This book was written by Roald Dahl. Wait a sec... isn't he the same guy who wrote James and the Giant Peach? Yeah he is. And that's all you need to know, to figure out his angle. He's another one of those guys who likes to write about kids in fucked up food situations. Just a year after James..., Dahl couldn't be satisfied with just one boy and one peach; he had to write this little gem, about a whole group of kids having crazy things happen to them with food, like the one kid who gets sucked ...moreThis book was written by Roald Dahl. Wait a sec... isn't he the same guy who wrote James and the Giant Peach? Yeah he is. And that's all you need to know, to figure out his angle. He's another one of those guys who likes to write about kids in fucked up food situations. Just a year after James..., Dahl couldn't be satisfied with just one boy and one peach; he had to write this little gem, about a whole group of kids having crazy things happen to them with food, like the one kid who gets sucked up into a chocolate syrup pump, and then the little girl who gets turned into a blueberry. I read this book before I saw the movie, and I was pretty sure that one of the kids was going to get eaten, since a lot of the classics like Hanzel and Gretyl have child cannibalism. (Is a witch eating a kid considered cannibalism, or is a witch sufficiently other-than-human for it just to be run of the mill predation?)Jack and the Beanstalk doesn't actually show cannibalism, but the giant (that means a giant human, right?) is such a connoisseur of human flesh that he can discern the blood of an Englishman from other nationalities. (does he go by family heritage, or citizenship? I wonder.) Even the kids' stories which don't have cannibalism still usually have somebody or something eating a child, like the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, or the whale in Pinocchio. (Does that count? I think Pinocchio was still a puppet when he got eaten.) And even if the kids don't get eaten, there's usually at least some sort of completely surreal food antics going on (baking 24 blackbirds into a pie? Somebody call the ASPCA!; gingerbread men who come alive and go running through town; and don't even get started on The Nutcracker unless you have a day to spend.)
To my amazement, there was no cannibalism in this book. It turned out to be a sort of cautionary tale about safety in the workplace, and how NOT to go about executive recruiting. When I was little, my Dad worked at a factory which made industrial presses, and I remember two occasions when he came home and told us about somebody who was either killed or severely injured by a workplace accident. That was usually followed by a lecture about how the individuals in question hadn't been following some precaution or another, and how "the rules are there for a reason". (Yeah, like the rules that I have to pay a sizable fraction of my income to a bunch of old robberbaron families who own the "Federal" Reserve?) I was never allowed to actually go inside where Dad worked; it was too dangerous; so when this story started out with a contest whose prize was a tour of a chocolate factory, I thought they were all completely insane. Of course, a chocolate factory might be safer than a machine shop, but considering how this book plays out, I'd have to say it probably isn't.
Pretty soon into the narration, Dahl starts laying down the old class warfare themes: Charlie's family is poverty-stricken to the point that his grandfather has to go hungry, just to provide Charlie with enough to eat. But it's a weird sort of poverty, where nobody is suggesting that Charlie or any of his apparently-retired grandparents get a job. Later, when Charlie tours Wonka's factory and sees the Oompa Loompas, he demonstrates no particular compassion or identification for his bretheren in the exploited underclasses. Willie Wonka claims that he rescued them from a monster-plagued homeland, and they all work in the factory of their own volition, but the whole thing seems a bit dubious, and nobody probes too deeply into it. I was disappointed in Charlie for failing to do anything about the Oompa Loompa situation. They're small, and orange and foreign, and Willie Wonka seems to be taking advantage of them; the whole set-up smacks of racism and neo-colonialism in the worst way. It's hard to take Charlie's complicity as anything other than tacit endorsement of their exploitation. Whenever anything bad happens to the kids on the factory tour, the Oompa Loompas make up a song about how the kid totally deserved everything he got, and probably worse. On one hand, these songs seem judgmental and cold-hearted, but I can imagine how the misfortunes of these human children might be a salve to temporarily satisfy the seething Oompa Loompa rage boiling just below the surface. My big question for this entire book is: do the Oompa Loompas know that one of the kids on the tour is going to end up as their new boss? It is an incredibly insulting scenerio Wonka has constructed here. You've got the Oompa Loompas running the place with such skill that Wonka candies are considered the world's finest. At the top of the organization sits Willie Wonka, contemplating his mortality. He sees that he can't run the place forever, and he needs to start grooming an heir. Does he even consider recruiting from within, bringing one of those hard-working, experienced Ooompa Loompas up from the ranks into the executive suite? No... they are categorically precluded from any HOPE of career growth. Instead, (and here's the real knife in the back) Wonka decides to give the senior executive position to a RANDOMLY SELECTED KID! The story seems to end on a happy note, with Charlie literally breaking through the glass ceiling (what glass ceiling? he's a friggin' white male in the early 1960's!) and flying away in a magic elevator, bubbling with excitement that he's just become - at age 12- CEO of a transnational corporation. But honestly, Charlie's long-term prospects don't look good; this ending has workers' rebellion written all over it, and while I am absolutely opposed to planned economies and monolithic authoritarian states, I can understand how the Oompa Loompas' rage and humiliation could easily result in a Russian revolution-type uprising, where they seize the means of production for themselves and put Wonka (and maybe Charlie too) on trial for his crimes against their people. (less)
If you ever want to cheer yourself up, go back and read a book you loved and read over and over as a child. For me, this is one book that will always be better than any movie they make from it. Nothing Hollywood does with special effects will ever be as magical as what Roald Dahl did with just plain old words.
It has been MANY long years since I last looked at this book, but it all came back to me as soon as I turned to the first page and saw the illustrations. I was immediately ca...moreIf you ever want to cheer yourself up, go back and read a book you loved and read over and over as a child. For me, this is one book that will always be better than any movie they make from it. Nothing Hollywood does with special effects will ever be as magical as what Roald Dahl did with just plain old words.
It has been MANY long years since I last looked at this book, but it all came back to me as soon as I turned to the first page and saw the illustrations. I was immediately carried away by the story. Even though I already knew how everything would turn out, I found myself rooting for Charlie Bucket to find one of the five Golden Tickets. And yes, I watched gleefully as the naughty kids paid for their bad behavior.
I love the chants the Oompa-Loompas do after each bad kid gets his or her comeuppance. These guys are the original rappers! My mind was showing me hundreds of itty-bitty Oompa-Loompas in the background doing wild synchronized hip-hop moves while chanting to a rapper rhythm:
"Augustus Gloop! Augustus Gloop!
The great big greedy nincompoop!
How long could we allow this beast
To gorge and guzzle, feed and feast
On everything he wanted to?
Great Scott! It simply wouldn't do!"
I've always loved to play with our English words that have more than one meaning, so passages like the one below tickle me pink (or pickle me tink, if you are The BFG):
They streaked past a black door. STOREROOM NUMBER 71, it said on it. WHIPS--ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
"Whips!" cried Veruca Salt. "What on earth do you use whips for?"
