Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl (Updated)

Introduction

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a story written by Roald Dahl about a penniless boy who really loves chocolate, yet he is only allowed to eat it once a year on his birthday. That’s how poor his family is. They are starving, they barely have enough to eat. Fortunately for Charlie, on one fateful day, he finds a golden ticket that will change his life forever. But how, you may ask? You must read it yourself!

Short Recap

After the news of the golden ticket, Charlie is more excited than ever. You might wonder why? Because today is his birthday and in front of him is a bar of Wonka chocolate. He knows that there is a chance of finding the golden ticket. But he also knows the chance of it happening is too low. Despite this, the boy has faith. Soon he opens his chocolate bar with a quick tear. No golden ticket, nothing is there. But he neither cries nor complains. He just smiles and offers to share his chocolate with the family. Yet, on the inside he is somewhat disappointed. However, on his way home, he finds some money buried in the snow. His heart beats faster than ever as he pulls out the bill he finds. He runs to the nearest shop and buys a bar of chocolate. Then  Charlie devours it in half a minute. The boy is very hungry. After finishing the first chocolate bar he looks down at his hand. Charlie notices the amount of money is enough to buy another bar of chocolate. So without hesitation he asks the shopkeeper for another one. He expects nothing but a delicious snack. The boy is shocked to find a golden ticket. Soon reporters swarm around him asking questions and taking pictures. The bony boy says nothing because he is too thrilled. Despite this, people are offering him money for the ticket. But he clutches onto the ticket tightly. He runs home as fast as he can, knowing one thing: his life is about to be turned upside down.

Favorite chapters

This book has many chapters but there are two that I personally like.

“What it says on the golden ticket”

Short recap of chapter: Charlie runs home as fast as possible, wanting to show his family what he finds. He tells everyone the news. Grandpa Joe is very happy. He turns from a 96-year-old man into a child when he jumps and celebrates. In the end grandpa Joe tells his son Mr. Bucket to read what it says on the ticket. On the ticket Mr. Wonka promises the holder will be shown around the factory. After the tour they will be rewarded with a lifetime supply of chocolate and sweets. The family is filled with delight because they know that their life will be a lot better after visiting Mr. Wonka’s factory.

I really like this chapter because it shows how joy can find its way to the poorest household. The wholesome feeling of knowing that their life is gonna change for the better is just beautiful to read.

“Charlie’s chocolate factory”

Short recap of chapter: In the end after everything that happens Charlie is the only one left in the factory with his grandpa. After this Mr. Wonka announces that he is the winner because he is well behaved. He shows Mr. Wonka that he is a civil person in general and that he is worthy to be Mr. Wonka’s heir. Charlie is shocked and happy at the same time. He asks Mr. Wonka to bring his family with him into the factory, and of course Mr. Wonka agrees. So in the end, the chocolate magician uses the glass elevator to bring Charlie’s family to the factory, and they live a happy life with Mr. Wonka. All thanks to Charlie Bucket.

I enjoy reading this chapter because it shows how the nice kid has been rewarded for his actions. This chapter also feels heartwarming to read because it shows how a boy like Charlie goes from poor and starving to living a fulfilling life.

Lesson learned from this book

Having a good character is more important than being rich

We can see how Charlie wins the chocolate factory not because he is rich, but since he is respectful and has a strong sense of integrity. This makes him perfect to be the next generation of chocolate magicians. He is disciplined and keeps the Wonka brand going with a strong reputation.

Having a high demand can cause problems

In this novel, we are presented with multiple characters that have shown themselves greedy. An example of this is how Veruca demands anything she wants from her dad, and she is punished by getting dragged into the garbage chute. Another example of this is Augustus Gloop. He is a greedy eater. This is shown at the beginning of the story when he scoops chocolate from the chocolate river. He is also taught a lesson by getting sucked up into the tube. These are the reasons why they don’t win the chocolate factory. However, Charlie proves to be different. He isn’t selfish, and he doesn’t complain when things don’t go his way. He is also well mannered. Once again, Charlie shows that he has a good character, proving that he is worthy of winning the chocolate factory.

Money doesn’t buy everything

In this book we can see how Veruca’s dad buys thousands of chocolate bars just to help his daughter find the golden ticket. Unlucky for him, his effort turns stinky as they both get thrown in the trash chute. This is all caused by Veruca’s ridiculous demands. But on the other hand Charlie’s family is struggling, and they only find the golden ticket thanks to some sheer luck. Charlie, of course,  never has unreasonable demands. He accepts things as they are, which has become his habit. Not only that, he always has a positive attitude, which proves that he is worthy of being the future owner of Mr. Wonka’s chocolate factory. 

Final thoughts

I learned about this book through a Vietnamese extra class. In this class, I was introduced to Roald Dahl and many of the amazing stories he wrote. Because of that, I had no hesitation in choosing this novel as the first story I ever read written by Roald Dahl. The title of this story is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and boy I’m glad that I picked this book. Overall, this novel is very delicious and delivers many heartwarming moments. Not only that, the novel is hard to put down and a joy to read, as it makes you hungry and introduces many iconic characters and storylines. The crazy thing about this story is that Roald Dahl pretty much only uses basic language, which makes this masterpiece easy to understand and makes it accessible to anyone at any age. I really want to call this novel absolute cinema as it has to be hands down one of the greatest stories I’ve ever read. I give Roald Dahl 5 stars for creating such an amazing novel. Last but not least, I hope you readers will enjoy this book as much as I do and don’t forget to have a glass of hot chocolate next to you, you will need it.