness. Thorough the narrative, there is not a single instant of Crabbe and Goyle verbalizing their thoughts. Most of their interactions consist of non-verbal agreement with their leader Draco or reacting through a variety of sounds, most of which are of mocking nature. Such a lack of voice speaks for their absence of independent thinking and underlines the assertion of their low intelligence.

To conclude, Crabbe and Goyle are presented as negative fat characters whose primary function is to protect an evil secondary character. This reaffirms their negative role in the narrative. Personality traits such as violent behaviour, meanness, gullibility, and lack of intellect are attributed to their characters, maintaining the author’s unfavourable approach to fat and fatness. Due to their negative relationship with the protagonist, Crabbe and Goyle’s fatness is treated with more negativity than in the case of Neville and Hagrid. This reaffirms the assumption that the author transfers her fat-shaming attitudes to the character of Harry.

6.7 The Fat Lady

The Fat Lady is a minor character guarding the Gryffindor common room (Rowling, 2004, p. 96). Apart from this function, she is of no great importance to the whole narrative. She is, however, one of the fat representatives. It is, therefore, relevant to include her in the analysis.

The character’s essence is captured in a painting hanging over the entrance to Gryffindor common room. The painting’s name – The Fat Lady – directly defines fatness as central to the character it portrays. Being described as “a very fat woman in a pink silk dress” (Rowling, 2004, p. 96), Fat Lady is reduced to being nothing more.

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The Fat Lady’s only function is to grant access to those who know the password for entering the common room. While this function seems to be an interesting one, the author does not allow the character to exist beyond her fatness and her duty which she occasionally fails to fulfil due to her errands (Rowling, 2004, p. 116). This lack of information about the character, however, cannot be interpreted as evidential since the reader is not provided with any information about the other house guardians.

Overall, fatness is central to the character of Fat Lady. The lack of characteristics assigned to her makes it is impossible to determine whether she is a negative or a positive character. What is evidential is the author’s fixation on her appearance and the inability to provide more pieces of information besides the ones regarding her size.

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7 Two authors, two approaches

This chapter summarizes the findings of the analysis and aims to contrast and to compare the attitudes of Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling towards fat characters. Furthermore, the stereotypical patterns concerning fat-shaming attitudes are addressed to determine their role in the narratives. Additionally, these patterns of fat shame are compared and contrasted to provide a thorough overview of the roles that fat shame plays in the works of the two authors.

7.1 The attitudes towards fat shaming

The analysis has shown that both Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling manifest fat-shaming attitudes. There are, however, specific differences in their approach towards fatness. Most of these differences are rooted in the techniques used to depict fat characters and the following links to the negative traits associated with fatness. The following paragraphs discuss these differences in greater detail.

Roald Dahl and his fat-shaming attitudes are overt. Analysing his work has provided an interesting insight into his approach towards fatness. Fat characters featured in his work are lazy, vile, non-intelligent, laughable, scary, repulsive, ugly, or the combination of all. In his depictions, the intention to connect negative traits to fat is obvious.

Dahl’s fat characters lack depth, and the motives for their foul behaviour are never directly explained. Even characters who are given good qualities are instantly discredited for their body shape. As a result, Dahl asserts that body size determines a person’s worthiness. Such treatment erases the humanity of these characters and suggests that no matter their actions, their fatness is decisive for their relevance. His approach suggests that the coexistence of fatness and positive traits is impossible.

Roald Dahl’s attitude towards fatness is primarily defined by disgust. Dahl creates a picture of revulsion to accentuate the believe that fatness does not associate with beauty. Whether fat character’s repulsiveness is described directly by the actual word “repulsive” or through more elaborate illustrative depictions, the picture of revulsion attacks the reader’s mind and triggers negative associations related to fatness. Furthermore, Dahl consistently uses comparisons to animals or inanimate objects to dehumanize his fat characters. Looks are also depicted through similes to food, implying the transformative power of it.

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In his later work, Roald Dahl’s fat shame lacks its previous straightforwardness. In Matilda, the direct use of the word “fat” is eliminated and substituted with different strategies exhibiting his weight bias. Opting for different vocabulary and even using some of his characters to express fat-shaming thoughts show only his variability of strategies but do not erase his ongoing bias against fatness.