"For whipping cream, of course," said Mr. Wonka. "How can you whip cream without whips? Whipped cream isn't whipped cream at all unless it's been whipped with whips. Just as a poached egg isn't a poached egg unless it's been stolen from the woods in the dead of night!"
There's a sinister undercurrent in the book that I missed completely when I was a kid. I can just see Mr. Dahl chortling to himself when he wrote some of this stuff. Heh heh, that little bit about the whips oughta give the grownups a little hitch in their ho-hum. But everything comes out happy in the end. Even the naughty kids still get their lifetime supply of Willy Wonka's DELICIOUS EATABLES. Not to mention a nasty case of diabetes after a few years of indulgence.
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JulieJames and the Giant Peach is *that* book for me- it tickled all the right spots- wonder, horror, giggles and tears. The genius of Roald Dahl!
Dec 16, 2010 12:31pm
JeanetteI just brought that one home from the library today, Julie. :)
Dec 16, 2010 01:30pm
Since the Swiss make the best chocolate figures in the world, I thought I would pick up a few to take with me to England. I was originally only intending to buy a couple of chocolate rabbits, engagingly goofy-looking with big buck teeth and natty bow-ties, but the selection was so enticing that I eventually walked out with four rabbits, a chicken with a marzipan waistcoat and a chocolate chalet. I explained to the nice assistant that they would be accompanying me to London later that day, and sh...moreSince the Swiss make the best chocolate figures in the world, I thought I would pick up a few to take with me to England. I was originally only intending to buy a couple of chocolate rabbits, engagingly goofy-looking with big buck teeth and natty bow-ties, but the selection was so enticing that I eventually walked out with four rabbits, a chicken with a marzipan waistcoat and a chocolate chalet. I explained to the nice assistant that they would be accompanying me to London later that day, and she spent ages wrapping them up in individual boxes.
But, when we opened them yesterday, catastrophe! She evidently hadn't used enough tissue paper. Not a single figure was whole: two rabbits had lost their ears and two their heads, the chicken's wings were broken, and the roof had come off the chalet. It seemed like a very poor return on 116 Swiss Francs. On closer examination, though, the breaks looked fairly clean. We wondered if surgery was possible.
David and I went to the shop around the corner, bought a substantial bar of Cadbury's milk chocolate, and melted it carefully in a double-boiler. Our first plan was to use the chocolate as glue - we have a lot of experience with building gingerbread houses. But it turns out that melted chocolate makes very poor glue; it isn't sticky enough. The operation was also complicated by the fact that it was impossible to hold the pieces directly, since they immediately started melting in our hands (it was a hot day). We decided that we had to hold them using kitchen roll, which was anything but convenient. Things looked hopeless for a moment.
And then, breakthrough! Maybe it was a good thing that the chocolate melted so easily, and we could exploit that? We'd already determined that gluing didn't work. How about welding? And, with some care, it turned out that it was possible. The new technique consisted of dipping the edge of the piece in the melted chocolate to soften it and then pushing it into place so that it fused, making a solid join, and we successfully used it to mend all six figures. The first two looked a little messy, but the final ones were so good that you actually couldn't tell they'd been broken. It was almost beyond belief.
Please, Mr. Wonka, can I come and work for you? As you see, I'm really into chocolate technology.
Finally, Im done reading this book. Ive been wanting to read this ever since I learned that the movie of the same title was based on this book. ANother reason why I want to read this is because it is also included in the BBC big list along with another Children's Classic, Charlotte's Web which was also adapted into a movie.
The story is about the adventure of Charlie Bucket and four other children who won the Golden Ticket and was given the privilege to spend a day inside the largest...moreFinally, Im done reading this book. Ive been wanting to read this ever since I learned that the movie of the same title was based on this book. ANother reason why I want to read this is because it is also included in the BBC big list along with another Children's Classic, Charlotte's Web which was also adapted into a movie.
The story is about the adventure of Charlie Bucket and four other children who won the Golden Ticket and was given the privilege to spend a day inside the largest chocolate factory in the world owned by Mr. Willy Wonka.
What I love about this book are the lessons learned from the story of each of the four children who were "eliminated" because of their behaviour during their stay at the factory which are revealed through the songs of the Oompa loompas. My most favorite part is the song of the Oompa loompas about the story of Mike Teavee, the child who loves to watch TV.THe idea of Roald dahl on the negative impact of watching television too much on the creativity and thinking capacity of the children was articulate through this song and the story of Mike Teavee still remains true to most of the children of today's generation. I also love the way how the author explained the importance of reading and encourage the children to read more instead of watching tv through this book.
This is a book that I would recommend to most of the children today to read for them to realize not only the importance of reading but also the values that each children should possess as exemplified by Charlie and the attitude they should avoid as shown by Augustus Gloop (an excessive eater), Veruca Salt (a spoiled brat), Violet Beauregarde (a girl who loves to chew gum constantly) and Mike Teavee (who loves to watch television). (less)
I'm reading this to my daughter for the first time, and I'm remembering how much I love this book. The way it's written is just so engaging - even something like this paragraph describing the family's poverty just sucks you right in:
Mr. Bucket was the only person in the family with a job. He worked in a toothpaste factory, where he sat all day long at a bench and screwed the little caps onto the tops of the tubes of toothpaste after the tubes had been filled. But a toothpaste cap-scr...moreI'm reading this to my daughter for the first time, and I'm remembering how much I love this book. The way it's written is just so engaging - even something like this paragraph describing the family's poverty just sucks you right in:
Mr. Bucket was the only person in the family with a job. He worked in a toothpaste factory, where he sat all day long at a bench and screwed the little caps onto the tops of the tubes of toothpaste after the tubes had been filled. But a toothpaste cap-screwer is never paid very much money, and poor Mr. Bucket, however hard he worked, and however fast he screwed on the caps, was never able to make enough to buy one-half of the things that so large a family needed. There wasn't even enough money to buy proper food for them all. The only meals they could afford were bread and margarine for breakfast, boiled potatoes and cabbage for lunch, and cabbage soup for supper. Sundays were a bit better. They all looked forward to Sunday because then, although they had exactly the same, everyone was allowed a second helping.
Augustus Gloop has been sucked up the chocolate tube, and I'm looking forward to Veruca Salt being pronounced a "bad egg". Does that happen in the book, or just in the movie? More reading will tell.
UPDATE:
I'm shelving this for a while. My daughter pretty much freaked out when Augustus Gloop got sucked up the chocolate tube. Normally I'd put more pressure on her to keep going, but that's the very same part that freaked me out when I was a kid.
Must be hereditary.
