As an Avid Reader, Seeing Her Get Lost in Books Is Its Own Form of Escapism
Reading is one of my greatest passions, which is why I still find it ironic that the Matilda movie still sticks with me more than the Roald Dahl book. Still, there's nothing I love more than sitting down with a well-loved book and letting myself be transported to another world as I turn through the pages. As a shy kid growing up, I used books as my own personal form of escapism, while Matilda used books to escape from the subtle, and not-so-subtle, forms of chaos constantly happening all around her.
In addition to connecting with Matilda's love for literature, I also found myself getting lost in the film and imagining that I could walk alongside her or even be her. I would hum along to the soundtrack, picture the characters popping up in my everyday life, and imagine what I would do if I had her magical powers. In that way, I was able to escape from my own world and experience the magic of this childhood classic on a deep and almost palpable level, just as if I were reading it off the pages of a book.