The occurrence of fat shaming in the analyzed works by Roald Dahl is a consistent one with tendencies to be more sophisticated and covert with the progression of time. Fat shaming is reflected in repetitive stereotypical associations between fatness and a number of negative traits. These associations are, in one way or another, featured in all of the analyzed books and often do not leave space for any other personal attributes.

In comparison, Joanne Rowling’s fat characters are much more elaborate, which, of course, can be attributed to the fact that the extent of her work is much bigger than that of Roald Dahl. This gives Rowling the space to provide more information about her characters which she does. Rowling includes a back story to most of her fat characters or provides at least some depth to their personality. This may seem like an improvement in comparison to Roald Dahl. Unfortunately, even with the added depth, the fat representation in her work is insufficient, inaccurate and biased.

Joanne Rowling’s association of fatness with negative personality traits is not always straightforward. Rowling introduces fat characters who are intended to be positive and unproblematic. After taking a more detailed look, however, the reader finds that this is not true.

At this point, it is essential to note that even Roald Dahl incorporates several fat characters whose role was not straightforwardly negative. A good example is the shopkeeper from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Bruce Bogtrotter from Matilda. These characters, however, are vastly defined by their appearance or their relationship with food. Such definition resonates with the stereotypical portrayal of fatness and therefore with the idea of fat shame.

Rowling’s fat characters who are in proximity to the protagonist, however, are scarcely directly fat shamed. Nonetheless, the author discredits their relevance by exposing their shortcomings and using them as fuel to aid the protagonist’s development. An excellent example of this is Hagrid whose gullibility causes the Philosopher’s stone to be in danger.

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Due to Hagrid’s recklessness, Harry is provided with an opportunity to show his heroism and to save the stone.

The fat characters who are close to the protagonist also often serve to entertain the reader. Hagrid’s emotionality and Neville’s clumsiness together with his forgetfulness are frequently the sources of many comical situations. Consequently, they are ridiculed and enabled from being taken seriously.

As for the pattern of featuring fat villainy characters, Rowling includes several of them in the narrative. As a rule, they do not have a positive relationship with the protagonist. In the case of Vernon and Dudley Dursley, fat shame is undisguised, and direct links between their body shape and several negative traits such as laziness, greed, proneness to violence and vileness are made. Similar to Roald Dahl’s approach, in these cases of direct fat shame, Rowling uses various similes aiming to dehumanize the fat characters as well as words illustrating their repulsiveness.

Like Dahl, even Rowling uses several of her characters as a medium to express her fat- shaming attitudes. Firstly, however, it is important to discuss this occurrence in the works written by Dahl. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie’s grandparents directly fat shame Augustus Gloop and his mother by stating their repulsiveness. The character of Willy Wonka also exhibits fat-shaming attitudes towards Veruca Salt’s mother, whom he treats disrespectfully. In Matilda, there is the example of Miss Honey expressing her negative thoughts on Mrs Wormwood’s appearance. It is essential to note the randomness with which the Dahl’s characters express their fat-shaming attitudes.

In the case of Joanne Rowling, the occurrence of fat shame expressed through characters is more frequent, systematic and therefore even more visible. Harry’s fatphobic thoughts are not aimed only at Dudley but also at Dudley’s friends, his uncle Vernon and Crabbe and Goyle. Harry often shares his thoughts on Dudley’s appearance, his intellect and his relationship to sports. When encountering Crabble and Goyle for the first time, Harry judges them by their looks and assumes their vileness. Through this, he manifests fatphobic thinking. As a result, Harry is the most frequent mediator of direct fat shame in the narrative. Harry is not the only one to express fat-shaming thoughts. Next good example of such occurrence is Hagrid attacking Dudley for no apparent reason or Draco Malfoy who directly calls Neville “fat”.

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Although both authors use their characters to fat shame, there is a certain misbalance between the distribution of fat-shaming attitudes attributed to the narrator and the characters featured in the story. All the discussed narratives are written from the third- person perspective. This narration allows the author to project his or her thoughts into the story. In the works by Roald Dahl, it is mostly the narrator who makes fat-shaming remarks about the characters and there does not seem to be any systematic approach regarding the fat-shaming attitudes expressed by the characters.