I'm four-starring it based on my own recollection from reading it as a kid. May go up later after my daughter feels ready (if ever) to try it again.(less)
Roald Dahl is the burrowing fox of children's literature. His mind burrows deeper and deeper into a story possibility and discovers within it a world of miniature wonders. He takes you on a voyage into mental and physical inner space--inside the labyrinth-like chocolate factory, into the underground tunnels of the fantastic Mr. Fox, inside a giant peach (in James and the Giant Peach) through a tunnel, one notes, that looks to James like a foxhole.
Willy Wonka, the fictional proprieto...moreRoald Dahl is the burrowing fox of children's literature. His mind burrows deeper and deeper into a story possibility and discovers within it a world of miniature wonders. He takes you on a voyage into mental and physical inner space--inside the labyrinth-like chocolate factory, into the underground tunnels of the fantastic Mr. Fox, inside a giant peach (in James and the Giant Peach) through a tunnel, one notes, that looks to James like a foxhole.
Willy Wonka, the fictional proprietor of the chocolate factory, is like Walt Disney a curious mixture of showman, pied piper, puritan, capitalist, and wish-granting genie--a distinctly Anglo-American figure. The four spoiled children in the book--Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregard, Veruca Salt, and Mike Teavee--inspire Wonka and his creator, Roald Dahl, to an ecstasy of conscientious judgment. At the same time, Wonka is himself a captain of the childhood obesity industry, an owner of a massive sweatshop of non-union Oompa-Loompas, and a celebrant of treats, goodies, excess, and culinary delight! The moral miscalibration of the factory is creepier in the Gene Wilder movie than in the book, especially accompanied by Quentin Blake's innocuous illustrations. But the harsh punishments of the "bad" children always make me a little nervous. In short, Roald Dahl seems never to have gotten around to that psychoanalysis he needed. But who has?
Or maybe it's just that he's so good at thinking like children do, in unbridled wishes and dark prophecies, in subterfuges, feints, and magical associations. Whatever his life-story, his imaginary tales are the best--he always knows when to show and when to tell, he's very sure at the rudder. They're entertainments of consummate craftsmanship and I don't think it can be held against him that they speak both to children's dreams and to their nightmares as well. A parent must get his own mind straight if he's to help guide a child through Dahl's moral quandaries: it's good indeed to wait your turn, be grateful for what you get, etc., but the consequence of breaking these rules isn't being sucked up a pipe or shrunk to 2 inches tall; it's good to like the sweet taste of life, and there's no real punishment for that either; and maturity is not avoidance of punishment, as the Taliban would have it, but doing what you yourself think is happy, just, and good.
But even if you're not a vigilant interpreter of the tale, because you're tired or you forgot or you yourself don't know the answer or you don't care (like Pierre), it really doesn't matter, because Dahl's protagonists are always centers of moral calm, a perfectly safe and inviting vehicle for a child to climb into for a journey into the rabbit hole.(less)
I've seen the film version of this story starring Gene Wilder a few times as well as Johnny Depp's more recent interpretation of the famous fictional factory owner. But it was not until 2012 that I finally read the book. I've been reading children's books aloud to my daughter at bedtime from practically day one. They have grown in sophistication over the past 5 years but have shared a trait in common. Up until now they have all been short enough to read in a single sitting. I wanted a parti...moreI've seen the film version of this story starring Gene Wilder a few times as well as Johnny Depp's more recent interpretation of the famous fictional factory owner. But it was not until 2012 that I finally read the book. I've been reading children's books aloud to my daughter at bedtime from practically day one. They have grown in sophistication over the past 5 years but have shared a trait in common. Up until now they have all been short enough to read in a single sitting. I wanted a particularly compelling story to ease her transition from illustration rich books that can be devoured in a few minutes to chapter books read over the course of several nights. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was chosen as the inaugural "big kid" read, and it did not disappoint. But it did leave two big questions in its wake. 1) Who enjoyed it more, me or my daughter? 2) What book will be next? Considering the resounding shout of glee from my daughter when we reached the part where Charlie (spoiler alert) finds the golden ticket, I'll give the greater appreciation nod to her. As for what book will be next, you'll be seeing it as one of my "Currently Reading" titles here at GoodReads in the very near future. Stay tuned. The second one has a lot to live up to with the wacky Willie Wonka and his Ooompa Looompa pals serving so wonderfully as pace setter. (less)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a personal Roald Dahl favourite of mine, it captures the fantasy world of the most mysterious chocolate factory that every child wishes they could visit..
The story begins with a young boy named Charlie Bucket, Charlie is a kind and caring child from a poor family. He lives with his mum, dad and both sets of grandparents in a small wooden house on the edge of town. Charlie would listen to stories about Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory from his gran...moreCharlie and the Chocolate Factory is a personal Roald Dahl favourite of mine, it captures the fantasy world of the most mysterious chocolate factory that every child wishes they could visit..
The story begins with a young boy named Charlie Bucket, Charlie is a kind and caring child from a poor family. He lives with his mum, dad and both sets of grandparents in a small wooden house on the edge of town. Charlie would listen to stories about Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory from his grandpa Joe and dreamed of one day being able to go inside it. This dream becomes more of a reality when Willy Wonka the eccentric chocolate maker announces a competition to win the opportunity to see inside the factory. There are only five golden tickets hidden inside Wonka chocolate bars, On Charlie’s birthday he is given a Wonka bar from his family, but Charlie does not win a golden ticket, instead being the kind child he is, he offers pieces of his chocolate bar to his family. Charlie has more luck when he finds some money in the street and buys a Wonka bar, to his disbelief and amazement it contains the last golden ticket. The next part of the story embarks on discovering the mysteries and hidden secrets of the chocolate factory. The other winners Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Augustus Gloop, provide comical stories within the factory and turn out to be unworthy winners. What Charlie discovers in the factory is more than he could ever have imagined in his dreams. I have read this story several times to children and I still love watching the enjoyment on the children’s faces when they get swept away into Roald Dahl’s fantasy world.
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My second-grade teacher read this aloud to the class five years after this novel was published. She held up the book to show us the great line drawings as she read. I'm not sure if current editions have those particular line drawings, but there was lots of cross-hatching in the drawings. [These drawings were by Joseph Schindelman, and most current editions do NOT feature these. They've replaced them with drawings by another artist -- Fred's note, 8/29/07.] Tim Burton's movie reflected the drawin...moreMy second-grade teacher read this aloud to the class five years after this novel was published. She held up the book to show us the great line drawings as she read. I'm not sure if current editions have those particular line drawings, but there was lots of cross-hatching in the drawings. [These drawings were by Joseph Schindelman, and most current editions do NOT feature these. They've replaced them with drawings by another artist -- Fred's note, 8/29/07.] Tim Burton's movie reflected the drawings found in the early editions.
This book, more than any other I can recall, influenced me as a writer. I put a lot of parentheses in my stories as a child. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY gets a lot of mileage out of the parenthetical aside.
