Legendarna i dwukrotnie filmowana książka Roalda Dahla z 1964 roku nadal porusza wyobraźnię - tak młodszych, jak i starszych czytelników.
Największa fabryka czekolady na świecie i jej goście
Fabuła jest prosta. W niewielkim miasteczku stoi ogromna fabryka czekolady Williego Wonki, największa na całym świecie. Na początku swojego istnienia była obsługiwana przez ludzi, ale ponieważ nielojalni pracownicy sprzedawali sekrety swojego pracodawcy, genialny wynalazca Wonka zamknął swoje podwoje przed ludźmi. Krótko zamknięta fabryka wkrótce uruchomiła się ponownie, ale nie wiadomo było, kto w niej pracuje. Po wielu latach świat zelektryzowała wiadomość, że fabrykę będzie mogło odwiedzić tych pięcioro szczęśliwców, którzy w produktach Wonki znajdą szczęśliwe kupony - zaproszenia.
Rozpoczęło się prawdziwe szaleństwo. Każdy liczył na szczęśliwy los, i rzeczywiście wkrótce zaczęli się pojawiać szczęśliwcy. Pierwszym z nich był Augustus Gloop - otyły chłopiec, który w zasadzie żywił się tylko i wyłącznie czekoladą. Druga była Veruca Salt, choć w jej przypadku trudno mówić o szczęściu, a bardziej o statystyce. Ojciec Veruki miał fabrykę orzeszków, kupł ogromny ładunek czekolady i polecił pracownicom ze swojej fabryki zająć się jej rozpakowywaniem. W czwartym dniu tej morderczej pracy jedna z kobiet rozpakowała upragnione zaproszenie. Trzecia osoba, która znalazła kupon, to wiecznie żująca gumę dziewczynka,Violet Beauregarde, która usiłuje pobić rekord świata w żuciu jednego kawałka (który czasami przechowuje przyklejony za uchem). Czwarty był Mike Teavee - chłopiec, który większość swojego czasu spędzał przed telewizorem (na co wskazuje zresztą fonetyczny odczyt nazwiska). Ostatnim był Charlie Bucket - pochodzący z bardzo ubogiej, ale dość kompletnej rodziny. Mieszka w strasznych warunkach z czwórką dziadków, mamą i tatą. Jego ojciec, utrzymujący całą czeredkę, pracuje w fabryce pasty do zębów i zajmuje się zakręcaniem jej tubek, co kokosów nie przynosi. Chłopiec za znalezionego na ulicy dolara kupuje dwie tabliczki czekolady, i w drugiej znajduje złoty kupon.
Czterech dzieciów głównych i jeden anioł
Postaci dziecięce stanowią żywe przedstawienie rozmaitych grzechów - dzieci są krnąbrne, rozpuszczone, nieposłuszne, przemądrzałe i roszczeniowe, za wyjątkiem anielskiego Charliego. Każde z nich, oprócz chłopca, spotyka więc zasłużona kara, a Charlie otrzymuje całą fabrykę, która zapewni dostatnie życie rodzinie. Nieprzypadkowe są również ich imiona - Veruca to kurzajka, Mike TV, Violet przybiera kolor jagodowy po zjedzeniu gumy w smaku trzydaniowego obiadu. Charlie nosi bardzo powszechne nazwisko (Wiadro), by podkreślić pochodzenie z klasy robotniczej.
To, co urzeka w powieści Dahla, to jego nieograniczona wyobraźnia, niesamowite opisy fabryki i produkowanych w niej słodyczy (odradzam czytanie na czczo), które łączą wiele zmysłów. W fabryce unoszą się niesamowite zapachy, czekolada ma różne kolory i smaki, a pracujące w niej Umpa Lumpy śpiewają coraz to nowe piosenki. Książka jest zatem naprawdę wspaniałą pożywką dla wyobraźni. Jednocześnie Dahl wznosi się na nowe poziomy absurdu i gry słownej - do jajka sadzonego potrzeba tylko dobrego miejsca do siedzenia, etc. Przypomina w tym Lewisa Carolla, a świat fabryki przypominał mi nieco Podróże Guliwera Jonathana Swifta (może stąd to odniesienie do jajek).
