Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) — Content Guide for Parents
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Man from the South is a short, sharp, chilling story from Roald Dahl, the master of the shocking tale.
In Man from the South, Roald Dahl, one of the world's favourite authors, tells a sinister story about the darker side of human nature. Here, a man takes part in a very unusual bet, one with appalling consequences . . .
Man from the South is taken from the short story collection Someone Like You, which includes seventeen other devious and shocking stories, featuring the wife who serves a dish that baffles the police; a curious machine that reveals the horrifying truth about plants; the man waiting to be bitten by the venomous snake asleep on his stomach; and others.
'The absolute master of the twist in the tale.' (Observer )
This story is also available as a Penguin digital audio download read by Stephen Mangan.
Roald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, also wrote scores of short stories for adults. These delightfully disturbing tales have often been filmed and were most recently the inspiration for the West End play, Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales by Jeremy Dyson. Roald Dahl's stories continue to make readers shiver today.
Frequently asked questions
Is Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The story involves a sinister bet with appalling consequences, which suggests a level of violence related to the wager. The narrative includes a character who has taken fingers from others, indicating a violent theme. The story is described as sinister and chilling, indicating elements that could be considered scary due to the darker themes and the nature of the bet involved.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have violence?
The story involves a sinister bet with appalling consequences, which suggests a level of violence related to the wager. The narrative includes a character who has taken fingers from others, indicating a violent theme.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have scary content?
The story is described as sinister and chilling, indicating elements that could be considered scary due to the darker themes and the nature of the bet involved.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have religious themes?
No religious content is present in the book itself. The search results reference the author's background and opinions on religion, but these do not pertain to the story's narrative.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have racial/cultural content?
No explicit racial themes or discussions are present in the narrative. The search results mention a South American character but do not indicate any racial themes as central to the plot.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have profanity?
No profanity is present in the book. The search results do not mention any use of swear words or inappropriate language in the story.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have climate change?
No climate themes are present in the book. The search results do not indicate any environmental or climate-related content in 'Man from the South'.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have sexual identity?
No sexual content is present in the book. The search results do not indicate any sexual themes or references within the narrative of 'Man from the South'.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have gender roles?
The story does not actively discuss or critique gender roles. While there are male and female characters, the narrative does not focus on gender dynamics or expectations.
Does Man from the South (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes or characters are present in the narrative of 'Man from the South'. The search results do not indicate any LGBTQ+ content related to this specific story.
