Coolness: 685565
| "A related criticism is that Dahl's books are too violent. Reviewers decry the moral system of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as sadistic or extreme. The four "naughty little children" have rather mild vices. However, their vices can be translated into some of the Deadly Sins. Augustus Gloop, "A greedy boy," is gluttonous; Veruca Salt, "A girl who is spoiled by her parents," is avaricious. Violet Beauregarde, "A girl who chews gum all day long," is prideful, because she displays a piece of gum to reporters which she has been chewing for three months in an attempt for the world record and global recognition. Mike Teavee, "A boy who does nothing but watch television," is slothful; television "rots the senses in the head" and "kills imagination dead." In contrast, Charlie displays a complete lack of any of these characteristics. He is so poor that he cannot be gluttonous; though he is starving, "he refuses to take any of" his grandparents' food, so he is hardly greedy (CCF, p. 47). Charlie is often depicted as "nervous" and whispering, which shows his humility (CCF, p. 68). Finally, he actively walks back and forth from school every day. Still, Charlie has no tremendously positive traits, only an absence of negative ones.
Slugworth acts as a temptation to the children's financial greed, offering them a large sum of money if they will steal a piece of candy from Wonka's factory that is currently under development. When Wonka gives the candy to the children, he has them "solemnly swear to keep them for [them]selves and never show them to another living soul as long as [they] all shall live," and Veruca "crosses her fingers behind her back" (Villa). It is revealed in the end that "Slugworth" is really a man named Mr. Wilkinson, who works for Wonka and "tests" the children to see if they are honest. When Charlie gives his candy back to Wonka, only then does Wonka exclaim, "You won!" Before Charlie gives the candy back to Wonka, Wonka berates Charlie and his grandfather for stealing the drinks, and tells them to leave without their promised "lifetime supply of chocolate" because they "broke the rules" (Villa). Charlie's grandfather advocates revenge on Wonka by giving Slugworth the candy, but Charlie's honesty prevails over his sense of injustice, showing that he is deserving of the "grand and glorious jackpot"
And stuff. It's about temptation and redemption and how you have to confess your sins and be a good boy to get into heaven. Why do you think Marylin Manson used to use imagery from it in all his old work? |