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And each time he received it, on those marvellous birthday mornings, he would place it carefully in a small wooden box that he owned, and treasure it as though it were a bar of solid gold; and for the next few days, he would allow himself only to look at it, but never to touch it.
This quotation, which comes from Chapter 1 (Here Comes Charlie), is one of the first moments where the reader really sees Charlie’s character beyond his poverty. He is a patient and grateful child despite his difficult circumstances. Instead of eating the chocolate all at once, he patiently treasures it for as long as possible. He doesn’t complain for the rest of the year, but instead deeply appreciates the chocolate while he has it. Charlie’s patience and appreciation help him navigate Willy Wonka’s factory because he listens to instructions and doesn’t act entitled to everything around him.
Charlie looked up. Four kind old faces were watching him intently from the bed. He smiled at them, a small sad smile, and then he shrugged his shoulders and picked up the chocolate bar and held it out to his mother, and said, “Here, Mother, have a bit. We’ll share it. I want everybody to taste it.”
This quotation comes after Charlie unwraps his birthday chocolate in Chapter 7 (Charlie’s Birthday). Even though he’s disappointed that his birthday chocolate did not have a golden ticket, Charlie is a sensitive boy who understands that his parents and grandparents are worried about him being disappointed. Instead of being upset, he tries to spare his family’s feelings by putting on a brave face. His generosity in sharing the chocolate further shows that he is loving. In offering to share the chocolate, he acknowledges his family’s love for him and reflects it back at them.
He was in a whirl of excitement. Everything that he had seen so far—the great chocolate river, the waterfall, the huge sucking pipes, the minty sugar meadows, the Oompa-Loompas, the beautiful pink boat, and most of all, Mr. Willy Wonka himself—had been so astonishing that he began to wonder whether there could possibly be any more astonishments left.
This quotation from Chapter 18 (Down the Chocolate River) shows Charlie’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder. His joy in Willy Wonka’s beautiful factory emphasizes that he is the right child to take it over someday. Additionally, this moment shows Charlie’s good attitude. Even after Augustus Gloop’s accident, the other children push boundaries, licking at the candy boat and demanding one just like it. Charlie is happy simply to have a wonderful experience, genuinely appreciative of the opportunity he’s been given.
Something crazy is going to happen now, Charlie thought. But he wasn’t frightened. He wasn’t even nervous. He was just terrifically excited.
This quotation comes from Chapter 28 (Only Charlie Left) just before Willy Wonka pushes the UP AND OUT button. In addition to Charlie being a good kid—the book defines him as kind, patient, humble, and obedient—he also has a sense of whimsy and imagination. His willingness to be swept up in Willy Wonka’s chaos and see the wonder and beauty despite the potential dangers is another reason why he’s an ideal candidate to take over the factory someday.
