Esio Trot

Mr. Hoppy was a mechanic before he retired. Why is his former profession significant in the story?

Why is Mrs. Silver so certain that Alfie is miserable because of his size? Why does she assume that the existence of other, giant tortoises would embarrass him?

Consider the relationship between Mr. Hoppy and Mrs. Silver prior to the experiment with Alfie when they were merely acquaintances. Why did Mr. Hoppy wish for a chance to be heroic, rather than simply court Mrs. Silver? Why was Mr. Hoppy willing to take such drastic measures to achieve his goal but unable to have honest conversations about his feelings?

Mrs. Silver says that if Mr. Hoppy can make Alfie grow, she will be his “slave” for life. In 2023, some publishers rewrote Dahl’s text to say that if Mr. Hoppy succeeded, then he would be her “hero” for life. Was this change necessary? Is the original language offensive? Discuss.

Why does Mr. Hoppy view Alfie as a rival? Why is he unable to imagine a scenario in which he has her love, Alfie grows at a natural rate, and they are not in competition for her affection?

Why does Mrs. Silver say she never thought Mr. Hoppy would get around to proposing to her? Does this suggest that she knew how he felt about her? Why or why not?

Deception is a major plot point of Esio Trot. Unable to win Mrs. Silver’s love through straightforward means, Mr. Hoppy tricks her with an elaborate ruse. He is rewarded for his actions, not punished. Is the story a celebration of successful deception or a case of the ends justifying the means? Discuss your reasoning.

In what ways is Alfie’s slow growth a metaphor for child development? In what ways is it a metaphor for aging in general?