The Witches

The theme of family anchors the story, and is introduced in the first paragraph of Chapter 2 when the narrator tells the reader: “The fact that I am still here and able to speak to you (however peculiar I may look) is due entirely to my wonderful grandmother” (14). The boy is alive because of his grandma—a family member. In Dahl’s novel, a family doesn’t need a mom, dad, or siblings. Dahl presents the family of The Witches as a two-person/creature unit. The boy’s family consists of him and his grandma, and they like it that way: “[Grandmamma] allowed no one else into the house, not even a servant or a cook. We kept entirely to ourselves and we were very happy in each other’s company” (203).

The grandma’s role in the boy’s life is crucial. She teaches him about witches and accepts him when becomes a mouse. The boy’s role in his grandma’s life is also crucial. He helps her put into practice her witchophile intelligence. Together, they work to take down the evil witches. In the future, they plan to remain bonded as they travel the globe and smoke out witches.

The novel’s exploration of family ties into the theme of teamwork.