How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
“Dreams,” he said, “Is very mysterious things. They is floating around in the air like little wispy-misty bubbles. And all the time they is searching for sleeping people.” (7.56)
The main magical elements in this book are dreams. They way they are described makes them almost like creatures. Imagine a dream sidling over to sleeping people to experience them, just like dogs pant up to you asking to be patted.
Quote #2
She had offended him, she could see that. “I wouldn’t ever be fibbling to you,” he said. “I know you wouldn’t,” Sophie said. “But you must understand that it isn’t easy to believe such amazing things straightaway.” (7.98-100)
Sophie’s an eager student of the BFG’s brand of magic. He’s just throwing too many new ideas at her too fast. She’s trying to explain that it’s not that she thinks he’s a liar—she just needs time for the ideas to sink in. You know how it takes a few days for that new geometry concept to start making sense? It’s like that. But maybe slightly funner.
Quote #3
Sometimes, on a very clear night,” the BFG said, “and if I is swiggling my ears in the right direction” – and here he swiveled his great ears upwards so they were facing the ceiling – “if I is swiggling them like this and the night is very clear, I is sometimes hearing faraway music coming from the stars in the sky.” A queer little shiver passed through Sophie’s body. She sat very quiet, waiting for more. (7.81-82)
The type of magic in this book is natural magic, associated with elements of the earth like animals, plants, and the stars. They’re elements we’re already familiar with—even though we’re not familiar with the magic they spit out—and that combination is what makes the fantasy really come alive.
Quote #4
“One of the biggest chatbags is the cattlepiddlers,” the BFG said.
“What do they say?”
“They is argying all the time about who is going to be the prettiest butteryfly. That is all they is ever talking about.” (7.116-118)
This is everything. Caterpillars having reality TV-style catfights—er, caterpillarfights? MTV is on its way with a miniature camera crew.
Quote #5
“You mean you don’t even know how old you are?” “No giant is knowing that,” the BFG said. “All I is knowing about myself is that I is very old, very very old and crumply. Perhaps as old as the earth.” “What happens when a giant dies?” Sophie asked. “Giants is never dying,” the BFG answered. “Sometimes and quite suddenly, a giant is disappearing and nobody is ever knowing where he goes to. But mostly us giants is simply going on and on like whiffsy time-twiddlers.” (8.29-32)
The fact that giants disappear instead of die amps up the mystery element of the story’s magic. The BFG doesn’t know where he came from, or where he’s going. It’s hard to get much kookier than that. Especially when you throw in whiffsy time-twiddlers.
Quote #6
“It’s wiggling all over the place!” Sophie cried. “It’s fighting to get out! It’ll bash itself to bits!” “The nastier the dream, the angrier it is getting when it is in prison,” the BFG said. “It is the same with wild animals. If an animal is very fierce and you is putting it in a cage, it will make a tremendous rumpledumpus. If it is a nice animal like a cockatootloo or a fogglefrump, it will sit quietly.” (12.36)
Here’s another section where the dreams are described as alive, almost like animals. Bet you didn’t know nightmares fight each other before they start causing trouble in your mind. Still, that’s nothing compared to the idea of a fogglefrump. Maybe a mix between a frog and Donald Trump?
Quote #7
“So the music is saying something to them. It is sending a message. I do not think the human beans is knowing what the message is, but they is loving it just the same.”
“That’s about right,” Sophie said.
“But because of these jumpsquiffling ears of mine,” the BFG said, “I is not only able to hear the music that dreams is making but I is understanding it also.”
“What do you mean by understanding it?” Sophie said.
“I can read it,” the BFG said. “It talks to me. It is like a langwitch.” (14.18-22)
It’s almost halfway through the book when we learn this remarkable thing about the BFG. We already know he’s a dream-blower and has supersonic hearing. Now he understands music like a language? Even the conservatory won’t get you that kind of skillz.
Quote #8
“The matter with human beans,” the BFG went on, “is that they absolutely refusing to believe in anything unless they is actually seeing it right in front of their own schnozzles. Of course quogwinkles is existing. I is meeting with them oftenly. I is even chittering to them.” He turned away contemptuously from Sophie and resumed his writing. (14.28)
We never learn what quogwinkles are. They’re just a reminder of how there is so much that humans don’t yet know.
Quote #9
“That’s cruel,” Sophie said. “Everything alive needs food of some sort. Even trees and plants.” “The north wind is alive,” the BFG said. “It is moving. It touches you on the cheek and on the hands. But nobody is feeding it.” Sophie was silent. This extraordinary giant was disturbing her ideas. He seemed to be leading her towards mysteries that were beyond her understanding. (14.48-50)
The BFG keeps on challenging Sophie’s way of looking at things. The way he sees the world is more magic than science, but he makes some points, too. Though the wind being a spirit that is alive is a cool idea, even if it isn’t technically true.
Quote #10
“That’s exactly what I am telling you!” cried the Air Force man. “Look for yourself. Here’s the very last map in the whole flaming atlas! We went off that over an hour ago!” He turned the page. As in all atlases, there were two completely blank pages at the very end. “So now we must be somewhere here,” he said, putting a finger on one of the blank pages.
“Where’s here?” cried the Head of the Army.
The young pilot was still grinning broadly. He said to them, “That’s why they always put two blank pages at the back of the atlas. They’re for new countries. You’re meant to fill them in for yourself.” (21.80-82)
And that’s your lesson in avoiding how to answer direct questions. It’s kind of ingenious the way Roald Dahl skips over the question of where exactly Giant Country is. It’s a land that has never been explored before, and by having his characters change the subject instead of talking about actual geography, he’s going to keep it that way.