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The house wasn’t nearly large enough for so many people, and life was extremely uncomfortable for them all. There were only two rooms in the place altogether, and there was only one bed. The bed was given to the four old grandparents because they were so old and tired.
This description of Charlie’s home from Chapter 1 (Here Comes Charlie) emphasizes how the Bucket family’s circumstances have been shaped by poverty. Seven people cannot live comfortably in such a small house. Although the only kind and fair thing to do is to allow the very elderly and ill grandparents to have the bed, this means that the rest of the family sacrifices their own ability to get a good night’s sleep. From the outset, we see how Charlie’s circumstances make it difficult for him to succeed in life no matter how much he might deserve otherwise.
“I’m afraid that simply isn’t true,” said Grandpa George. “The kids who are going to find the Golden tickets are the ones who can afford to buy bars of chocolate every day. Our Charlie gets only one a year. There isn’t a hope.”
Grandpa George makes this grim prediction at the end of Chapter 5 (The Golden Tickets). He wisely recognizes that even though the search for the golden tickets might seem fair, wealth inequality takes away all fairness from the competition. Charlie’s poverty means he only gets one chance to find a golden ticket, whereas, as we will soon see, some people pay for thousands of chances to find a golden ticket.
“I don’t think the girl’s father played it quite fair, Grandpa, do you?” Charlie murmured.
Charlie makes this comment in Chapter 6 (The First Two Finders), just after Mr. Salt explains his process for finding a golden ticket for Veruca. Charlie rarely criticizes anyone throughout the entire book, so his mild upset here stands out, emphasizing exactly how unfair this situation is. Neither Veruca Salt nor her father actually finds the golden ticket, but rather a woman who works for Mr. Salt finds it. He is not only able to buy a golden ticket by purchasing thousands of candy bars, but he doesn’t even need to put any effort into finding one. These circumstances make Veruca’s ingratitude all the more galling.
All the children, except Charlie, had both their mothers and fathers with them, and it was a good thing that they had, otherwise the whole party might have got out of hand. They were so eager to get going that their parents were having to hold them back by force to prevent them from climbing over the gates.
This description comes from Chapter 13 (The Big Day Arrives) as Charlie waits outside the factory with the other children. Even though he’s starving and cold without a jacket on, Charlie shows far more patience than the other children who are bundled up appropriately and well-fed. Because of his poverty, just being able to enter the factory feels miraculous to Charlie, and he treats every moment with respect and gratitude. Meanwhile, the other children, particularly Veruca, are used to the nice things in their lives and therefore do not fully appreciate their luck at being allowed to enter the factory.
At this point, Mr. Salt, Veruca’s father, stepped forward. “Very well, Wonka,” he said importantly, taking out a wallet full of money, “how much d’you want for one of these squirrels? Name your price.”
“They’re not for sale,” Mr. Wonka answered. “She can’t have one.”
This conversation from Chapter 24 (Veruca in the Nut Room) illustrates the way extreme wealth has created a toxic dynamic in the Salt family. Mr. Salt not only spoils Veruca by giving her whatever she wants, but he teaches her that it is possible to solve all one’s problems or achieve all one’s goals through money. No one in the family knows what to do with something that isn’t for sale. Money has hindered not only Veruca’s emotional maturity but her family’s as well.
