How Matilda Defeated Miss Trunchbull
Matilda Reveals Her Special Power
Matilda told Miss Honey a big secret: she had a special power. She could move things with her eyes, just by thinking very hard. At first, Miss Honey didn’t believe her. She thought Matilda might be joking. However, Matilda wanted to prove it. She looked at a glass of water on the table. Inside the glass, there was a small newt. Matilda stared at the glass and concentrated. Suddenly, the glass tipped over, and the newt fell out! Miss Honey was very surprised. She couldn’t believe what she had just seen. She said it was like magic. Matilda explained that she had discovered this power only recently, and she wanted to understand it better.
Matilda Visits Miss Honey’s Cottage
After school, Miss Honey asked Matilda if she would like to visit her house. Matilda said yes. They walked together through the village and then across the fields. Finally, they arrived at a very small cottage. It was the house where Miss Honey lived. Matilda was surprised because the house was tiny. There was no electricity or running water. Miss Honey had only a few pieces of old furniture and very little food. She lit a candle because there were no lights. She offered Matilda a biscuit and some tea, even though she didn’t have much. Matilda wondered why Miss Honey, who was such a kind and smart teacher, lived in a house like that. Miss Honey said she couldn’t afford a better home. Matilda wanted to know why.
Miss Honey Shares Her Life Story
When Miss Honey was just two years old, her mother died. Her father, a kind doctor, took care of her. But one day, her father also died in a strange way. After that, Miss Honey had to live with her aunt. Her aunt was very cruel. She made Miss Honey clean the house, cook the food, and do many chores. She also made her feel scared and small. Even when Miss Honey grew up and became a teacher, her aunt still took all her money. Miss Honey never had her own life or freedom. Matilda listened carefully and felt very sad. She asked, “Who is your aunt?” Miss Honey answered, “My aunt is Miss Trunchbull.” Matilda was shocked!
Matilda Learns About Miss Trunchbull
Matilda now knew that Miss Trunchbull was not only a terrible headmistress at school, but also the cruel aunt who had made Miss Honey’s life so hard. Miss Honey explained that Miss Trunchbull lived in her father’s old house. She had taken everything after his death. Miss Honey had been too scared to fight back. Matilda felt angry. She wanted to help Miss Honey. So, she began thinking of a way to use her special power. She wanted to stop Miss Trunchbull and give Miss Honey her life back. Miss Honey was touched by Matilda’s kindness, but she warned her to be careful. Miss Trunchbull was dangerous and mean.
Matilda Prepares to Use Her Power
At home, Matilda worked every day to make her power stronger. She practiced moving pencils, spoons, and other small things. She used her eyes and her mind to move them across the room. Day by day, she became better and faster. She was determined to help Miss Honey. Matilda knew she would need a lot of power to scare Miss Trunchbull. She started planning her idea. She wanted to pretend to be the ghost of Miss Honey’s father. Maybe then, Miss Trunchbull would be so scared, she would go away forever. Matilda kept her plan a secret.
The Chalk Incident in Class
On Thursday, Miss Trunchbull came to teach Matilda’s class. Everyone was nervous. She was shouting and angry, as always. But Matilda was ready. She used her power to pick up a piece of chalk. While Miss Trunchbull was talking, the chalk moved to the blackboard. It began to write by itself! The children were amazed. The chalk wrote a message: it said it was from the ghost of Miss Honey’s father. It told Miss Trunchbull to give back the house and the money, or something bad would happen to her. Miss Trunchbull screamed and ran out of the classroom. The children cheered, and Miss Honey was shocked and amazed.
The Final Outcome and New Life
After the strange message, Miss Trunchbull disappeared. She didn’t come back to school. Later, the police found a letter from her—she had left town. She was gone forever. Everyone was happy. Miss Honey moved back into her father’s house. She now had her own money and a safe, happy life again. She became the new head teacher at the school. Everything was much better. Matilda was moved into a higher class because she was so smart. However, she was still sad at home because her parents didn’t care about her. One day, her parents said they were leaving the country. Matilda asked if she could stay with Miss Honey. Miss Honey said yes! Her parents didn’t even care—they said, “Fine, take her.” In the end, Matilda went to live with Miss Honey, and they were both finally happy.
Mr. Wormwood’s Character
Mr. Wormwood does not love his daughter because he is selfish and focused only on money and appearances. He doesn’t understand Matilda’s intelligence and thinks she is a bother. He insults her for being different and doesn’t support her in any way.
Miss Honey’s Character
In contrast, Miss Honey is kind, loving, and supportive. She sees Matilda’s special abilities and encourages her to develop them. Unlike Mr. Wormwood, Miss Honey cares about Matilda’s well-being and helps her grow.
Miss Trunchbull’s Reaction to the Chalk
When Miss Trunchbull is hit by the piece of chalk in Matilda, she reacts with intense anger. After Matilda uses her telekinetic powers to throw the chalk at Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress becomes furious. She initially doesn’t understand what happened and accuses the students of being involved in some trick. Her temper flares, and she becomes even more enraged, demanding to know who is responsible.