Joanne Rowling’s frequent use of characters who display signs of fatphobic thinking signifies her attempt to distance herself from perpetuating fat shame. It is important to note, however, that it is the author who attributes negative traits to fat characters and professes fat-shaming thinking. The characters are used simply to expose this thinking which does not diminish the seriousness of this issue.

In Rowling’s work, there is an interesting contrast between fat characters who are in proximity to the protagonist and those who are not. The characters whose relationship with Harry is negative are often victims to direct fat shame, and the author opts to use their appearance to insult and ridicule them. By contrast, the appearance of characters who have a positive relationship with Harry is depicted with much less negativity. This difference in attitude reaffirms that Rowling chooses to perpetuate her fat-shaming attitudes mainly through the medium of the protagonist.

Overall, Rowling exhibits fatphobic thinking which escalates into fat shaming expressed either through the medium of the narrator or, quite commonly, through the characters featured in the book. As a result, the fat shame in her work is not as striking as in the works of Roald Dahl. It does, however, represent an issue due to the continuous association of negative traits with fat characters.

Overall, Rowling opts for diversion from the stereotypical when depicting characters who are close to the protagonist by avoiding the use of stereotypical traits often associated with fatness such as vileness, greed and laziness. She also avoids using graphic depictions of fat characters who are in a positive relationship with the protagonist. Despite the mild treatment of these characters, Rowling fails to present them without bias.

What is the most striking similarity connecting all the fat characters featured in the works of both authors is their secondary role in the narratives. No fat protagonist was found in the scope of the analysed books, and most of the fat characters had minor roles in the

82 narratives. This attitude shows the irrelevancy with which fatness is treated and suggests that fat people are not worthy of proper representation.

Notwithstanding the differences in their attitudes towards fat characters, both Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling fail to include a positive representation of a fat character in the scope of their narratives. Their approach towards fat people is biased, and they continue to adopt a negative approach towards fatness in their work which may send a harmful message to their readers.

7.2 The differences and similarities in stereotyping

Stereotypes regarding fat characters in literature have already been addressed in the third chapter of this thesis. This subchapter builds on these stereotypes and summarizes the most prominent stereotypical features related to fatness in the analysed books. Additionally, it compares and contrasts the use of these stereotypes in the works of Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling. The reason for this is to provide a concise review of fat- shaming patterns appearing in the discussed work.

One of the most common stereotypes regarding fat people is the association between greed and fatness. Central to most of Roald Dahl’s fat characters, greed for food is presented as a negative trait that has controlling power over people’s actions. In the work of Joanne Rowling, greed in association with fat appears not only in relation to food.

Looking at Roald Dahl’s work first, the association of fatness with greed is more than obvious. In the case of Augustus Gloop, greed is uncontrollable and eventually causes him to suffer. The gluttony of two farmers, Bunce and Boggis, is their main focus as all they think of is protecting their stocks of food. Bruce Bogtrotter’s greed causes him to get into trouble when he is unable to resist Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake. In Dahl’s work, greed, especially greed for food, is typically attributed to fat characters.

Joanne Rowling does not limit herself to the use of food-related greed. When constructing the character of Dudley Dursley, his greed expands to materialistic ownership as well. What is more, it is often the motivator for Dudley’s emotional outbursts which border with emotional extortion. Dudley’s greed for materialistic items is addressed more than his greed for food. This shows the author’s diversion from the stereotypical food-related greed but does not divert her from fat shame.

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Secondly, after the trait of greed, many of the analysed characters are depicted as repulsive. Repulsiveness is applied primarily in the works of Roald Dahl where the description of fat characters is graphic and genuinely revolting. To paint a revulsive picture, Dahl uses several similes, including food, inanimate objects, and animals. Revulsion is not assigned only to his characters but also to the food they are eating. This, however, is only applied in the context of fat characters. By contrast, food is comforting and necessary in the world of the thin. Through this association, the author highlights the assertion that in the world of fat people, eating is undesirable and off-putting. In the context of thin characters or even animals who are consuming food, the author uses positive connotations and diverts from disgust. Consequently, repulsiveness is a trait reserved for the fat.

