James And The Giant Peach

Spiker’s plan is to charge people to visit and photograph the giant peach, so they build a fence around it and sell tickets at the gate. James is forced to stay inside and watch through the bars of his window. He begs his aunts to let him join in, “I haven't met any other children for years and years”, but they call him a “disgusting little brute” (26) and lock him inside with no food. At the end of the day, Spiker and Sponge order James to go outside and clean up the mess left by the visitors around the peach tree. It is already nighttime, but they show no mercy and shut the door behind him, leaving him alone in the garden in the dark. James, scared and hungry, stands alone in the night, trembling with fear. He looks at the giant peach shining in the moonlight, like a wonderful “tremendous silver ball” (28). Suddenly he feels that the garden is “alive with magic” (28) and excitement replaces his fear. He senses that something wonderful is about to happen. James finds himself drawn towards the peach. He climbs the fence and rubs his face against the soft peach fuzz.