The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
Not found
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
Get the full theme breakdown in the app
Detailed evidence, confidence ratings, and source citations for every theme.
Download for iOSExample theme card
Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
The Soldier is a short, sharp, frightening story from Roald Dahl, the master of the shocking tale.
In The Soldier, Roald Dahl, one of the world's favourite authors, tells a chilling story about the dark side of life. Here, a man unable to feel pain slowly loses his bearings and mind . . .
The Soldier 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 The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The story involves a soldier who has nerve damage, leading to a chilling narrative about his inability to feel pain, which suggests a darker theme of psychological and physical trauma. While the specifics of violence are not detailed in the search results, the context implies a serious exploration of the soldier's struggles. The story is described as chilling and frightening, focusing on the psychological state of a soldier who cannot feel pain. This premise can be unsettling and may evoke fear or anxiety in readers, particularly regarding the soldier's mental decline.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have violence?
The story involves a soldier who has nerve damage, leading to a chilling narrative about his inability to feel pain, which suggests a darker theme of psychological and physical trauma. While the specifics of violence are not detailed in the search results, the context implies a serious exploration of the soldier's struggles.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have scary content?
The story is described as chilling and frightening, focusing on the psychological state of a soldier who cannot feel pain. This premise can be unsettling and may evoke fear or anxiety in readers, particularly regarding the soldier's mental decline.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have religious themes?
No religious content is present in 'The Soldier'. The search results reference Roald Dahl's background and other works, but these do not reflect any religious practices or themes within the story itself.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have racial/cultural content?
There are no explicit racial themes or discussions in 'The Soldier'. The search results do not indicate any focus on race as a central theme in the story.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have profanity?
No profanity is noted in 'The Soldier'. The search results do not mention any instances of strong language or swearing in the text.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have climate change?
No climate themes are present in 'The Soldier'. The search results do not indicate any environmental or climate-related content within the story.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have sexual identity?
No sexual content is indicated in 'The Soldier'. The search results do not reference any sexual themes or situations within the story.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have gender roles?
The narrative does not actively discuss or critique gender roles. The focus is on the soldier's experiences and psychological state rather than on gender dynamics or roles.
Does The Soldier (A Roald Dahl Short Story) have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes or characters are mentioned in the narrative of 'The Soldier'. The search results focus on other works by Roald Dahl or general reviews, which do not pertain to LGBTQ+ content in this specific story.
