“The whole of this family—the six grownups (count them) and little Charlie Bucket—live together in a small wooden house on the edge of a great town.”

As Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens, the Bucket Family’s poverty is established via their living situation: Seven individuals live off one income in a tiny, sparsely furnished home. This description greatly contrasts with the grand scale of Wonka’s Factory—and marks the beginning of Charlie Bucket’s underdog story.

“There wasn’t even enough money to buy proper food for them all.”

The Buckets’ poverty is further established; the family is frequently hungry due to them depending on Charlie’s father, Mr. Bucket, for income. Even with income, they can only afford bread, cabbage, and potatoes. Again, this description greatly contrasts with the abundance of sweets in Wonka’s Factory.

“Many times a day, he would see other children taking creamy candy cars out of their pockets and munching them greedily, and that, of course, was pure torture.”

Readers are positioned to sympathize with the plight of young Charlie, who desperately longs for chocolate. His family can’t afford it, and he is further tempted and tortured by classmates eating chocolate daily. It is implied that most of Charlie’s classmates are more affluent than the Buckets.