The next year, the third grade teacher read it outloud, I imagine on the recommendation of my second grade teacher. By this time I had my own copy of the book and was reading along. One day, my teacher suddenly stopped reading in mid-sentence. She looked around, seemed to argue with herself about whether she should keep reading and then had a look of decision on her face. I had been silently reading along and had read the entire sentence which she had stopped in the middle of. "He means 'donkey'", I said, but she said, "We're stopping here."
The sentence she hadn't finished featured Willy Wonka calling a child an "ass."
The book is very shocking. Willy Wonka is, literally, a slave-driver. (Here's a shocking thing nobody I've ever met has noticed: The Ooompa-Loompas were of African descent in the 1963 edition. In the early seventies, the drawings and the text were changed so that the Oompa-Loopas suddenly had red hair and freckles. The copyright page of this later edition refers to "Special material." The original illustrator drew the alterations. At some later point the original illustrations were discarded altogether, and someone who draws more in the manner of Jules Feiffer did the ones we usually run across these days.) Roald Dahl writes about a jaunty, loveable, acid-tongued slave-driver. My third-grade teacher hated it and she never did finish reading it to us.
I don't think Dahl was a racist. In fact, I think he was trying to show his readers what pure capitalism means: The Bucket family is virtually starving before Charlie gets the Golden Ticket. The man dispensing the tickets slowly eliminates ticket-holders so that he may find a perfect successor. All he cares about is his own succession. He is ruthless, cruel and feared. Charlie won't be like him. But Dahl doesn't ballyhoo his story's moral. It is easy to mistake Dahl's cynicism for authoritarianism.
Loved it! Good morals. Wonka was totally different than his movie counterparts - in BOTH movies! Dahl's Wonka was neither strangely mellow like the first movie, nor creepy and self-obsessed like the second. I actually liked Mr. Wonka's childlike joy and energy mixed with a compassion for others. He is right. We should all throw out our television sets! I can see why the official Roald Dahl website states that he was not fond of the movie!
And the Oompa Loompas - totally better in t...moreLoved it! Good morals. Wonka was totally different than his movie counterparts - in BOTH movies! Dahl's Wonka was neither strangely mellow like the first movie, nor creepy and self-obsessed like the second. I actually liked Mr. Wonka's childlike joy and energy mixed with a compassion for others. He is right. We should all throw out our television sets! I can see why the official Roald Dahl website states that he was not fond of the movie!
And the Oompa Loompas - totally better in the book!
A.L. Travis
Author of The Pillar of Light: The Legends of Milana Series(less)
I have read this book previously in middle school, but I wanted to see if I could read it again and find interesting components to the book which I had not realized before. This book is about Charlie Bucket which is a poor young boy who is curious about Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. He stumbles upon a golden ticket accidentally after having searched for one. Once he obtains the ticket he goes into the chocolate factory along with four other children and their chaperones. In the end, Charlie ...more I have read this book previously in middle school, but I wanted to see if I could read it again and find interesting components to the book which I had not realized before. This book is about Charlie Bucket which is a poor young boy who is curious about Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. He stumbles upon a golden ticket accidentally after having searched for one. Once he obtains the ticket he goes into the chocolate factory along with four other children and their chaperones. In the end, Charlie wins a hidden competition for the next heir of the factory. The larger theme in this book is that patience will peril as opposed to impatience. This is evident because all of the other kids who didn’t win were very persistent and impatient, being the reasons why they lost.
My connection to this book is that not only is it a classical book, which I can read year after year, but it is also one that teaches an extremely important life lesson. I feel as though I don’t really have a connection to Charlie because unlike him, I am a very impatient person. But reading this book made me realize that perhaps I should work on my impatience and try to better myself. I love the fact that this book reminds me of all the good things about being younger, where nothing is to be taken too seriously. I never thought that in reading the story again, I am able to pull something out of it.
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I m sure most of us have seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by now. While I won t expound much on the book, I still recommend it over the movie. Why? The movie is wonderful for eye candy and candy in general, but the wonderful wit of the characters, especially Willy Wonka, is too easily missed in the glare of colours. [return][return]In a nutshell, boy (Charlie Bucket) from very poor family finds one of the five golden tickets that entitle the holder entry and a tour of Willy Wonka s Choc...moreI m sure most of us have seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by now. While I won t expound much on the book, I still recommend it over the movie. Why? The movie is wonderful for eye candy and candy in general, but the wonderful wit of the characters, especially Willy Wonka, is too easily missed in the glare of colours. [return][return]In a nutshell, boy (Charlie Bucket) from very poor family finds one of the five golden tickets that entitle the holder entry and a tour of Willy Wonka s Chocolate Factory. Wonka had a secret agenda for this sudden generosity. Charlie and four other children unwittingly went through trials and temptation. Only good-hearted Charlie passes his test and becomes Wonka s heir.[return][return]Wonka s personal history is never revealed in the book, and their next adventure begins immediately after they collect the Bucket family from their little wooden house at the end of Chocolate Factory.[return][return]Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator takes place after the Elevator leaves the Bucket residence and rockets back into the sky. As Wonka s eccentricities go, the Elevator must achieve a certain height so that it will punch a new entry hole in the roof of the Factory when they descend. Everyone else in the Elevator couldn t see the logic in that either.[return][return]Things go wrong and they end up in space. [return][return]At around the same time, Space Hotel "USA" is floating in space ready to take on its first batch of hotel crew. The Transport Capsule carrying them spots the Glass Elevator, also heading for the hotel. Mistakening them for terrorists, they notify Ground Control. Chaos ensues. The US President, a hapless chap by the name of Lanceleot R Gilligrass, gets involved. [return][return]Unknown to both Transport Capsule and Glass Elevator, the Hotel has already been taken over by a host of aliens called Knids. I won't tell you everything that happened but the Elevator crew does make it back to the Factory intact, and immediately falls into another adventure... all because of the Wonka-Vite.[return][return]The full adventures of Charlie and Willy Wonka continues in another book... which I do not have at this time.[return][return](2006)(less)
It's kind of sad that I read this book and the entire time I was comparing it to both (wonderful) movies. Charlie Bucket is one of the best Dahl children and Dahl proves himself to be a moralist of the most satisfying kind. In Charlie and the Chocolate factory, comeuppance and just desserts are dished out with relish and the poor hungry kid wins out in the end. A couple observations.
~Dahl does not pull any punches with the sad, poor kid. There's actually a chapter titled "Charli...moreIt's kind of sad that I read this book and the entire time I was comparing it to both (wonderful) movies. Charlie Bucket is one of the best Dahl children and Dahl proves himself to be a moralist of the most satisfying kind. In Charlie and the Chocolate factory, comeuppance and just desserts are dished out with relish and the poor hungry kid wins out in the end. A couple observations.
~Dahl does not pull any punches with the sad, poor kid. There's actually a chapter titled "Charlie begins to starve" or something like that. Yikes.