In the works of Joanne Rowling, revulsion is not used as actively. Taking the example of Dudley Dursley, the depiction of his appearance consists mostly of mocking comments regarding his fatness. While Dudley’s depiction is unnecessarily graphic and negative, its primary purpose is not to disgust the reader but aims to ridicule the character. Unlike Roald Dahl, Rowling aims to undermine the integrity of fat characters featured in her work through mocking them rather than making them appear repulsive. This applies to the fat characters who play the role of villains in the narrative. In the case of fat characters who are close to the protagonist, the author chooses not to fixate on their looks to achieve a mocking effect. They are, however, put into comical or awkward situations which eventually diminishes their esteem. The result, therefore, is similar.

Connected to the repulsiveness of fatness, lack of beauty in fat characters also plays a significant role in fat-shaming stereotypes. Looking at the male and female characters featured in Dahl’s work separately, it becomes evident that there is a difference in the way the author treats them. While male characters are depicted with revulsion, female characters are portrayed as lacking beauty or being ridiculed and rejected for their appearance.

Joanne Rowling’s work does not provide many representatives of fat female characters which would evidentially illustrate the differences of the author’s approach. Even this fact speaks volumes, and the absence of prominent fat female characters reaffirms the lack of equality regarding male and female representation in the narrative.

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Another negative trait used in connection to fat characters is laziness. This stereotypical perception of fat people appears in the works of both authors. In the work of Roald Dahl, however, it is not as direct as in the works of Joanne Rowling. Dahl makes certain hints that allow the reader to assume that some of the fat characters are lazy. In Matilda or example, we learn that Mrs Wormwood does not cook and the family mostly consumes store-bought packaged meals. She also watches television and plays bingo very often, which implies that her hobbies are not active and therefore indicative of her laziness. Joanne Rowling, on the other hand, states the quality of laziness much more explicitly. It is stated that Dudley is fat and hates exercise. His obsessive interest in television and video games furthermore reasserts his laziness.

There is also the trait of clumsiness and forgetfulness which appears in the work of Joanne Rowling. Both these traits are associated with Neville’s character. Clumsiness is central to his personality as it shows Neville’s inadequacy and transforms the character into comic relief. Clumsiness does not appear in association with any other characters in the discussed works, but it is a problematic trait most likely related to fatness. It is difficult to decipher whether Neville is clumsy due to his fatness or only fat and clumsy.

Neville’s forgetfulness, similarly to his clumsiness, aims to entertain the reader. It attributes to his role of a comic character who often gets into trouble for his shortcomings. This function of the character in the scope of the narrative confirms Rowling’s fat- shaming attitudes and adds to the stereotype of a comical fat person. Clumsiness is absent in the works by Dahl, perhaps because he uses fatness itself to ridicule his fat characters. Rowling displays a more elaborative approach as she prefers to ridicule her fat characters through their shortcomings and not solely based on their appearance.

A number of the analysed fat characters are the archetype of an evil bully. Roald Dahl introduces the two farmers, Bunce and Boggis, who are driven by their motivation to kill Mr Fox, who is stealing their food. As was already mentioned, their evil endeavours are challenging to identify as connected to fat shame since evilness is central to all human characters featured in the story, no matter their body size. Nonetheless, it is important to mention the negativity surrounding Bunce and Boggis in contrast with the presence of positive traits in the third farmer – Bean. Besides, there is another fat character featured in Fantastic Mr Fox, who directly expresses inclinations towards violence and evil – Bean’s employee Mabel.

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While in Fantastic Mr Fox, bullying and violent tendencies in fat characters are not conclusive, Matilda’s most prominent fat character Miss Trunchbull is where Roald Dahl truly exhibits his bias against fat. The headmistress seems to find bullying both her students and employees enjoyable and fulfilling. What is more, she does not exhibit any penance and believes her actions are justified. The character’s evilness is shallow and unsubstantiated since it lacks a proper backstory. The author stretches the conception of evil and creates a monstrous character.

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by Joanne Rowling, it is Dudley Dursley, who is the most prominent evil fat character. Unlike in the case of Miss Trunchbull from Dahl’s work, Dudley’s bullying tendencies are given more background. His violent actions might be explained by the indulgent upbringing his mother and father provide, failing to discipline him for his inappropriate behaviour. As a result, even Dudley’s parents occasionally become victims of his bullying. Dudley’s father, Vernon Dursley, exhibits proneness to violence as well. Both he and his son Dudley are guilty of bullying Harry. Consequently, Dudley’s violent conduct may be mirroring that of his father.

