Chapter 5: Arithmetic; Chapter 6: The Platinum-Blond Man Summary

The punishments Matilda has begun to dish out are working well to keep her sane. A five-year-old is never allowed to be in charge of her own life, even if she is clever enough to do so. This means that Matilda must listen to her parents and live in their house even though they are not loving and understanding and good like she wishes they were. The tricks she plays on her parents help to keep them in line because they are always kinder to her and more humble afterward. However, the effects do not last, as Matilda experiences again one day when her father comes home from work, this time in a cheerful and arrogant mood.

Insisting that ten-year-old Michael get a pen and paper, Matilda's father begins to brag about the...