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INTERNATIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMME

A. STUDENT/S TO COMPLETE
Module Name: Children Literature Module Code:

Student Name: Rubatarshne a/p Vasu Student ID Number: PLPPIP2011/071/KIC

Lecturer Name: Datin Suzelina Tutor Group: A2

Assignment No./Name: Children’s Book Review

Due Date: 18 March 2014 Date Submitted: 18 March 2014

Word Count:

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Assignment 2 – Children’s Book Review

Charlie and Chocolate Factory is a wonderful story written by Roald Dahl and
published by Penguin Group. Roald Dahl is a famous author who receives praise for
its readability and positive representations of young people. The genre of this book is
adventure which most of young children will definitely love this book. The illustrator
of this book is Quentin Blake who started illustrating most Dahl books since 1995.
This highly influential story has managed to capture the hearts of young people all
across the world since its publication in 1964. Roald Dahl is inspired to write this
story because as given in his autobiography Going Solo, Dahl receives a box of
chocolate from the Cadbury factory every week at the boarding school that he
studied. The box was a part of sample survey to test the new flavors and feedback is
collected after the children tested the chocolate. This leads Dahl to write this story.
This story is about the adventure of five children to Chocolate factory. Charlie and
Chocolate factory is a modern novel that will be examined using a summary of its
adventurous plot, an analysis of the dynamic characters of Charlie Bucket, as well as
a discussion on the themes and highlights of the book.

The summary of this book’s plot combines completely modern with adventure
elements that make it truly entertaining. This story starts with an introduction of main
characters of Charlie Bucket’s family. There live Charlie, his parents and his four
grandparents in a small house together. One of the amazing things that brighten
Charlie’s life is the chocolate factory which is owned by Mr. Willy Wonka. Willy
Wonka’s factory is located right at the neighborhood. Besides that, Charlie receives
only one chocolate bar in a year on his birthday. Grandpa Joe knows a lot about
Wonka’s factory and he tells Charlie a bunch of stories about a chocolate palace
which Mr. Wonka built and how he had to close his factory down because of spies
stealing his recipes. Further, Charlie's dad comes in with the news that Mr. Wonka
will be opening up his factory to five lucky children who can find Golden Tickets in
Wonka chocolate bars. The plot comes to the climax when one day, while Charlie is
walking home from school, he finds some money on the ground and uses it to buy
chocolate. Without any expectation he finds his golden ticket in the chocolate bar. He
was surprised and happy when he saw the golden ticket. One by one, the other four
children such as Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee
on the tour cause some trouble and are carried away. Charlie is the only child who

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does not cause any trouble. Mr. Wonka wants someone to take over for him when he
gets old and he chooses Charlie. Here, the author has presented the story in word-
pictures of scenes and events by giving specific details that appeal to the five senses
and the story is in chronological order.

In addition, the characters in the book such as Charlie prove himself to be

very dynamic. This enables children to understand and have a clearer imagination
about the characters. Children may differentiate the protagonist and antagonist of
this story. For instance, Charlie Bucket is the protagonist of the novel. Charlie is
humble toward everyone in his life. Although he is starving but he refuses to take an
extra portion of food because it would deprive another member of his family.
Everyday, he walks by Mr. Wonka’s factory to school and smell the tantalizing smell
of chocolate as his stomach starts to grumbles. Even though he has every reason to
complain, but he never does. For example, he is always cold and he does not have a
suitable jacket. He does not ask anyone to own a jacket. In contrary, Veruca Salt is
an antagonist in this story. This is because she demands anything she wants and
throws tantrums until her parents meet her demands. She is mean and completely
self-involved, and her parents always accept to her wishes. Veruca’s hastiness
causes her trouble at the factory. She demands to own one of Wonka’s trained
squirrels, and deems her as a “bad nut” and sends her down the garbage chute.
Hence, the author stresses that young children must respect their parents and be the
best child to their parents.