Nie taka czekolada słodka, jak się wydaje
Miałam jednak wrażenie, że książka się mocno zestarzała. Chociaż swego czasu na pewno była mocno nowatorska, bo pokazywała dorosłych w złym świetle, rodziców, którzy rozpuszczali własne dzieci, mylili się, mieli wady. Jednak sposób, w który Willi Wonka odnosi się do niektórych dzieci (zwłaszcza do Mike'a Teavee), jest przykry i nieadekwatny. Dzieci okazują ciekawość, a na zakazy, nie poparte zazwyczaj odpowiednim wyjaśnieniem, reagują z dużym dystansem i brakiem poszanowania. Testują granice dozwolonego. Mało wiarygodne wydawało mi się również mało aktywne podejście opiekunów do wypadków swoich dzieci - kiedy Augustus Gloop wpada do czekoladowej rzeki, jego ojciec nie chce zdjąć kosztownej marynarki, by skoczyć i go ratować.
Podsumowując - przyjemna, choć momentami niepokojąca rozrywka pobudzająca wyobraźnię.
Moja ocena: 6/10
Roald Dahl, Charlie i fabryka czekolady (audiobook)
SIW Znak, 2015
Tłumaczenie: Magdalena Heydel
Czyta: Wojciech Żołądkowicz
ISBN: 978-83-943288-1-8
_____________________________________________________________________________
The legendary and twice filmed book by Roald Dahl from 1964 still moves the imagination of both younger and older readers.
The largest chocolate factory in the world and its guests
The story is simple. In a small town stands a huge chocolate factory of Willie Wonka, the largest in the whole world. At the beginning of its existence it was served by people, but because disloyal employees sold the secrets of their employer, the genius inventor Wonka closed his doors to people. The short-closed factory soon restarted, but it was not known who worked in it. After many years, the world has been electrified by the news that the five lucky people who could find lucky coupons - invitations - could visit the factory.
The real madness began. Everyone was hoping for a lucky fate, and the lucky ones soon began to appear. The first of them was Augustus Gloop - an obese boy who basically ate only chocolate. The second was Veruca Salt, although in her case it is difficult to talk about happiness, and more about statistics. Veruka's father owned a peanut factory, bought a huge load of chocolate and instructed employees from his factory to unpack it. On the fourth day of this murderous work, one of the women unwrapped the longed-for invitation. The third person who found the coupon is the eternally chewing girl, Violet Beauregarde, who tries to break the world record in chewing one piece (which she sometimes stores stuck behind the ear). The fourth was Mike Teavee - a boy who spent most of his time in front of the television (as evidenced by the phonetic reading of the name). The last was Charlie Bucket - from a very poor but quite complete family. He lives in terrible conditions with his four grandparents, mother and father. His father, who holds all four, works in a toothpaste factory and deals with screwing up tubes, which does not bring coconuts. The boy buys two chocolate bars for the dollar he finds on the street, and finds a gold coupon in the other.
4 deadly children and one angel
Children's characters are a vivid representation of various sins - children are wayward, dissolved, disobedient, tricky and claimful, with the exception of the angelic Charlie. Each of them, apart of the boy, meets a well-deserved punishment, and Charlie receives the entire factory that will ensure a prosperous life for his family. Also children's names are not accidental - Veruca is a wart, Mike TV, Violet turns blue after eating gum in the taste of a three-course dinner. Charlie bears a very common surname (Bucket) to emphasize his working-class descent.
What mesmerizes the reader of Dahl's novel is the unlimited imagination, amazing descriptions of the factory and the sweets it produces (I advise against reading on an empty stomach), which connects many senses. The factory is filled with amazing aromas, chocolate has different colors and flavors, and Umpa Lumpas working in it sing new songs all the time. The book is therefore really a great medium for the imagination. At the same time, Dahl rises to new levels of absurdity and word play. It resembles Lewis Caroll, and the world of the factory reminded me a bit of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift.
