Happiness in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’
December 12, 2004 | 12:00am
Happiness nowadays is elusive, in a time where the economic crisis is not just the government’s problem, but a very real and deeply felt household problem. Our country’s status quo doesn’t exude that much glimpse of a brighter tomorrow and constantly leaves us like a lonely drenched man in the middle of nowhere. The bleakness in our current atmosphere can be so frustrating; you start thinking crazy things like chopping somebody’s head off or assassinating wicked political figures.
But there’s one thing in this world that never fails to get me sedated and gives me one good reason to be thankful for life. I’m talking about that soul-stirring, mouth-watering, delectable confection called chocolate. One bite of this sweet manna from up above tickles my throat and provides a tender pat to my frequently down spirit. Traditionally displayed as a symbolic gift in courtship and substitute for cappuccino during restless nights before deadlines, this luscious delicacy is a suitable antidote for depression and a simple reward for a job well done. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an expensive and imported brand or a local one. Each time I unwrap a chocolate bar and savor its heavenly aroma, I can’t help but remember the person I envy the most next to the Dalai Lama – Charlie Bucket, the hero of Roald Dahl’s imaginative children’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Having a lifetime supply of chocolate and candies of every kind must be every person’s hidden fantasy.
The story of Charlie’s unbelievable journey started when the "most amazing, most fantastic, and most extraordinary" chocolate maker in the whole wide world, Mr. Willy Wonka, decided, after several years, to open once again the gates of his chocolate factory (the largest in the world!) to five – and only five – children to see. All they need to do is look for a golden ticket hidden underneath the wrapping paper of any of Wonka’s candy products. There are only five of them, of course, that’s why the hunt becomes a worldwide sensation.
However, Charlie’s chance of getting one of the five golden tickets is like a wish for a drop of rain on the sizzling Sahara desert. His family is so poor that he can have a bar of chocolate only once a year: His birthday. And when his birthday comes and there is no sign of the sought after ticket, he becomes utterly depressed to the point of giving up. But as fate would have it, he finds a stray dollar on the street and uses it to buy a bar of Wonka’s Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight. Needless to say, he finds the last one on his second bar.
When the day of the much awaited reopening arrives, Charlie’s real adventure begins as he steps into the walls of Wonka’s famous factory. Along with the other four ticket holders and their respective guardians, Charlie ventures into a fantasyland where the things that he can only imagine are right before his eyes.
I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for its imagination and the solid storytelling that reminds me of my grandpa’s furrowed hands and the creaking sounds of his rocking chair. The book is a nostalgic trip to childhood memories. I can still recall how badly I wished to be in Charlie’s shoes when I first read the amazing book one night in my bedroom. I wanted to swim in the river of milk chocolate and thrill my taste buds with the sweetness of furniture made from sugar-coated materials. I wanted to loll in the field and smell the warm breeze of air coming from the chimneys of the factory. I wanted to operate Wonka’s magic elevator filled with push-buttons that can bring me anywhere in the world. I wanted to sing with the workers, the Oompa Loompas, and create candies and chocolates that can last me a lifetime.
But ultimately, I want to become Charlie. I wish I could have his luck as I wait in line at a lottery booth, have the strength and determination to overcome a life that is harsh and frequently tormenting. I wish I could be brave, loyal, and trustworthy especially in times of difficult challenges. And in these times of big burdens ahead of us, we need a part of Charlie inside each of us.
Likewise, Dahl’s masterpiece is an honest observation and prophetic portrayal of today’s generation. The sad endings in the journeys of the four other kids inside Wonka’s factory reminds me of my childish attitudes. Through Augustus Gloop, the big fat kid who never listens to anyone except the cry of his stomach, I learned the dreadful prize of gluttony. In Veruca Salt, the bratty little girl who never stops screaming until her parents bring her her heart’s latest desire, I become grateful for the small and basic things that I have. From Violet Beauregarde, the girl who chews gum all day long, I learned the importance of good manners and discipline. And through Mike Teavee, the boy who does nothing except watch television, I rekindled the wonderful value of books and the perils of a media-marinated existence. These kids are lucid pictures of misguided values lingering in today’s youth.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory doesn’t just entertain, it also leaves readers with lessons in morals, strength, and everlasting hope. The book gently speaks of a life that is sometimes dark and miserable, that it throws curve balls most of the time, but there is no need to despair.
