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Monday, 4 April 2011

C is for... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie Bucket dreams of a chocolate bar that he doesn’t have to share with his elderly relatives. When growing up I thought the same about the green chocolate triangles in a box of Quality Street, so I feel his pain here. Luckily he wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory, along with four other children, and here is where the fun begins.

Willy Wonka is bonkers. A nice bloke, but bonkers all the same. He has devised a test of chocolate-resisting morality to find out which child will inherit his factory. Ye Gods, that’s just fiendish. I like to think my morals are good but when it comes down to morals or chocolate, let’s face it – would I steal a squirrel?

It’s a tough call. However, I don’t like nutty chocolate and I wouldn’t risk the prize for chewing gum, nor would I care to be sent through the air to appear on TV. But the chocolate river in a room full of chocolate and spun sugar flowers? I fear my name might be Jayne Gloop.

The manic energy of Roald Dahl’s writing, and the pleasure he takes in detailing the fate of greedy and selfish children, leaks through to the reader. I like the way he draws attention to the bad behaviour of the parents as well - even as a child you can see that the fate of being turned into a giant blueberry doesn’t just spring from nowhere. But it's the chocolate factory itself, with its secrets, hundreds of rooms, and bedazzling recipes, which is the real star – in a way Charlie, nice and inoffensive as he is, is incidental.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Published: 1964
Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Joseph Schindelman / Quentin Blake

Chocolate fact one: Cadbury’s Twirl bars rock my socks.
Chocolate fact two: Adding fruit or nuts to chocolate is just wrong on all levels
Chocolate fact three: I still go to the corner shop just to buy chocolate.
Chocolate fact four: I don’t like white chocolate – it has to be milk, or plain at a push.
Chocolate fact five: In chocolate selling shops you will generally find me hovering beside the assistant offering free samples.

Three A-Z Highlights for 'C'
The Words Crafter over at The Rainy Day Wanderer blog shares her love of castles
Paula Martin tells us about the importance of critique partners
Margo Kelly chats about a very important 'c' word - chocolate!
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29 comments:

  1. Jeremy [Retro]4 April 2011 at 13:37

    making monkeys fly, will be a bad thing...
    jeremy [iZombie]

    explanation:
    http://izombielover.blogspot.com/2011/04/c-is-for-comments-and-crazy-charlie.html

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  2. Unknown4 April 2011 at 13:58

    I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Anything with chocolate is great... mmm, chocolate.

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  3. Old Kitty4 April 2011 at 14:03

    Yay for Roald Dahl!! Yay for Charlie and the Factory!! yay for Chocolate!!!!

    Wonderful C celebration!! Take care
    x

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  4. Out on the prairie4 April 2011 at 14:08

    Dahl finds a bit of everyones imagination in his work. I am hardly ever without some form of chocolate. My daughter came the other day and asked where it all was, she needed some bad.Must be heriditery!

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  5. Rula Sinara4 April 2011 at 14:11

    As a kid, I remember reading that book and craving a chocolate bar like you wouldn't believe. My kids all loved the book too.

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  6. Anonymous4 April 2011 at 15:42

    I LOVE this movie, especially when Willie Wonka says, "But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wished for . . . He lived happily ever after." That's a paraphrase, but I think it's close.
    I didn't have the opportunity to read the book as a kid, but it's on my TBR list for sure now!

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  7. Grandpa4 April 2011 at 16:16

    Chocolates forever... (and you don't need to steal squirrels, I'll give you for free from The Farm).


    Grandpa
    Life on The Farm

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  8. Talli Roland4 April 2011 at 16:57

    Have you ever been to Hotel Chocolat on High Street Ken? You MUST try their dark hot chocolate! So yummy.

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  9. Laura S.4 April 2011 at 16:58

    Mmm, love this post! Milk chocolate is the best but I love all kinds of chocolate, except white. White chocolate isn't really chocolate anyway.

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  10. Melissa Cunningham4 April 2011 at 17:18

    Great post and when it comes to chocolate facts, you are just like me!