Although there are many themes that can be drawn from Charlie and
Chocolate factory, two major themes which are the importance of family and ‘what
goes around comes around’ can turn into positive experiences if children approach
with an open minded. The importance of family is clearly shows in this book. For
instance, he is willing to share his birthday chocolate bar with all six members of his
family, even though he only gets one bar a year. Here it shows that Charlie loves his
family so much. Another example would be, is the other families in Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory. The Gloops, Salts, Beauregardes and Teavees have fairly a
different family bond than the Charlie’s family. But, we cannot imagine Augustus or
Veruca sharing a chocolate bar with their parents due to their selfishness, whereas
Charlie’s family has their dreams come true. The next theme in this story is ‘what

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goes around comes around’. Each of the characters is punished or rewarded in
accordance with his personality. The immoral children like Veruca, Violet, Mike, and
Augustus receive punishments. Veruca, for her troublesome behavior, is deprived of
the squirrel that she wants. Furthermore, the other squirrels think that she is a “bad
nut” and send her down the garbage area. Violet, cannot to resist gum, chews
herself into a gigantic blueberry. Mike, who is obsessed with television, is
permanently transformed by it. Augustus, who overeats as a hobby, gets himself
stuck in a chocolate pump that eventually compresses him out. All these children
undergo punishments so that they can be a better people. As the good child, Charlie
receives the only one receive rewards. Here, the purpose of author is to persuade
reader that children must respect their parents and realize their mistakes so that they
do not repeat it again in their life.

The most remarkable aspect about this story is the strong notion of hope.
Charlie came from a very poor family whereas the other four children are rich.
Charlie who is well-mannered won out in the end. This is because he has the right
manner, good behavior and proper intentions. He was not greedy, selfish or rude like
other four children. It seems that Roald Dahl is fulfilling his role as an author for
young children by subtly influencing them through his books as to what the correct
behavior like. He also emphasize that the good behavior should be inherent in every
proper individual whether a child or an adult.

The author emphasizes Marxist theory in his story. The focus in this theory
can be shown in the social relations who involve different between those who have
money and those who are poor. For instance, Veruca’s father symbolizes all the
negative aspects of wealth when he uses his financial resources to secure Veruca a
golden ticket. In contrast, poverty can often lead to good things. Charlie is extremely
poor; he always eats cabbage soup and he sleeps on the floor with his parents.
However, Charlie can handle his poverty which makes him an adored character. He
does not yearn for an extraordinary wealth yet he is eventually rewarded with riches
beyond his dreams. Veruca is punished for her wealth, which accompanied by her
parents’, causes her to be such a brat. Roald Dahl is one such author, who is
responsible for taking millions of children over the years out of the poverty of creative
thought and woven worlds where anything can happen to simple and ordinary

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children. Here, the author justifies a new approach by creating child to imagine and it
gives the book literary merit.

In my opinion, the characteristics that make up this good book is because of

its adventurous plot, an analysis of the dynamic characters of Charlie Bucket, as
well as a discussion on the themes and highlights of the book. I think it is a fantastic
book for kids because it is the story itself is creative and imaginative yet the world
should read this book as it tells us that even if we are poor, it does not mean that we
are forever living in poverty which describes Charlie Bucket. Although Charlie may
be poor, he never gives up any chance to buy chocolates to find the Golden Ticket.
The story gives an important message that mischievous children will get into serious
trouble and end up in a nasty situation. It tells that students should always be
obedient so that trouble will not fall on them. The theme of family is obviously shows
in this book. For instance, he is willing to share his birthday chocolate bar with all six
members of his family, even though he only gets one bar a year. It shows that
families are about love and hope. In my point of view, I think that if you are generous
and close with your family, you can get through hard times like Charlie and his loved
ones. But if you are selfish, you might just end up at the bottom of a garbage chute.
Last but not least, based on my analysis of several books I am sure that Roald Dahl
is always brilliant because his stories are fun and entertaining all the times. Overall, it
is a great book to entertain the children as well as adult.

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APPENDICES

The novel that I choose is Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

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The Characters in this novel are :

Mr Willy wonka and Charlie Bucket

Violet Beauregarde and Augustus Gloop

Mike Teavee and Veruca Salt

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REFERENCES:
Dahl, R. (1964) Charlie and Chocolate Factory. 4th edn. Quentin Blake

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