~There is something oddly British and imperialistic about the oompa loompas. How pleasant that their homeland was so nasty and terrible that they'd all consent to be dotty, happy, singing factory workers for Willy Wonka... imported as a whole civilization. Thank God they don't have to eat caterpillars and live in the jungle anymore.
~I like the selection of four vices and how they stack up in today's society. Gluttony (Augustus Gloop) is now a national epidemic; chewing gum (Violet Beauregard) is bad, but really not compared to blow and heroin; TV watching (Mike Teavee) though sucky, is pretty much accepted (no video games at the time this was written) and way less terrible than say.. internet porn; and spoiled brats (Veruca Salt) now get their own tv shows about finding BFFs. Ah progress.
~That being said, Tim Burton's remake was absolutely brilliant. I've always found something Faintly Macabre (10 points if you get that reference) to Dahl, and the back story about Wonka's childhood and the recasting of childhood vices (the violence obsessed Mike Teavee and the gotta win Violet) are absolutely apropos and brilliant. The creepy oompa loompas that all look alike is interesting commentary too.
All in all a good read... but the movie--- kind of better. On to the next Dahl!(less)
His fun with words, his whimsical humor, his untamed imagination, have all been enormously influential, not just to my writing but to all aspects of my life. Nowhere in his work is there such a perfect marriage of those above. Dahl gave it his all, and it shows. The man's a dab hand at literary fireworks: his prose shimmers and dazzles on every page, excites, delights, confounds, and, underneath it all, holds a serious message about behaving and the consequences you could face if you were very b...moreHis fun with words, his whimsical humor, his untamed imagination, have all been enormously influential, not just to my writing but to all aspects of my life. Nowhere in his work is there such a perfect marriage of those above. Dahl gave it his all, and it shows. The man's a dab hand at literary fireworks: his prose shimmers and dazzles on every page, excites, delights, confounds, and, underneath it all, holds a serious message about behaving and the consequences you could face if you were very bad indeed—mainly, being sucked into a chocolate pipe, blowing up like a balloon, or being shoved down a garbage chute that may or may not have the incinerator turned on. You know the drill.
Whangdoodles, Oompa-Loompas, Everlasting Gobstoppers, Exploding Candy, Eatable Marshmallow Pillows, chocolate rivers, fudge mountains, cows that need real whippings to produce whipped cream, and a lift that goes up and down, sideways, slantways, and any other ways you can think of—Dahl has some fun; his flights of fancy are a thrill. Just like Willy Wonka, who prances about and informs the children of his wacky makings in unmitigated bursts of enthusiasm, you get the feeling that Dahl himself delighted in them just as much. He let his imagination run free, and tickled his inner child. And, in turn, he tickled us all. (less)
The next book for Vincent was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Being only vaguely acquainted with the movie and totally unfamiliar with the book or author (though I did not like what I saw of the movie version of The Witches), Vince wanted it (he loves the movie) and it was something new for me.
Summary Charlie Bucket is a poor boy who lives with his parents and grandparents (both paternal and maternal). He finds a “golden ticket” that promises him a tour through the chocolate fac...moreThe next book for Vincent was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Being only vaguely acquainted with the movie and totally unfamiliar with the book or author (though I did not like what I saw of the movie version of The Witches), Vince wanted it (he loves the movie) and it was something new for me.
Summary Charlie Bucket is a poor boy who lives with his parents and grandparents (both paternal and maternal). He finds a “golden ticket” that promises him a tour through the chocolate factory of one Willy Wonka, a mysterious, famous, and nearly legendary maker of chocolates and other snacks. Along with four other children (all spoiled and selfish) and his grandpa, Charlie begins his adventure through the bizarre factory with the eccentric Willy Wonka guiding them.
OVERALL: 3 out of 5 I am probably prejudiced in that I am actually not the biggest chocolate fan in the world. I like it, but it’s less interesting to me the older that I get. There are a lot of other candies and surprises in the book, but the simplicity and dreaminess of the idea was lost on me.
It’s a good book though, with good morals too. It’s easy to really despise the children, except for Charlie, who are all annoying, difficult, rude, and act without thinking. It’s frightening when one sits back and realized “Yes, while these are fictional characters in a children’s novel, some kids really are this extreme.”
RATINGS BY CATEGORY Characters: 3 out of 5 Most of the children in this story exist to provide archetypes of spoiled and selfish behavior. Augustus Gloop is a glutton, Veruca Salt gets everything she wants, Violet Beauregarde chews gum constantly, and Mike Teavee is addicted to television. Charlie exists only to wonder and marvel at the factory, and the assorted parents are all too indulging or weak willed to handle their children.
Willy Wonka is the exception to the archetypes, who is eccentric in the extreme. Gene Wilder’s portrayal in the 1971 is a perfect version, in my opinion, but the character can be read and interpreted in many different ways.
Pace: 4 out of 5 I thought the beginning, where Charlie’s miserable state in the world is described, was a bit long, but things are never really boring. Once he and the other kids are in the factory, things stay busy and fun.
Story: 2 out of 5 The story exists mostly to serve the morals (kids should be good, parents need to raise them right), but there some really imaginative stuff in the pages too. Dahl dreams up some of the most interesting rooms and inventions I’ve ever heard of, and the story definitely appeals to children. It wasn’t my sort of thing though.
Dialogue: 3 out of 5 It’s really Willy Wonka’s dialogue that makes for great reading, though I was fond of the “moral messages” provided through the oompa loompa songs as well. They’re clever and true, though sometimes a bit long.