Dahl inspires by engaging us in a world where hope still breathes and good always beats evil. He invites readers to look at themselves and ask what they can do to turn the tide around. In these moments of crisis, where hope is badly needed, we must wake up that Charlie inside of us. We must uplift our spirits. We need to be strong, faithful, and overwhelmed with love. If we do, the result is more enchanting than a classy bar of chocolate. Happiness will, at last, be achieved.
But there’s one thing in this world that never fails to get me sedated and gives me one good reason to be thankful for life. I’m talking about that soul-stirring, mouth-watering, delectable confection called chocolate. One bite of this sweet manna from up above tickles my throat and provides a tender pat to my frequently down spirit. Traditionally displayed as a symbolic gift in courtship and substitute for cappuccino during restless nights before deadlines, this luscious delicacy is a suitable antidote for depression and a simple reward for a job well done. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an expensive and imported brand or a local one. Each time I unwrap a chocolate bar and savor its heavenly aroma, I can’t help but remember the person I envy the most next to the Dalai Lama – Charlie Bucket, the hero of Roald Dahl’s imaginative children’s classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Having a lifetime supply of chocolate and candies of every kind must be every person’s hidden fantasy.
The story of Charlie’s unbelievable journey started when the "most amazing, most fantastic, and most extraordinary" chocolate maker in the whole wide world, Mr. Willy Wonka, decided, after several years, to open once again the gates of his chocolate factory (the largest in the world!) to five – and only five – children to see. All they need to do is look for a golden ticket hidden underneath the wrapping paper of any of Wonka’s candy products. There are only five of them, of course, that’s why the hunt becomes a worldwide sensation.
However, Charlie’s chance of getting one of the five golden tickets is like a wish for a drop of rain on the sizzling Sahara desert. His family is so poor that he can have a bar of chocolate only once a year: His birthday. And when his birthday comes and there is no sign of the sought after ticket, he becomes utterly depressed to the point of giving up. But as fate would have it, he finds a stray dollar on the street and uses it to buy a bar of Wonka’s Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight. Needless to say, he finds the last one on his second bar.
When the day of the much awaited reopening arrives, Charlie’s real adventure begins as he steps into the walls of Wonka’s famous factory. Along with the other four ticket holders and their respective guardians, Charlie ventures into a fantasyland where the things that he can only imagine are right before his eyes.
I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for its imagination and the solid storytelling that reminds me of my grandpa’s furrowed hands and the creaking sounds of his rocking chair. The book is a nostalgic trip to childhood memories. I can still recall how badly I wished to be in Charlie’s shoes when I first read the amazing book one night in my bedroom. I wanted to swim in the river of milk chocolate and thrill my taste buds with the sweetness of furniture made from sugar-coated materials. I wanted to loll in the field and smell the warm breeze of air coming from the chimneys of the factory. I wanted to operate Wonka’s magic elevator filled with push-buttons that can bring me anywhere in the world. I wanted to sing with the workers, the Oompa Loompas, and create candies and chocolates that can last me a lifetime.
But ultimately, I want to become Charlie. I wish I could have his luck as I wait in line at a lottery booth, have the strength and determination to overcome a life that is harsh and frequently tormenting. I wish I could be brave, loyal, and trustworthy especially in times of difficult challenges. And in these times of big burdens ahead of us, we need a part of Charlie inside each of us.
Likewise, Dahl’s masterpiece is an honest observation and prophetic portrayal of today’s generation. The sad endings in the journeys of the four other kids inside Wonka’s factory reminds me of my childish attitudes. Through Augustus Gloop, the big fat kid who never listens to anyone except the cry of his stomach, I learned the dreadful prize of gluttony. In Veruca Salt, the bratty little girl who never stops screaming until her parents bring her her heart’s latest desire, I become grateful for the small and basic things that I have. From Violet Beauregarde, the girl who chews gum all day long, I learned the importance of good manners and discipline. And through Mike Teavee, the boy who does nothing except watch television, I rekindled the wonderful value of books and the perils of a media-marinated existence. These kids are lucid pictures of misguided values lingering in today’s youth.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory doesn’t just entertain, it also leaves readers with lessons in morals, strength, and everlasting hope. The book gently speaks of a life that is sometimes dark and miserable, that it throws curve balls most of the time, but there is no need to despair.
Dahl inspires by engaging us in a world where hope still breathes and good always beats evil. He invites readers to look at themselves and ask what they can do to turn the tide around. In these moments of crisis, where hope is badly needed, we must wake up that Charlie inside of us. We must uplift our spirits. We need to be strong, faithful, and overwhelmed with love. If we do, the result is more enchanting than a classy bar of chocolate. Happiness will, at last, be achieved.
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