Quote 13
"Listen," Mr. Wonka said, "I'm an old man. I'm much older than you think. I can't go on forever. I've got no children of my own, no family at all. So who is going to run the factory when I get too old to do it myself?" (30.10)
As we've been reading, Mr. Wonka's age has hardly crossed our minds at all. He's so full of energy and fun that we don't stop to think – this man is an adult. This quote's a harsh dose of reality after a fantastical romp through his factory.
Quote 14
"Mind you, there are thousands of clever men who would give anything for the chance to come in and take over from me, but I don't want that sort of person. I don't want a grown-up person at all. A grown-up won't listen to me; he won't learn. He will try to do things his own way and not mine. So I have to have a child. I want a good sensible loving child, one to whom I can tell all my most precious sweet-making secrets – while I am still alive." (30.10)
Willy Wonka gets it: kids are awesome. Adults are stubborn and set in their ways, but kids are curious, fun, and smart. Or at least most of them are.
Quote 15
"On this day, and no other, you must come to the factory gates at ten o'clock sharp in the morning. Don't be late! And you are allowed to bring with you either one or two members of your own family to look after you and to ensure that you don't get into mischief. One more thing – be certain to have this ticket with you, otherwise you will not be admitted." (12.20)
Of course, now that we've read the book, we know that most of the parents don't even come close to making sure their kids don't get into "mischief." And Charlie, the one kid who doesn't get into trouble, was never once tempted during the tour.