Style/Technical: 3 out of 5 This is a children’s book, so everything is very clear. I was never confused about what was happening or who was talking. Vincent needed some parts explained to him though.(less)
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory By: Roald Dahl !!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! Charlie and The Chocolate factory is written by Roald Dahl. Dahl wrote this in 1964 England, and based it off of his experience with chocolate in his schooldays. It is considered a Fantasy fiction children’s novel. This book describes the hardships of poverty, turned upside down by luck and true belief that anything is possible. It also displays pristine imagery which never gets dull, from the truly magica...moreCharlie and The Chocolate Factory By: Roald Dahl !!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! Charlie and The Chocolate factory is written by Roald Dahl. Dahl wrote this in 1964 England, and based it off of his experience with chocolate in his schooldays. It is considered a Fantasy fiction children’s novel. This book describes the hardships of poverty, turned upside down by luck and true belief that anything is possible. It also displays pristine imagery which never gets dull, from the truly magical mind of Roald Dahl. The book starts out in England with young boy named Charlie Bucket, Charlie and his family live in poverty and often have trouble putting food on the table. Charlie lives with his Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George, Grandma Georgina and his mom and dad. Charlie’s dad works very hard to keep the family alive while Mrs. Bucket stays at home and tends to the grandparents while he is away. Charlie’s birthday is approaching and they wonder how they will be able to afford him a present. And around the same time a contest is announced that 5 lucky winners will get to enter the mysterious Mr. Willy Wonka’s factory. The tickets one by one are found throughout the globe and with hope dwindling, Charlie buys a candy bar at the local store and is amazed to find the 5th and final golden ticket. His life is changed forever. This book is very imaginative, it brings out the inner creative persona inside of you. The vivid details along with the animated characters brings to life one of the most wonderful books of all time. I personally love this book and would recommend it to anyone. This book is nothing like any other book you’ve ever read the way Dahl writes this thing is just incredible, it’s hard not to notice many of these vivid imageries. (less)
Summary: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about a young boy named Charlie Bucket. He lives with both sides of his grandparents, his mom and his dad. They are all poor and have very little money. Charlie's Grandpa Joe would tell him stories about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory which made him really want to go inside and look around. He later finds out in the newspaper that Willy Wonka is going to let 5 lucky kids into his factory they just have to be lucky enough to get 1 of the 5 gold...moreSummary: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about a young boy named Charlie Bucket. He lives with both sides of his grandparents, his mom and his dad. They are all poor and have very little money. Charlie's Grandpa Joe would tell him stories about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory which made him really want to go inside and look around. He later finds out in the newspaper that Willy Wonka is going to let 5 lucky kids into his factory they just have to be lucky enough to get 1 of the 5 golden wrappers in one of the willy wonka chocolate bars. With him and his family having very little money they couldn't afford to get the chocolate bars. The good thing was that Charlie's birthday was coming up and every year he gets a chocolate bar for his birthday. So when his birthday came he got one but had no luck. Charlie ends up getting a stike of luck when he finds a dollar on the ground. He buys a chocolate bar but again nothing. He then decides to buy just one more bar with the money and there it was the fifth and final golden ticket. The next day it is time to go to the factory but Charlie has no one to go with him. Finally his Grandpa Joe gets out of bed for the first time in decades and says he will go with him. They both go to the chocolate factory and are so amused by everything around them. The other 4 children that found the tickets were very rude and ended up causing themselves trouble and eventually get sent out of the factory in some weird ways. Finally that leaves just Charlie and his Grandpa and he finds out some great news from Willy Wonka. He is told that he is the winner of the whole chocolate factory and now it belongs to him and his family.
Age Range: I believe this book is for the intermediate to advanced age ranges. It is definitely meant for older kids since it has over 100 pages in it and has smaller pictures. It also will really let them use their imagination and picture themselves inside of the book.
Artistic Elements: I would say that this book doesn't really have that many artistic elements in it. It has very small pictures that are black, grey and white and they look hand drawn. Other then that it is mainly just words.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone. Actually any of the Ronald Dahl books are great. It really is a great book and gets the children really thinking and using their imagination. It is also a fun book to the children. I first read this book when I was in elementary school and I loved it and I think any child who reads it now would love it too and would want to read more books from that author.
The five stars are from my eight year old self. Because I can remember like yesterday sitting in infant class for the last lesson before home time, and our teacher reading this out to us. Actually, I think he was a frustrated would be thespian, because he used to act out the story. Everything about this story captivated me. Pauper Charlie hunting for and then when least expecting it finding a 'golden ticket' to enter the mysterious Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory - Grandpas Joe & George & Grandm...moreThe five stars are from my eight year old self. Because I can remember like yesterday sitting in infant class for the last lesson before home time, and our teacher reading this out to us. Actually, I think he was a frustrated would be thespian, because he used to act out the story. Everything about this story captivated me. Pauper Charlie hunting for and then when least expecting it finding a 'golden ticket' to enter the mysterious Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory - Grandpas Joe & George & Grandmas Josephine & Georgina all sharing a double bed which they never moved from because they were too poor to afford heating - the waterfall of milk - the river of chocolate - the oompha loomphas frightened me a little - they were always so happy when something nasty happened.
Oh - sorry - almost forgot! You wanted a book review. Got carried away there. The story is about a mysterious Willy Wonka, whose factory produces the most amazing sweets and chocolate you've ever imagined. A competition is announced, half a dozen lucky children will get to see inside the factory, and the race is on to find 'golden tickets' hidden inside sweet wrappers. Dahl introduces us to the winning children one by one, and a motely bunch they seem too. We're all cheering Charlie on, but being so poor his family can only afford to buy him a bar a year. Luckily he finds money on the street, and can't resist buying a couple of bars of Willy Wonka's chocolate, winning the final golden ticket.
True to Dahl's wicked humour, as the children and their parents are shown around the factory, each new invention proving more amazing than the last, one by one the children show their true colours and are suitably rewarded.
Roald Dahl is amongst the best loved children's authors, and rightly so. He knows that kids not only love gruesome descriptions, they also have a very rigid sense of fair play. Recommended as amazing and I hope this book continues to entertain and delight children of all ages for a very long time. (less)
A delightful book. A joyous and imaginative romp of a read. I found myself smiling on many occasions at the inhabitants and characteristics of the world Roald Dahl has created in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. To read it truly brings back the fun in reading and I especially urge those who are surrounding themselves with much more serious literature (college students like myself in particular) to pick this up and be reminded of why reading was such fun as a child.
It only took me a...moreA delightful book. A joyous and imaginative romp of a read. I found myself smiling on many occasions at the inhabitants and characteristics of the world Roald Dahl has created in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. To read it truly brings back the fun in reading and I especially urge those who are surrounding themselves with much more serious literature (college students like myself in particular) to pick this up and be reminded of why reading was such fun as a child.
It only took me a day to read because it has the most simple and easy going story telling style I've ever come across. Dahl's use of exclamation points in the ridiculously overzealous dialogue never seems to come across as silly, because it fits the world that Charlie inhabits so perfectly. There are excellent techniques to study for anyone interested in learning more about creative writing.
I always love a book when I can see the author is passionate about what they're writing. This is very clear in CCF, especially in the songs the Oompa Loompas spout off. It's so much fun to read that it seems impossible Dahl wasn't having a great time himself.
