Fantastic Mr. Fox — Chapter 10

About This Passage

This is the emotional hinge of the chapter. Notice the structure: one long conditional sentence that balances 'crazy with excitement' against 'die of disappointment.' Dahl is teaching a precise emotional calculus — hope that is too high becomes a weapon against the hoper. The parenthetical '(which is very possible)' is quiet, devastating honesty from a father who refuses to lie.

Narration Prompt

In your own words, retell Chapter 10 with attention to craft. What does Mr Fox do? What does he refuse to do? Where does the chapter's tension come from even though there are no guns firing? What are the three specific orders Mr Fox gives once he and the Small Foxes emerge?

Discussion Questions

1. Mr Fox refuses to tell the Small Foxes where they are digging because they could 'go crazy with excitement' or 'die of disappointment.' What philosophy of parenting is embedded in that refusal? Is Mr Fox protecting his children, or is he controlling them?
2. Dahl pairs 'I can't possibly be sure we're anywhere near it' with 'I hit it slap in the middle! First time!' Why does the author place these two moods inside the same character inside the same chapter? What claim is Dahl making about the texture of real competence?

+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide