Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Foolishness and Folly Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

But Augustus was deaf to everything except the call of his enormous stomach. He was now lying full length on the ground with his head far out over the river, lapping up the chocolate like a dog. (17.8)

Augustus is being quite foolish, of course, but he's also being totally selfish. After all, he has a cold. Gross. So we don't feel too sorry for him when he falls in the river and gets stuck in the tube.

Quote #5

"Now, Violet," said Mrs. Beauregarde, her mother, "don't let's do anything silly, Violet."
"I want the gum," Violet said obstinately. "What's so silly? (21.8-9)

Oh, now this is interesting. Violet is, shall we say, not the sharpest tack in the box. To her, wanting the gum is all that matters, even though she has no idea what kind of crazy things might happen to her if she chews it. Of course we know chewing this particular gum would be more than silly – it would be downright dangerous.

Quote #6

"Oh, to blazes with that!" said Violet, and suddenly, before Mr. Wonka could stop her, she shot out a fat hand and grabbed the stick of gum out of the little drawer and popped it into her mouth. (21.11)

Violet doesn't think gum-chewing is so risky. She wants that gum, and she'll chew it. Who cares what happens afterwards? As it turns out, she does.