As usual, the book far surpasses the movie, so don't think you know the story just because you've seen Gene Wilder or Johnny Depp dancing around. There is much more here, because Charlie, his family, the despicable children and Wonka and his factory are most alive in the imagination. And it will always be that way.(less)
A childhood favorite that can be just as entertaining to an adult, Dahl sure knew how to make these books. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was my favorite amongst his books because it was so magical and laced with self-esteem boosters. As we read of Charlie’s search for the golden ticket we feel hope and when he finds it the reader comes to the same realization that Charlie does, something so small can hold a lot of meaning. Throughout the book Dahl gives instances where bigger is not always b...moreA childhood favorite that can be just as entertaining to an adult, Dahl sure knew how to make these books. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was my favorite amongst his books because it was so magical and laced with self-esteem boosters. As we read of Charlie’s search for the golden ticket we feel hope and when he finds it the reader comes to the same realization that Charlie does, something so small can hold a lot of meaning. Throughout the book Dahl gives instances where bigger is not always better, he does the same with rich versus poor, giving hope to less fortunate children in the world. Dahl really draws the reader in with his humorous writing and crazy characters, there is rarely a moment without entertainment. One thing that will stick with me is how the absurdities present in the book helped to widen my creative mind. When a character can only show disbelief in one of Wonka’s crazy ideas they usually become unlikeable to him so the reader must open their mind up to these ideas to continue on with Charlie and Willy Wonka.(less)
Book Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie Buckton, a well behaved young boy who lives with his poverty stricken family has a change of fate through a lucky chocolate bar. With five other children, the book takes us through the unconventional adventures in 'Willy Wonka's' wierd and wonderful choclate factory.
The way the book is written, almost brings the characters to life. You fall in love with Charlie, and may take a dislike to some of the othe...moreBook Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie Buckton, a well behaved young boy who lives with his poverty stricken family has a change of fate through a lucky chocolate bar. With five other children, the book takes us through the unconventional adventures in 'Willy Wonka's' wierd and wonderful choclate factory.
The way the book is written, almost brings the characters to life. You fall in love with Charlie, and may take a dislike to some of the other children characters. The way the children are portrayed in the book is cleverly done by Roald Dahl, with moral lessons underpinning each child. It makes the reader think about punishment fitting the crime, in a child friendly manner.
The book is aimed at children of around 8 to 12, but of course can be enjoyed by younger readers and adults too. This book is great for follow up tasks and cross curricular activities, as it generates great ideas for class based learning, which can be taught around the story. It brings excitement, fun, imagination and magic, and I think it’s fair to say, all children love chocolate!!
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I love Charlie and The Chocolate Factory! I think this book is appropriate KS2 pupils to read independently. Pupils at KS1 may also enjoy having it read to them. It a fantastic, imaginative and engaging story of a boy named Charlie Bucket who like many children does not come from a privileged background. At the beginning of the book we meet Charlie with whom the reader sympathises immediately as he is a lovely boy and does not have enough money to buy food, clothes and sweets. By the end of the...moreI love Charlie and The Chocolate Factory! I think this book is appropriate KS2 pupils to read independently. Pupils at KS1 may also enjoy having it read to them. It a fantastic, imaginative and engaging story of a boy named Charlie Bucket who like many children does not come from a privileged background. At the beginning of the book we meet Charlie with whom the reader sympathises immediately as he is a lovely boy and does not have enough money to buy food, clothes and sweets. By the end of the book Charlie becomes the factory owner with a long-life supply of food for him and his whole family. Looking at the character of Charlie, the reader becomes more positive, optimistic and hopeful for their own future. The book is heart-warming, charming and fills the reader with faith and patience that good people are rewarded at some point of their lives. Moreover, the book is full of descriptions which stimulate pupils’ imagination. The book can be used as part of cross-curricular learning and teaching as it can be easily linked with art where children would draw e.g. some of Mr Wonka’s extraordinary sweets. Also, it builds children vocabulary by containing lots of adjectives and complex sentences. It encourages playing with the language and word formation as it contains lots of imaginary words. Shows the language is flexible, fun and creative!(less)
‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ By, Roald Dahl.
As a child I was very fond of Roald Dahl books. One of my favorites was ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. I clearly remember enjoying having this book read to me in year 4 by my primary teacher and I also remember reading it over and over again by myself that very summer.
It’s a story about a young boy from a very poor background called Charlie Bucket who lives with his parents and both his grandparents in a tiny house ...more‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ By, Roald Dahl.
As a child I was very fond of Roald Dahl books. One of my favorites was ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. I clearly remember enjoying having this book read to me in year 4 by my primary teacher and I also remember reading it over and over again by myself that very summer.
It’s a story about a young boy from a very poor background called Charlie Bucket who lives with his parents and both his grandparents in a tiny house at the edge of town. When the story begins you can’t help feeling sorry for this young boy. Charlie’s luck soon changes when he wins one of the five golden tickets that allow him and his grandpa Joe an exclusive once in a life time opportunity to visit the great ‘Wonka’s Chocolate Factory’ with four other different and interesting characters.
The lucky golden ticket winners are taken on many amazing and exciting adventures with their host Mr Wonka.
Roald Dahl portrays a very powerful message about good and bad in the story. All of the characters except Charlie are illuminated from the factory for breaking Mr Wonka’s rules!
Charlie’s prize for being patient and showing good character wins him a life changing opportunity to inherit Mr Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
I would certainly recommend this book to KS2 children. It’s a delightful read with small chapters that would encourage young readers who have started to read longer books. It’s also a great book to read to younger EYFS and KS1 children.
Roald Dahl is possibly one of the most famous children's writers of all time! I found it very interesting to learn that he did not start out to write for children but actually wrote short stories for adults which contained various twists and turns just like his children's novels do. He is also considered one of the most successful writers at blurring the lines between children's literature and that which is aimed at adult readers.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been a huge hit with b...moreRoald Dahl is possibly one of the most famous children's writers of all time! I found it very interesting to learn that he did not start out to write for children but actually wrote short stories for adults which contained various twists and turns just like his children's novels do. He is also considered one of the most successful writers at blurring the lines between children's literature and that which is aimed at adult readers.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been a huge hit with both readers themselves and to younger children who enjoy having the story read to them. It follows the story of a young boy called Charlie who is one of five lucky children to win a ticket to take a tour a Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. The story is full of various simple moral messages about undesirable behaviour and shows what could happen if you watch to much television, chew to much gum, are very greedy and what happens if you are very spoilt. Charlie appears to be the only child who does not have any of these poor qualities and ends up being the only one to complete his tour and thus becoming the winner!(less)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl stars Charlie a poor boy who wins a ticket to tour the mysterious Willie Wonka chocolate factory. The other children on the tour all have distinct flawed personalities which are tested on the tour to disastrous results.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is much like the movies that have been produced which was my daughters only complaint. She wished that she'd read the book first. It took a couple chapters before she really got into it ...moreCharlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl stars Charlie a poor boy who wins a ticket to tour the mysterious Willie Wonka chocolate factory. The other children on the tour all have distinct flawed personalities which are tested on the tour to disastrous results.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is much like the movies that have been produced which was my daughters only complaint. She wished that she'd read the book first. It took a couple chapters before she really got into it but because she's got an author crush on Dahl so she knew that it would get better and after the first couple chapters she was hooked. My daughter loved the book and looked forward to reading it every day even though it was a difficult read. The characters are what really makes the book the other kids are exaggerated examples of all the obnoxious kids that are in a childs life and they get what is coming to them when they refuse to behave during the tour.