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  11. e.a.s. demers4 April 2011 at 17:19

    Lovely post! Wonderful book! Great movie!

    Strange, but I actually watched Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory last night.... coincidence? perhaps not :-)

    I'm a dark chocolate fiend-- the bitter-er the better-er .... er

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  12. Susan Oloier4 April 2011 at 19:03

    When I was a teacher, I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory aloud to my students. They loved it!

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  13. Sarah Allan4 April 2011 at 19:05

    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one of my favorite books when I was a child. It's still pretty awesome re-reading it as an adult, too. Great "C" post!

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  14. Tracy4 April 2011 at 19:12

    Ummm, not only chocolate; DARK chocolate :) that's what delightful treat your blog reminded me of...wait a minute, I know I have some around here somewhere; let me at it!

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  15. Jenny4 April 2011 at 19:20

    I have a friend in Leeds send me Cadbury DairyMilk Turkish every few months or so. :) I loved this book as a kid; didn't care for the Gene Wilder version a whole lot, but I did love the room where everything is edible. I did like the new version with Johnny Depp (because, let's face it, the man can do mad like no one else!). "Everything in this room is edible. Even I am edible. But that, dear children, is called cannibalism and is in fact frowned upon in most societies." LOL

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  16. Myne4 April 2011 at 19:43

    I didn't read the book, but thought the movie with Johnny Depp was fantastic.

    But why not nuts and chocolate, I love it! :)

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  17. Elizabeth Twist4 April 2011 at 20:23

    Roald Dahl was a classic weirdo - I say that with complete love and respect for the man and his works. Great post!

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  18. Golden Eagle4 April 2011 at 20:27

    I love rereading that book when I'm the mood for some totally-bonkers happenings. :D Haven't seen the movie, though.

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  19. Pamela Terry and Edward4 April 2011 at 21:36

    I had no idea when I brought you a chocolate bar what a good choice I had made!!!

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  20. Paula Martin4 April 2011 at 21:38

    There's a shop/cafe in Bruges in Belgium which we named 'Death by Chocolate' - they serve hot milk with jugs of melted chocolate to pour into the milk, and you also get a plate piled high with yummy Belgium Chocolates. We definitely thought we'd died and gone to heaven.
    http://paulamartinromances.blogspot.com

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  21. Mimi4 April 2011 at 22:17

    I love Butlers Chocolate Cafes here in Dublin, where you get a chocolate of your choice with your coffee. Yum!
    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a classic, love it!
    I do like nuts in chocolate, but can't stand chocolate and orange together (long story!).

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  22. Melissa Sarno4 April 2011 at 22:33

    I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory too :-) And I'm with you...white chocolate is gross, gross, gross. Gotta go for the real stuff!

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  23. R.M. Hepler4 April 2011 at 23:23

    While I've never read the actual book, I have seen both film versions and was Violet's mother in the theatre play so it holds a special place in my memories. ^_^

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  24. The Words Crafter5 April 2011 at 00:07

    Hey, thanks for the shout out!

    Funny about chocolate, you and I. We're opposites! I prefer nuts, fruits, anything but plain. Cadbury's Fruit and Nut is one of my favorites, as is anything Lindt.

    I need to read that book, too. Sigh...someday....

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  25. Margo Kelly5 April 2011 at 02:45

    Hey - thanks for the shout out! :) Chocolate = Yum

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  26. 50 foot QE5 April 2011 at 07:05

    You got me with Chocolate.
    But I take mine dark.
    Yes.
    Certainly I do.

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  27. Samantha Vérant5 April 2011 at 09:00

    I just found out my favorite dark chocolate is 125 calories a square. I used to eat four squares. Sigh. Not anymore. Anyway, I love Roald Dahl--James and the Giant Peach is my fav...

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  28. Anonymous5 April 2011 at 09:28

    I've never read this but have seen both movies. I loved reading Matilda.

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  29. Steven Chapman5 April 2011 at 12:26

    Now THIS one I've definitely read!! I love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...but it always made me soooo hungry when I read it!

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