Not only did Miss Honey have a genuine effect on her students, but the fictional teacher made a real impact on Matilda. After all, the six-and-a-half-year-old student could relate to her teacher ...

As Matilda thinks of a way to defeat the dangerous Miss Trunchbull, the teacher’s fury worsens. She locks the school bully in the “Chokey”, a tall, narrow cupboard lined with sharp rails.