James And The Giant Peach

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Why is friendship important? For example, why are good friends important to have in a difficult situation?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to explore the novel’s central theme of The Strength of Love, Friendship, and Trust to Overcome Adversity. Dahl’s protagonist James has a difficult life; after the sudden death of his loving parents, James is forced to live with his aunts, who are neglectful and abusive to James. Dahl contrasts James’s life with his aunts with his new friends that he meets inside the peach: different insects that live in the garden. Working together, James and his friends navigate their unusual circumstances, ultimately by trusting each other in difficult situations and creating a bond that lasts even after their adventure ends.

• This article from Ngozi (2021) explores the “Effect of Literature in The School Library on The Social Development of Empathy and Friendship Skills of Children.” (Note: this is a teacher-facing resource and is not for students.)
• Astor International School offers four perspectives on teaching James and the Giant Peach in the classroom in “Encouraging the Love for Reading with Roald Dahl.”

2. What does it mean to be accepted? How can acceptance be important in friendships?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider the theme Acceptance Without Judgment or Preconception. James is not accepted by his aunts; they ridicule his every move and do not treat him with dignity; however, once James meets the insect inhabitants of the giant peach, he is not only accepted but welcomed. As each insect is different, the group tries to accept each other for the most part, celebrating differences rather than focusing on flaws. The peach represents the harmonious environment that people may live in once they accept each other. The second link offers an interesting perspective on preconceptions and judgment by Dahl himself, as some of his novels are being rewritten for a more tolerant and accepting audience.

• The Poe Center examines ways that teachers may create more tolerant learning environments in “Celebrating Differences: Five Lessons for Teaching Kids Acceptance.”
• The Guardian discusses the change of language in Dahl’s novels in “Roald Dahl Books Rewritten to Remove Language Deemed Offensive.”

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What does a happy ending mean? What type of elements constitute a happy ending in a novel?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the theme of The Role of Optimistic Perseverance in Happy Endings. James experiences a range of difficulties in the novel; however, with each new obstacle, James perseveres, finding solutions to support his new friends. James is ultimately rewarded for his perseverance, as his creative solutions to their problems allow James to start a new life.

Differentiation Suggestion: For an extended writing exercise for more advanced classes, the following question may be added to the above Prompt: Select one story that you believe has a happy ending. Summarize the ending and identify which elements make it “happy.”