The Wish

Roald Dahl wrote the short story "The Wish". This story is entirely based on the imagination of the main character, who is a child. This narrative depicts the main character's imaginative actions in an imaginary game on a red carpet.

The story begins with a tiny boy picking a scab off his knee and throwing it away. It lands in the distance on a red, black, and yellow-patterned carpet in his house's hallway.

The youngster concludes that the red sections of the carpet are burning coals and the black parts are snakes. He concludes that only the yellow spots are safe and tells himself that if he can reach the front door while avoiding the coals and snakes, he will be rewarded with a puppy. He's doing fine until he loses his balance and his hand lands on a black "snake." He yells out.

The story ends cryptically, with his mother searching for him behind the home. Some reviewers read the finale of the narrative as a boy building courage to cross a swamp by believing it is a carpet.

Because the child is so imaginative, he gives the reader a more engaging perspective. The image before him, as seen through his emotionally charged imagination, is vivid and suspenseful. For example, in the following line, we feel as if we are with the youngster in an immediate sense since we are experiencing it through his consciousness: the snake stirred as if sensing his nearness, lifted its head, and peered at the foot with sparkling beady eyes, waiting to see whether it would touch. "I am not touching you! It would help if you did not bite me.

This is a story of how self-confidence overcomes fear. We could argue that the youngster is motivated by avarice (wanting the dog), but this appears to be secondary to his desire to face and overcome problems. After all, the youngster understands he will not receive a puppy as a prize.

Some Important Questions 

1. Is “The Wish” a story about self-confidence overcoming fear or about greed? Give your arguments.

ans: Yes, this short story is about confidence and conquering fear. While inspecting his scab, the toddler appears terrified. He spends a lot of time considering his options. He raises numerous questions about himself. He panics and picks at his scab. But as he sees the carpet, his terror grows. He gains confidence and crosses the carpet. He constructs his obstacles, supposing the colors are coals and snakes. He even places his target on the carpet. He travels courageously across the carpet, wishing for a puppy on his birthday. He strives hard to conquer his phobia. His self-confidence and wish come to an end as he sinks into the black colors. The child's wish is clearly expressed in his imaginative game. He wants to get a puppy for his birthday. He excitedly awaits his birthday. Due to his desire for a dog, he engages in a red carpet-game in which he puts himself in dangerous circumstances. He panics repeatedly but continues his carpet journey to his goal, a birthday gift.

2. Which images and metaphors are used in the story? 

ans: This story uses a variety of pictures and metaphors. The story's visuals include a scab, a large hall, a sitting boy on stairs, a massive red carpet, various carpet colors, a lump of coals, thick and venomous black snakes, safe zones, a child's mother, and so on. The many colors of the carpet are employed metaphorically throughout the story. Red colors are associated with coal lumps, black colors with thick black dangerous snakes, and yellow colors with safe zones.

3. The story shows the events through the eyes of the narrator and the child. Comparing the two styles, who presents a more interesting or effective view for the readers? Why?

ans: In this story, of the two methods, I believe the narrator presents a more fascinating or effective perspective for the audience. We think the narrator, Roald Dahl, did an excellent job at narrating. To make this story more engaging, he continues to describe each event in greater detail. He keeps narrating the story from beginning to end. He utilizes guys in some discussions in the text. He is the one who constantly tells the readers about the main character, the youngster, his tale, and his acts throughout the story.