To celebrate the 100th year since Roald Dahl’s birth, today people all over the world have been remembering the fantastical author and sharing their favorite quotes online and on the airwaves. Born in Cardiff, Dahl wrote the children’s classics Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James And The Giant Peach, and The Witches, all of which were adapted into film.
Using #RoaldDahl100 and #RoaldDahlDay, Twitter users are posting inspiring Dahl quotes like this one:
And this one (which sounds a great deal like this Parks & Recreation line courtesy Ron Swanson):
This morning Whoopi Goldberg also shared one of her favorite Dahl quotes, from Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, on talk show The View:
Some folks have gone even further to honor the beloved British writer. The literary and culture website Signature imagined a (partial) deck of Dahl-inspired tarot cards, assigning characters from his works to the traditional deck’s personalities. For example, the Grand High Witch from The Witches becomes the priestess, Mr. and Mrs. Fox are the lovers, Matilda is justice, and Willy Wonka is the magician:
The Willy Wonka/magician card’s description explains the connection between the two characters:
Just try describing Dahl’s candy-making wizard without using the word “mercurial.” It can’t be done! Historically the figure pictured on this card was not a ceremonial magician, but a common street performer—a juggler, or tightrope walker. Wonka is a delicious blend of both: single-mindedly pursuing confectionery perfection like some kind of mad medieval alchemist, while simultaneously putting on a show that keeps the focus on him.
The site also allows visitors to “spin” its digital roulette wheel to find out which Roald Dahl tarot card is their match. It’s the sort of whimsical, creative fun that the author could have gotten behind.