Money

Money talks. Or at least it does in the world outside Mr. Wonka's factory. Inside, money doesn't say much at all. When Mr. Salt tells Mr. Wonka to name a price for one of his squirrels, Mr. Wonka simply tells him they're not for sale. Inside the factory, all that matters is that you have your Golden Ticket, which isn't really money at all. (We can't help but think of money, though, when we hear the word "golden.")

But it's interesting to consider the fact that Mr. Wonka, who doesn't seem to care much about money, has set up a contest in which having lots of it is a distinct advantage. After all, the whole reason Veruca finds a Golden Ticket in the first place is that her father is filthy rich.

Nevertheless, Charlie, who's quite poor, manages to find a Golden Ticket, too. In the end, every kid has a shot, even if they don't have a lot of dough. And Charlie, like Mr. Wonka, can't be bought. When a bystander offers him fifty dollars for his Golden Ticket, he turns him down. And when a woman offers him two hundred, he stands firm. Though it practically yells at everyone else, money certainly doesn't talk to Charlie.