Joanne Rowling uses the trope of fat evil bully quite often, showing her proneness to vilify fatness. Introducing Crabbe and Goyle, the two voiceless sidekicks of Draco Malfoy, the author associates fatness with evilness but also with a lack of independent thinking. Neither Crabbe nor Goyle exhibit any signs of free will in the narrative and exist solely to illustrate the cowardice of their leader, Draco Malfoy.

On the opposing side of the scale are fat characters who are being bullied. In the work of Roald Dahl, the only example of a bullied fat character appears in Matilda. Miss Trunchbull is the bully who torments Bruce Bogtrotter with the attempts to humiliate him publically. Supporting the fat-shaming nature of the whole situation is the reason why Bruce is punished. The boy receives a public punishment for eating a slice of Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake. While Bruce’s action suggests that he is unable to control himself around food, he is also being punished for not being able to resist his greed and the temptation of food.

In work by Joanne Rowling, bullying aimed at fat characters is present in more significant measure than in works by Roald Dahl. While Dahl uses bullying on one occasion, Rowling adopts a systematic approach to it. Although she features only one fat character

86 who is a victim of bullying, his suffering is continuous. Neville Longbottom, the outsider at Hogwarts, is subject to constant bullying. Mocked by his teachers and schoolmates, the character of Neville is frequently ridiculed, which prevents him from being taken seriously and aids to emphasize his inadequacy which is often put into contrast with his more capable schoolmates.

Another trait appearing in association with fatness is cowardice. In Roald Dahl’s work, it is Bruce Bogtrotter who exhibits cowardice when being confronted by Miss Trunchbull. His fear, however, is not indicating much in the context of the book where everyone fears the headmistress. What is more, he eventually faces Miss Trunchbull and courageously takes on the tasks she sets for him. Overcoming his cowardice is, unfortunately, overshadowed by the fact that food plays a significant part in Bruce’s efforts. The boy is keen on finishing the cake as if his desire was more substantial than any feeling of fear.

Several of Joanne Rowling’s fat characters exhibit cowardly behaviour. In the case of Vernon Dursley, his fear of the unknown is noticeable. Joanne Rowling uses Vernon Dursley’s cowardice as an aid to create comical situations. On the verge of insanity, Vernon Dursley takes ridiculous precautions to prevent Harry from receiving his letter.

In the character of Neville Longbottom, cowardice plays a crucial role. Neville is a fearful boy unable to stand up for himself. Where Harry, Ron and Hermione show bravery, Neville’s cowardice is emphasized. Similarly to the character of Vernon Dursley, Neville and his cowardice entertain the reader. As a result, this negative trait strengthens their comical role in the narrative and diminishes their dignity.

The fat characters featured in Joanne Rowling’s work are quick to exhibit their emotions. Vernon Dursley is impulsive and has tendencies to violent behaviour while his son Dudley often expresses his dissatisfaction by excessive emotional outbursts. Hagrid’s emotions stand in the way of his rational judgment and serve as a tool to create issues in the narrative. Even Neville Longbottom is prone to expressing his discomfort and seems to lack the ability to conceal his feelings.

In opposition to the emotional fat characters created by Joanne Rowling, the ones from the works by Roald Dahl do not seem to exhibit their emotions to such a degree. There is an example of Veruca’s mother, Mrs Salt, who does not hesitate to express her discomfort

87 when the pace of the whole party is too fast, and she is unable to keep up. Her dissatisfaction, however, highlights the fact that she is fat rather than being emotional.

Rowling uses emotions to discredit her fat characters. In her narrative, she creates a pattern where emotions represent a moral weakness or a flaw of character. This is conducted with no real connection to the character’s fatness. It does, however, transform the fat characters into less likeable or more problematic, which highlights the author’s biased attitude.

In the depiction of fat characters, both authors exhibit their inability to focus on the fat character’s personalities and tend to highlight their looks. This is apparent in the case of the fat shopkeeper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In Joanne Rowling’s Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone, it is the character of Fat Lady whose whole character is defined by her fatness as the author does not provide any more information. Such characters, while minor, emphasize the bias with which fat characters are treated in children's literature.

