45 pages • 1 hour read
Roald DahlFantastic Mr Fox
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1970A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Themes
Greed and Hubris will be Punished
Fantastic Mr. Fox is an allegory which warns against greed. The three farmers themselves are personifications of greed: Boggis and Bunce are hyperbolically fat due to their repulsive diets, supplied by their large and successful farms. Bunce’s diet of mashed goose livers stuffed into donuts gives him “a tummy-ache and a beastly temper” (3). All three men are “as nasty and mean as any men you could meet” (2). Roald Dahl suggests that a life spent pursuing financial wealth and gorging on one's riches leaves a person miserable—angry and alone with only material things to show for it.
Mr. Fox’s growing greed manifests as boldness. He only takes “three plump hens” from Boggis’s thousands (3), as this haul is enough to feed his hungry family. However, in Bunce’s storehouse, Mr. Fox instructs his children and Badger to take four ducks, a few geese, some ham and bacon, and carrots. This change in thievery is fueled by Mr. Fox deciding to feed his friends with a decadent spread provided by himself.
Mr. Fox’s growing greed is solidified by his decision to break into Bean’s cellar, as adding cider to the animals’ feast is unnecessary for survival. It is not only greedy but hubristic; Mr. Fox’s excessive self-confidence undoubtedly comes from his successful robberies at Boggis and Bunce’s farms. Mr. Fox almost pays for this growing greed with his life, when he and his smallest child are almost discovered in the cellar. Actions motivated by greed and hubris are condemned in the story: The farmers are left frustrated and unsuccessful, and Mr. Fox’s unnecessary risk almost leads to his death.
The Triumph of the Underdog
The plot is driven by a conflict between the forces of good (represented by Mr. Fox) and evil (represented by Boggis, Bunce, and Bean). The story conforms to the literary convention of the underdog, whereby Mr. Fox has less resources and power at his disposal—but nonetheless manages to triumph over the evil schemes of the three farmers.
The farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean own extensive land and tools, including “enormous caterpillar tractors with mechanical shovels” which appear as “murderous […] monsters” (21-22) to the foxes. The farmers are also in command of one hundred and eight men, whom they arm and arrange around the forested hill where Mr. Fox and his family live. By contrast, Mr. Fox’s home is in a modest hole under a tree. He has no resources other than a supportive family and his own quick thinking. This power imbalance—and Dahl framing the farmers as “horrible crooks” (5)—position the reader to root for the foxes’ survival.
As is typical of an underdog, Mr. Fox is characterized as clever, kind, and likable. He lovingly addresses his family as his “darlings” and risks his life every night to ensure that they are fed. The inherent dangers of stealing from the farmers are made evident when Mr. Fox’s tail is shot off in Chapter 3.
In Chapter 8, the family of foxes is trapped, as the farmers wait for them above. The small foxes voice their hunger, and Mrs. Fox is too weak to move. Then, Mrs. Fox notices “a little spark of excitement dancing in” her husband’s eyes, and he admits that he has “a bit of an idea” (35). As is typical of underdog stories, Mr. Fox and his family need to draw on “great courage” and perseverance to overcome the overwhelming forces which seek to destroy them (37). They dig under the farmers’ properties and manage to steal enough food to not only keep themselves alive, but host a great feast. Mr. Fox’s evolution into the triumphant underdog is complete when he feasts with his family and friends—and is praised for his ingenuity in saving the day.
The Importance of Family and Friendship
Dahl stresses the importance of loving, supportive families and friends in leading a fulfilled life—especially in times of crisis. Mr. Fox’s family may initially seem like a burden, as he must leave the safety of their hole every night in order to secure food—risking the shotguns of the waiting farmers. Every night, Mr. Fox lovingly asks his wife, “Well, my darling, what shall it be this time? A plump chicken from Boggis? A duck or a goose from Bunce? Or a nice turkey from Bean?” (7). Mrs. Fox tells Mr. Fox what she wants, and without hesitation, he ventures into the dangers of the night. On behalf of his family, Mr. Fox must act immorally and risk his life stealing from Boggis, Bunce, and Bean.
However, Dahl suggests that the love and support of Mr. Fox’s family is actually his greatest strength. In the depths of their tunneled hole, Mr. Fox looks at his children and smiles, reflecting “What fine children I have […] They are starving to death, and they haven’t had a drink for three days, but they are still undefeated. I must not let them down” (36). The children’s courage and perseverance inspire him to keep digging and planning. Similarly, Badger’s predicament—“my wife up there is so weak she can’t dig another yard” (47)—inspires Mr. Fox to retrieve more food to give his family and friends a feast. He ultimately creates a system with which the animals can safely eat “like kings” for the rest of their days (79). It is clear that providing for his family and friends brings Mr. Fox a sense of purpose and pride, particularly when his wife praises him for being a “fantastic fox” (77).
By contrast, the farmers speak little of family or friendship. Bean’s wife makes a brief appearance, but it is clear that the farmers are motivated by their own anger and selfishness when they set off to kill Mr. Fox. They are brought together by a shared goal rather than friendship, as they treat each other with disdain; Bean refers to Bunce as a “miserable midget” (30). The story leaves the three farmers sitting angrily and dejected in the rain, which illustrates the pitfalls of failing to prioritize relationships. Dahl suggests that those who are motivated by love, and surround themselves with loving family and friends, will not only triumph, but lead fulfilled and joyous lives.
Related Titles
By Roald Dahl
Featured Collections
Action & Adventure
View Collection
Action & Adventure Reads (Middle Grade)
View Collection
Animals in Literature
View Collection
Challenging Authority
View Collection
Community
View Collection
Juvenile Literature
View Collection
Laugh-out-Loud Books
View Collection
Power
View Collection
Pride & Shame
View Collection
Safety & Danger
View Collection
School Book List Titles
View Collection