Golden Ticket to Reward or Punishment: Moral Construction in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Authors

  • Rafeyla Chayara Ibrahim Universitas Negeri Jakarta
  • Fadila Darmawan
  • Khansa Nailal Husna Mouliandeza

Keywords:

moral construction, character, reward and punishment, parenting

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the construction of children’s morality through character formation in the children’s story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It applies the concept of binary opposition to examine how characters are represented as “good” and “bad” through the methods of giving rewards and punishments within the story. This study uses qualitative textual analysis to analyze dialogues, character actions, and narrative elements. The findings show that “good” and “bad” characters are constructed through the contrast between obedience and deviance. In addition, it is found that reward and punishment serve as key mechanisms in shaping these moral categories, with obedient characters rewarded and deviant ones punished. Furthermore, the analysis shows that “bad” characters are reinforced through the representation of permissive parenting, which contributes to deviant behavior. This study concludes that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory constructs morality by emphasizing obedience as goodness and presenting deviance as something to be rectified through punishment, while also reflecting the role of parenting in shaping children’s moral identity.

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Published

2026-09-30

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