The chocolate not as sweet as it seems
However, I had the impression that the book has grown old. Although at one time it certainly was very innovative, because it showed adults in a bad light, parents who spoiled their own children, were wrong, had flaws. However, the way in which Willi Wonka treats some children (especially Mike Teavee) is annoying and inadequate. Children show curiosity, and react to restrictions, usually not supported by an appropriate explanation, with great detachment and disrespect. They test the limits of what's allowed. The caretaker's approach to the accidents of their children also seemed unreliable to me - when Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river, his father does not want to take off the expensive suit to jump and save him.
In summary - pleasant, though sometimes disturbing entertainment that stimulates the imagination.
My rating: 6/10
Author: Roald Dahl
Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (audiobook)
Publishing House: SIW Znak, 2015
Translation: Magdalena Heydel
Read by: Wojciech Żołądkowicz
ISBN: 978-83-943288-1-8
_____________________________________________________________________________
The legendary and twice filmed book by Roald Dahl from 1964 still moves the imagination of both younger and older readers.
The largest chocolate factory in the world and its guests
The story is simple. In a small town stands a huge chocolate factory of Willie Wonka, the largest in the whole world. At the beginning of its existence it was served by people, but because disloyal employees sold the secrets of their employer, the genius inventor Wonka closed his doors to people. The short-closed factory soon restarted, but it was not known who worked in it. After many years, the world has been electrified by the news that the five lucky people who could find lucky coupons - invitations - could visit the factory.
The real madness began. Everyone was hoping for a lucky fate, and the lucky ones soon began to appear. The first of them was Augustus Gloop - an obese boy who basically ate only chocolate. The second was Veruca Salt, although in her case it is difficult to talk about happiness, and more about statistics. Veruka's father owned a peanut factory, bought a huge load of chocolate and instructed employees from his factory to unpack it. On the fourth day of this murderous work, one of the women unwrapped the longed-for invitation. The third person who found the coupon is the eternally chewing girl, Violet Beauregarde, who tries to break the world record in chewing one piece (which she sometimes stores stuck behind the ear). The fourth was Mike Teavee - a boy who spent most of his time in front of the television (as evidenced by the phonetic reading of the name). The last was Charlie Bucket - from a very poor but quite complete family. He lives in terrible conditions with his four grandparents, mother and father. His father, who holds all four, works in a toothpaste factory and deals with screwing up tubes, which does not bring coconuts. The boy buys two chocolate bars for the dollar he finds on the street, and finds a gold coupon in the other.
4 deadly children and one angel
Children's characters are a vivid representation of various sins - children are wayward, dissolved, disobedient, tricky and claimful, with the exception of the angelic Charlie. Each of them, apart of the boy, meets a well-deserved punishment, and Charlie receives the entire factory that will ensure a prosperous life for his family. Also children's names are not accidental - Veruca is a wart, Mike TV, Violet turns blue after eating gum in the taste of a three-course dinner. Charlie bears a very common surname (Bucket) to emphasize his working-class descent.
What mesmerizes the reader of Dahl's novel is the unlimited imagination, amazing descriptions of the factory and the sweets it produces (I advise against reading on an empty stomach), which connects many senses. The factory is filled with amazing aromas, chocolate has different colors and flavors, and Umpa Lumpas working in it sing new songs all the time. The book is therefore really a great medium for the imagination. At the same time, Dahl rises to new levels of absurdity and word play. It resembles Lewis Caroll, and the world of the factory reminded me a bit of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift.
The chocolate not as sweet as it seems
However, I had the impression that the book has grown old. Although at one time it certainly was very innovative, because it showed adults in a bad light, parents who spoiled their own children, were wrong, had flaws. However, the way in which Willi Wonka treats some children (especially Mike Teavee) is annoying and inadequate. Children show curiosity, and react to restrictions, usually not supported by an appropriate explanation, with great detachment and disrespect. They test the limits of what's allowed. The caretaker's approach to the accidents of their children also seemed unreliable to me - when Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river, his father does not want to take off the expensive suit to jump and save him.
In summary - pleasant, though sometimes disturbing entertainment that stimulates the imagination.
My rating: 6/10
Author: Roald Dahl
Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (audiobook)
Publishing House: SIW Znak, 2015
Translation: Magdalena Heydel
Read by: Wojciech Żołądkowicz
ISBN: 978-83-943288-1-8
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