Children vs. Adults
Matilda flips typical perceptions of children and adults. Usually adults are portrayed as the wiser ones, calmer and more rational, while children are seen as louder, more emotional, and less intelligent, and as readers we expect adults to best embody the qualities that make up a well-rounded and mature personality. Here, though, Matilda is always calm and collected, and her intelligence far surpasses that of any adult. Meanwhile, the adults in her life, like her parents and Miss Trunchbull, are rude, easily irritated, and often undereducated.
Matilda's Parents
Most parents would encourage their children to read a book instead of watch television for entertainment. It is ironic, then, that Matilda's parents do just the opposite: they sit glued to the television and demand that she do the same, even though she would much rather read one of her library books.
Matilda's Tricks
The tricks Matilda pulls on her family at the beginning of the book create a sense of dramatic irony, since the audience knows that Matilda is responsible, but her family does not. With the parrot incident, for example, the family believes the house is haunted, while the audience and Matilda smugly remember the parrot placed inside the chimney.
