Roald Dahl Quotes

Powerful Roald Dahl for Daily Growth

About Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was an acclaimed British novelist, poet, screenwriter, and fighter pilot, renowned worldwide as a master storyteller who captured the imagination of millions of children and adults alike. Born in Llandaff, Wales to Norwegian parents, his early life was filled with adventure, thanks to frequent moves due to his father's employment with the British government. Dahl's love for writing began at an early age when he started creating humorous verses and short stories during his school days. After graduating from Repton School in 1934, he worked as a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force, experiences that would later influence some of his works like 'The Gremlins' (initially written for Walt Disney) and 'The Great Mouse Plot.' In 1942, while serving with the RAF in Egypt, Dahl met C.S. Forester, who advised him to become a full-time writer. Following this advice, he started working as a freelance writer for BBC's Children's Hour and collaborated on various film scripts. It was during this period that he published his first book, 'Over to You: An Air Force Miscellany,' in 1942. Dahl's major works began with the publication of 'James and the Giant Peach' in 1961. This tale of a magical peach and an orphaned boy's journey marked the beginning of his successful career as a children's author. Other notable works include 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (1964), 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' (1970), 'The BFG' (1982), and 'Matilda' (1988). Dahl's unique blend of dark humor, quirky characters, and enchanting stories has made him a timeless figure in children's literature. He continued to write until his death in 1990 at the age of 74. Today, Roald Dahl remains one of the most beloved authors of all time, whose legacy continues through numerous adaptations on stage and screen and the enduring appeal of his extraordinary tales.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,

This quote by Roald Dahl ("Matilda") reflects a heartfelt and earnest plea for understanding, empathy, and kindness. It's a call to care for others, acknowledge their needs, and grant them the compassion they deserve. In essence, it underscores the importance of human connection and the power of understanding in fostering a more compassionate world.


Go throw your TV set away

This quote encourages disconnecting from passive entertainment (in this case, a television) to engage more actively in life. Roald Dahl suggests that people should seek out experiences beyond the screen, promoting creativity, exploration, and personal growth instead of passive consumption.


And in its place you can install

This quote by Roald Dahl, "And in its place you can install," suggests that one should replace negative or undesirable aspects with positive alternatives. It encourages transformation, implying that if something is not beneficial or pleasing, it can be replaced with something better or more suitable. The context often depends on the situation but the message remains consistent: change and improve for the better.


A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

This quote by Roald Dahl, a renowned children's author, highlights the charm and appeal of a well-stocked bookshelf. It suggests that having a collection of books not only enhances the aesthetics of a room but also offers an inviting space for knowledge, imagination, and exploration. The bookshelf becomes a symbol of intellectual curiosity, nurturing minds and fueling creativity.


"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."

This quote by Roald Dahl emphasizes the power of positive thinking in shaping our appearance and demeanor. The idea is that if we nurture good, kind, and compassionate thoughts within ourselves, these virtues radiate from us, making us look more attractive and appealing to others. In essence, it suggests that inner beauty fuels outer charm.


"It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you."

Roald Dahl's quote underscores the universal importance of love and belonging in life. He emphasizes that regardless of one's identity, appearance, or personal characteristics, if someone cares for us deeply, it validates our existence and offers us emotional support. This profound statement highlights the transformative power of genuine human connection and affirms that love transcends superficial differences to create meaningful and lasting relationships.


"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." - The Oompa-Loompas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl's quote emphasizes the importance of embracing whimsy and absurdity in our lives. The Oompa-Loompas suggest that even the wisest individuals can benefit from occasional frivolity and playfulness. This perspective encourages us to break free from monotonous routines, engage in creative pursuits, and enjoy life's little pleasures, ultimately leading to personal growth and a more fulfilling existence.


"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - The Minpins

This quote by Roald Dahl encourages us to keep a curious, open-minded perspective on life, as the most extraordinary truths are often concealed in seemingly ordinary or unlikely places. In other words, one should maintain an active awareness of their surroundings, appreciating the beauty and wonder that can be found even in the smallest details, since magic and secrets may lie hidden there. Those who refuse to believe in the magical aspects of life may never discover these hidden truths. Essentially, it's a call for us to cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity as we navigate the world around us.


The fine line between roaring with laughter and crying because it's a disaster is a very, very fine line. You see a chap slip on a banana skin in the street and you roar with laughter when he falls slap on his backside. If in doing so you suddenly see he's broken a leg, you very quickly stop laughing and it's not a joke anymore.

- Roald Dahl

Doing, Line, Very, Leg

I never get any protests from children. All you get are giggles of mirth and squirms of delight. I know what children like.

