The Wish

Summary of The Wish

The Wish is a short story written by Roald Dahl that is entirely centered on the imagination of a young child. The story presents the imaginative thoughts and actions of the boy as he turns an ordinary object into part of an exciting and dangerous game.

The story begins with a small boy who picks a scab from his knee and throws it away. It lands on a carpet in the hallway of his house, which is patterned in red, black, and yellow. As the boy looks at the carpet, his imagination transforms it into a risky landscape.

He decides that the red sections of the carpet represent burning coals, the black sections are dangerous snakes, and only the yellow areas are safe to step on. The boy creates a rule for himself that if he manages to reach the front door by stepping only on the yellow parts and avoiding the coals and snakes, he will be rewarded with a puppy. He moves carefully and successfully at first, but eventually he loses his balance and his hand touches a black section, which he imagines to be a snake. At that moment, he cries out in fear.

The story ends in an ambiguous and mysterious way, with the boy’s mother calling for him behind the house. Because of this unclear ending, some readers interpret the story differently. Rather than imagining a boy pretending a carpet is dangerous, some critics suggest that the boy may actually be preparing himself to cross a real swamp by imagining it as a carpet.

The child’s powerful imagination makes the story engaging and suspenseful. Through his emotionally charged perspective, ordinary surroundings become vivid and threatening. The detailed description of the imagined snake reacting to the boy’s movement allows readers to feel as though they are experiencing the fear alongside him.

Ultimately, the story explores how self confidence helps overcome fear. Although the boy appears to be motivated by the desire for a puppy, this reward is secondary. His true motivation lies in facing danger and proving his courage, even though he knows the puppy is not real.

Exercise of The Wish

Answer the following questions.

a. What did the child do to the scab on his knee?
The child carefully picked the scab off his knee with his fingernails, placed it on his thigh, and then finally flicked it away with his finger.

b. What kind of effect did the carpet have on the child?
The carpet had a powerful effect on the child. He became deeply fascinated by its colors, noticing them in a way he never had before. The red, black, and yellow patterns appeared bright and vivid, capturing his attention and triggering his imagination.

c. What was he afraid of while walking across the carpet?
While crossing the carpet, the child was afraid of the red sections, which he imagined as burning coals, and the black sections, which he believed were poisonous snakes.

d. What motivated and encouraged the child to start and continue on his journey?
The child was motivated by the wish of receiving a puppy as a birthday gift, which encouraged him to continue his imagined journey across the carpet.

e. What did the child see as he looked down on the black patterns of the carpet?
As he looked down at the black patterns, the child imagined them as dangerous snakes. In his mind, the snakes seemed alive, oily, and ready to rise up and bite him.

Reference to the context

a. The writer creates two voices in the story. Who are they?
The two voices in the story are the narrator and the inner voice of the young boy.

b. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

i. What does ‘the black part’ mean?
The black part represents danger, fear, and the challenges the child imagines during his journey.

ii. Who is the speaker?
The speaker is the young boy.

iii. Why doesn’t the speaker want to be burnt?
The speaker does not want to be burnt because he wants to cross the carpet safely and earn the imagined reward of a puppy on his birthday.

c. Which images and metaphors are used in the story?
The main metaphor in the story is the child’s journey across the carpet, which represents life’s challenges. The scab symbolizes fear, the red patches of the carpet represent burning coals, and the black patches symbolize poisonous snakes.

d. Summarize the short story “The Wish” in about 200 words.
(Refer to the summary given above.)

e. The story shows the events through the eyes of the narrator and the child. Comparing the two styles, who presents a more interesting or effective view for the readers? Why?
The child’s perspective is more interesting and effective because it is vivid, imaginative, and filled with suspense. His emotional involvement turns an ordinary carpet into a dangerous adventure, allowing readers to experience fear and excitement through his eyes.

f. Is “The Wish” a story about self-confidence overcoming fear or about greed? Give your arguments.
The story is mainly about self-confidence overcoming fear rather than greed. Although the desire for a puppy motivates the boy, it is only an imagined reward. The boy uses this wish to strengthen his courage and face his fear of crossing the carpet. His imagination helps him confront danger and challenge himself, showing how confidence can overcome fear.

Reference beyond the text

a. Do you think our wish can be fulfilled? Why or why not?
Not all wishes are fulfilled easily. While having wishes is important, fulfilling them requires effort, patience, and courage. Obstacles such as fear, lack of resources, and doubt often stand in the way. To achieve wishes, one must face challenges positively, take small steps, and build self-confidence.

b. Why do you think some people might have a frightening nature? What would you suggest to them to overcome it?
Some people may have a frightening nature due to low self-confidence, fear of failure, or lack of social interaction. To overcome this, they should understand their fears, think positively, practice mindfulness, build confidence gradually, and face challenges step by step.