The Twits

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What challenges might someone face while working in a team? How can working in a team be beneficial for completing a task? How can it be detrimental? Explain.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to explore the themes Teamwork Brings Us Together and The Benefits of Quick Thinking. Dahl’s novel explores the ways that working together can be important for achieving goals. In particular, Muggle-Wump, his family, the Roly-Poly Bird, and the other birds team up to seek revenge against the Twits. Although Dahl’s novel focuses on the benefits of teamwork, students may benefit from exploring instances when working individually is best for a specific outcome.

• “Teamwork Skills: Being an Effective Group Member” from the University of Waterloo shares different ways that students may explore teamwork in the classroom.
• “Children’s Books About Teamwork and Cooperation” from Childrenslibrarylady.com includes a long list of children’s book titles about teamwork and discusses the importance of mastering cooperation as a skill.

Short Activity

The circus is one of the most famous and oldest forms of entertainment, but there are fewer circuses now than there were when The Twits was first published in 1980. Working in small groups, research the history of the circus and briefly summarize your findings with the class. In your presentation, consider the following questions: What did traditional circuses look like during the late 19th and early 20th centuries? What attracted people to this form of entertainment? Which acts were often included in the performances, and why has the popularity of circuses faded over time?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity invites students to explore the history of Dahl’s characters in conjunction with the theme of Actions Have Consequences. In the story, Mr. and Mrs. Twit are retired circus trainers who used to train monkeys to stand on their heads for hours on end. Dahl’s story comments on the cruelty involved in not only these characters, but also the animal acts in circuses across Britain and the United States in history. Students who struggle to generate ideas may benefit from being assigned a specific circus to research and discuss, such as the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

• This article from National Geographic discusses the history and the fate of the circus as one of the oldest shows on earth.
• This article from History.com includes a list of eight of the most famous circus performers in history. 

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a twit is “a silly annoying person.” Consider a piece of literature and/or film where the main character could be considered a “twit.” Based on the definition of the word, would this character be considered the protagonist or antagonist of a story? What behaviors make this character “twit” like, and why? Have you noticed any of these behaviors in yourself? If so, how might you change your outlook and mannerisms?

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the meaning of the novel’s title. Not only is the central couple named the “Twits,” but their behavior is also “twit” like, as they constantly prank or trick each other, often in cruel ways. This idea emphasizes that Actions Have Consequences, particularly that our ugly attitudes can make us ugly people. In this vein, the Twits are a hyperbolic extension of ugliness. Students may benefit from a brief discussion of literary terms such as hyperbole, protagonist, and antagonist prior to responding to the prompt.

Differentiation Suggestion: For an extended personal reflection, the following question may be added to the above Prompt: Think of a time when you played a trick on someone, or someone played a trick on you. What was the trick, and who was involved? What was the outcome? What pranks do you personally find silly or annoying? When, if ever, is it okay to play a prank or practical joke on someone?