- Roald Dahl

Never, Like, Any, Mirth

All through my school life I was appalled by the fact that masters and senior boys were allowed quite literally to wound other boys, and sometimes very severely.

- Roald Dahl

Through, Other, Very, Senior

The Bristol Channel was always my guide, and I was always able to draw an imaginary line from my bed to our house over in Wales. It was a great comfort.

- Roald Dahl

Bed, Always, Over, Imaginary

Two hours of writing fiction leaves this writer completely drained. For those two hours he has been in a different place with totally different people.

- Roald Dahl

Different People, Hours, Drained

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.

- Roald Dahl

Men, Now, Then, Now And Then

If my books can help children become readers, then I feel I have accomplished something important.

- Roald Dahl

Feel, I Feel, Then, Readers

I shot down some German planes and I got shot down myself, crashing in a burst of flames and crawling out, getting rescued by brave soldiers.

- Roald Dahl

Some, German, Brave Soldiers, Flames

I began to realize how simple life could be if one had a regular routine to follow with fixed hours, a fixed salary, and very little original thinking to do.

- Roald Dahl

Original, Hours, Very, Fixed

My father was a Norwegian who came from a small town near Oslo. He broke his arm at the elbow when he was 14, and they amputated it.

- Roald Dahl

Small, Broke, Elbow, Amputated

A writer of fiction lives in fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not.

- Roald Dahl

New, Sure, Lives, New Ideas

I was a fighter pilot, flying Hurricanes all round the Mediterranean. I flew in the Western Desert of Libya, in Greece, in Syria, in Iraq and in Egypt.

- Roald Dahl

Pilot, Egypt, Iraq, Hurricanes

An autobiography is a book a person writes about his own life and it is usually full of all sorts of boring details.

- Roald Dahl

Book, Own, About, Writes

Prayers were held in Assembly Hall. We all perched in rows on wooden benches while teachers sat up on the platform in armchairs, facing us.

- Roald Dahl

Held, Sat, Hall, Wooden

All Norwegian children learn to swim when they are very young because if you can't swim it is difficult to find a place to bathe.

- Roald Dahl

Learn, Very, Bathe, Norwegian

Though my father was Norwegian, he always wrote his diaries in perfect English.

- Roald Dahl

Always, His, Though, Norwegian

I find that the only way to make my characters really interesting to children is to exaggerate all their good or bad qualities, and so if a person is nasty or bad or cruel, you make them very nasty, very bad, very cruel. If they are ugly, you make them extremely ugly. That, I think, is fun and makes an impact.

- Roald Dahl

Bad, I Think, Very, Exaggerate

'Dexter' is a very well-oiled machine; it's just a great show and great to be part of.

- Roald Dahl

Machine, Very, Dexter, Great Show

A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom.

- Roald Dahl

Freedom, Person, His, Compensation

The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and if he doesn't go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him.

- Roald Dahl

Work, Own, Hours, Scold

Pain was something we were expected to endure. But I doubt very much if you would be entirely happy today if a doctor threw a towel in your face and jumped on you with a knife.

- Roald Dahl

Pain, Very, Threw, Entirely

The adult is the enemy of the child because of the awful process of civilizing this thing that, when it is born, is an animal with no manners, no moral sense at all.

- Roald Dahl

Process, Born, Awful, Manners

When you're writing a book, with people in it as opposed to animals, it is no good having people who are ordinary, because they are not going to interest your readers at all. Every writer in the world has to use the characters that have something interesting about them, and this is even more true in children's books.

- Roald Dahl

Book, Use, About, Readers

Nowadays you can go anywhere in the world in a few hours, and nothing is fabulous any more.

- Roald Dahl

World, More, Hours, Fabulous

When I walked to school in the mornings I would start out alone but would pick up four other boys along the way. We would set out together after school across the village green.

- Roald Dahl

Green, Other, Set, Village

Pear Drops were exciting because they had a dangerous taste. All of us were warned against eating them, and the result was that we ate them more than ever.

- Roald Dahl

More, Against, Taste, Ate

Nobody gets a nervous breakdown or a heart attack from selling kerosene to gentle country folk from the back of a tanker in Somerset.

- Roald Dahl

Country, Back, Breakdown, Attack

When I was 2, we moved into an imposing country mansion 8 miles west of Cardiff, Wales.

- Roald Dahl

Country, Imposing, Moved, Mansion

I do have a blurred memory of sitting on the stairs and trying over and over again to tie one of my shoelaces, but that is all that comes back to me of school itself.

- Roald Dahl

Memory, Over, Again, Stairs

I go down to my little hut, where it's tight and dark and warm, and within minutes I can go back to being six or seven or eight again.

- Roald Dahl

Within, Minutes, Six, Hut

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.