Among the fat characters, there is Mrs Weasley, the plump woman whose mothering skills lack fair treatment of her children. While Mrs Weasley is not a victim of stereotypes regarding fatness, she does not exhibit any inherently good qualities apart from being empathetic to Harry. This empathy, on the other hand, is put in contrast with the way she treats her children, which reflects in their fear of not fulfilling their mother’s expectations. Through this, the author proves that a bad quality in a fat person outweighs any good one.

In conclusion, the strategies of both authors differ in certain aspects. Different stereotypical patterns are used in different amounts and with the use of various scenarios. The result, nonetheless, remains the same as neither of the authors introduces a fat character without bias. In the end, the majority of fat characters featured in the works serve to express the authors’ stereotypical thinking regarding fatness.

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Conclusion

Raising awareness about the issue of fat shame in children’s literature, this diploma thesis aimed to prove the existence of fat shame in the works of two popular authors - Roald Dahl and Joanne Rowling. After providing background information regarding children’s literature with its positive and negative influential features, the thesis acquainted the reader with the issue of fat shame and the terminology essential for further analysis. The analysed works included Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda by Roald Dahl and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by Joanne Rowling.

The analysis was conducted with special regard to the fat characters featured in the works. As the analysis proceeded, several stereotypical features became repetitive and created a pattern of fat shaming in the works of the given author. In Roald Dahl’s works, the motives of greed, vileness and repulsiveness are most often associated with fatness. By this association, Dahl directly asserts the negativity of being fat. Furthermore, the author proves his fat-shaming attitudes due to his reluctance to acknowledge the positive personality traits of his fat characters. This attitude is emphasized by the excessive fixation on the characters’ fatness. As a result, the author suggests the irrelevance of good qualities in fat characters.

In work by Joanne Rowling, there is a visible division between the characters who are in proximity to the protagonist and characters who are not. Despite their positive relationship with the main character, the fat characters lack depth. They serve mainly to highlight the positive qualities of the protagonist by creating issues in the plot, such as revealing secrets and standing in the way of the protagonist’s success. Such problematic behaviour attributes to their unpopularity and harms their integrity. Additionally, the fat characters’ shortcomings are often used to entertain the reader. This attitude illustrates the irrelevance with which fat characters are often treated in literature.

By contrast, the fat characters in Rowling’s work who are not in proximity to the protagonist are reflecting more stereotypical fat-shaming attitudes as they are either reduced to the stereotypes of violent, greedy bullies or significantly attributing to the comical side of the narrative. Furthermore, the author often associates fatness with lack of intelligence which is also a trait typically used to degrade the personalities of fat

89 people. Overall, Rowling shows continuous fixation on the negative traits of all fat characters, manifesting her biased point of view.

The analysis revealed both differences and similarities in the authors’ attitude towards fatness depiction and the consequent fat shaming. While Roald Dahl uses graphic language to illustrate the appearance of his fat characters and often dehumanizes them, Rowling’s approach is milder and less straightforward. The result, however, is not vastly different. Though Rowling’s fat-shaming attitudes are not as blatant and systematic as in Dahl’s work, they are certainly visible in the association of fatness with negative traits.

The most characteristic feature of all fat characters in the works by both Dahl and Rowling is their secondary role in the narratives. Fatness is not associated with characters who are central. This illustrates the inadequacy and insufficiency of fatness. Among the similarities in the attitude towards fatness found across all the analysed books, it is also crucial to highlight the negativity with which fat characters are treated. Despite the fact that Rowling attempts to create fat characters whose role is neutral or even positive in relation to the protagonist and the overall narrative, she continues to attribute negative traits to their personality. The number of positive qualities associated with fatness in all the analysed work was negligible and often discredited due to the characters’ shortcomings.

This thesis, focusing on fat shame in selected children’s literature, proved that the attitude towards fatness in books aimed at a children’s audience represents an issue. It is essential to realize that a biased point of view on fatness being presented to young readers may affect their body image negatively. Awareness of this issue may ideally help us to think more critically of what we consider harmless and suitable for children.

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