Roald Dahl is perhaps best known for his children's literature. Many of his literary works have been made into mainstream movies, including The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He was, however, a prolific writer of adult literature as well, and both his children's stories and his more mature works have been criticized for misogynistic elements.
Dahl's work—specifically his children's work—often features women as villains. The Witches is a prime example of this structure, in which a large group of witches disguised as regular women attempt to turn all English children into mice. One of the most vivid aspects of the novel is the moment of reveal, when the witches remove their disguises and become ugly, fat, and generally grotesque creatures. Critics have argued that this antagonist—an ugly woman—repeats itself frequently in Dahl's work.
One can likely observe elements of misogyny in "The Way Up to Heaven" as well, despite Mrs. Foster's role as the protagonist. The story suggests, through Mrs. Foster's consistent meekness, that she enables Mr. Foster to continue exacerbating her anxiety. This more nuanced type of misogyny essentially presents female characters as victims of their own weakness rather than acknowledging the societal constraints in which women must operate. The story suggests that Mrs. Foster triumphs only when she dispels with that meekness in a most extreme way—leaving her husband to die in an elevator. Thus, the story paradoxically features both misogynistic and feminist elements: Mrs. Foster is plagued by her own passivity, but ultimately frees herself from her own suffering by rejecting the societal standards that are thrust upon her by her husband and their upperclass lifestyle.