Appropriateness: Like most of Dahl's books this book is very twisted. Bad things happen to the kids on the tour in fantastical ways which might disturb kids that have a hard time distinguishing fiction from reality. My daughter however thought it was fantastic. The lexile is 810 and the grade level equivalent is 5.9 making it great for advanced readers. I'd recommend it for kids 9-14 who can handle the reading level. (less)
This book was on BBC's list of 100 books to read before you die. I'm trying to read as many as possible on the list, and couldn't remember if I had read this as a child or not, so I decided to read (or re-read it) as an adult, just to be sure. I do remember having read other Dahl books as a child but as I was reading this I think I missed this growing up because I only remembered the movies.
I've seen both the 1971 and the 2005 film versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...more This book was on BBC's list of 100 books to read before you die. I'm trying to read as many as possible on the list, and couldn't remember if I had read this as a child or not, so I decided to read (or re-read it) as an adult, just to be sure. I do remember having read other Dahl books as a child but as I was reading this I think I missed this growing up because I only remembered the movies.
I've seen both the 1971 and the 2005 film versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so I knew what to expect. But, reading the book gave me more of a sense of Dahl's purpose--his commentary on misbehaving children was more obvious to me in the book. Or, maybe that's just because I'm older now so I get that he was trying to teach me a lesson :) In any case, I enjoyed the book. I read it in a few hours. And, I liked the Oompah-Loompa's songs (even if I liked the 1971 movie version of the men better--the ones in the book looked weird I thought) and thought Mr. Wonka seemed a lot less strange in the book than he did in the movie. In the book he just seems like a cool guy who makes candy, someone you would want to spend the day with, while in the movie, I always thought Gene Wilder was high (he probably was).
I'm glad I took the time to cross this children's classic off my list.(less)
In this thrilling tale, Charlie, a poor little boy who lives with a poor family gets a chance of a lifetime! It all starts with the raffle of a trip in the Wonka Chocolate Factory for whoever finds a golden ticket. Conveniently, Charlie asks for a Wonka bar for his birthday. As suspense builds up, he is sadden to see that he did not find the golden ticket. On his way to school, he finds a dollar and decides to try his chances again on a Wonka bar. This time he wins! He finds a golden ticket in t...moreIn this thrilling tale, Charlie, a poor little boy who lives with a poor family gets a chance of a lifetime! It all starts with the raffle of a trip in the Wonka Chocolate Factory for whoever finds a golden ticket. Conveniently, Charlie asks for a Wonka bar for his birthday. As suspense builds up, he is sadden to see that he did not find the golden ticket. On his way to school, he finds a dollar and decides to try his chances again on a Wonka bar. This time he wins! He finds a golden ticket in the Wonka bar and gets a tour in the Wonka Chocolate Factory. In the end, he passes the test and is given the chance to gain ownership. He denies it for he wants to be his family. As Mr.Wonka has experiences with Charlie, he see's the old times he had with his father and experiences the true feeling of family. As a happy ending, Charlie gains ownership of the factory and lives with his family. I think this book is a very heartwarming story about family and its great importance. I give this book 5 stars! (less)
I wanted to read the book, especially after seeing the most recent movie. Somehow I never read his books as a kid. Anyway, so after reading about Mr. Willy Wonka I must say that the book doesn't give a lot of description. Dahl's style seems to let the reader imagine and he doesn't give too much evidence for how Wonka reacts to the kids' misfortunes. He gives lots of hysterical parental reaction but either silence or laughter from Wonka usually. I kept thinking this book would be great for tryin...moreI wanted to read the book, especially after seeing the most recent movie. Somehow I never read his books as a kid. Anyway, so after reading about Mr. Willy Wonka I must say that the book doesn't give a lot of description. Dahl's style seems to let the reader imagine and he doesn't give too much evidence for how Wonka reacts to the kids' misfortunes. He gives lots of hysterical parental reaction but either silence or laughter from Wonka usually. I kept thinking this book would be great for trying to explain synonyms and homonyms to a kid. And the oompa-loompa songs are so long in the books! Wonka would be a mix of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp I think, but maybe even a bit older than them both since he's supposed to have a beard. The most recent movie is very faithful to the order of the book (aside for the daddy story tacked on). Really the oompa-loopmas in the first movie are so strange. It's interesting to note that they are described as rosy-pink yet neither film wants them to be white. And the kids are not described as white nor is Wonka, really they could have been any race or nationality, couldn't they? I mean Augustus doesn't have to be German. I think having the Bucket family starving is pretty integral and it's too bad none of the film makers want to show that as graphically as Dahl does with his sparse prose. He's really such an interesting author of kid's books.(less)
This is an amazing book, and despite the humor, wordplay, beautiful imagery, and delicious descriptions of fine candy-making, it's actually a pretty raw read. The first half, before things turn around for Charlie, is drawn with terrible realism. Dahl's blunt descriptions of the family's starving to death in the midst of plenty reads like a controlled, but furious renunciation of the capitalist fallacy that the deserving will simply pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The Buckets have been...moreThis is an amazing book, and despite the humor, wordplay, beautiful imagery, and delicious descriptions of fine candy-making, it's actually a pretty raw read. The first half, before things turn around for Charlie, is drawn with terrible realism. Dahl's blunt descriptions of the family's starving to death in the midst of plenty reads like a controlled, but furious renunciation of the capitalist fallacy that the deserving will simply pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The Buckets have been pulling on those bootstraps for as long as they've lived; they're good people; do they really deserve to die of starvation? Really? Dahl's improbable rescue of the family could actually be read as deeply cynical; only a ludicrous miracle, only an intervention clearly from the realm of fantasy could possibly save a family in such dire straits. I mean, it's not like social services or their fellow human beings are going to help them out, right? Bootstraps!
Naturally, this was a re-read, but it's been a few years since the last time I'd picked it up. A college buddy told me that the Oompa-Loompas, in the earliest editions, were dreadfully stereotypical African pygmies, but that the description of them had been altered in order to, you know, not be so hateful. Tastefully done, in my humble opinion, but too bad they won't do the same thing with the entire Augustus Gloop storyline. Alas, it's so inextricably wound into the book that it would take a major rewrite to change it, and that kind of tampering with the original text is a dubious business. Maybe this is one for parents to discuss with children as an example of "We can enjoy some messages in a work of entertainment, while actively engaging with and rejecting others." Of course, hating fat people is even more fashionable now than it was when Dahl wrote this book, so it's unlikely that most parents will even notice, much less think twice about exposing their kids to toxic and dehumanizing messages.
I'm pretty sure I like this book better now than I did as a child, if by "like" you mean "critically engage with," which I do.(less)
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as...moreRoald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.
Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as "A Piece of Cake". The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly inaccurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel.
His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.
He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story The Landlady; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".(less)
“Everything in this room is edible. Even I'm edible. But, that would be called canibalism. It is looked down upon in most societies.”
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