Do we like them?

Do we like Charlie Bucket?

A character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964)

Our score: 9 out of 10. Yes, easily. He stays honest, grateful and loving when he has almost nothing, and he's the kind of kid you'd want to see get a break.

Charlie Bucket lives in a tiny, drafty house with his parents and four bedridden grandparents. The family is so poor that cabbage soup is dinner most nights. His one big treat is a single chocolate bar on his birthday, and he lives in the shadow of Willy Wonka's huge factory.

When Wonka announces that five children will win golden tickets to tour the factory, Charlie's chances look slim. The other ticket-hunters are greedy, spoiled or boastful, and Charlie is the opposite of all of them. He is patient, grateful and honest, and he cares more about his family than about sweets.

That's why he scores so high. He is the story's moral anchor: the book rewards his decency and contrasts him with the children whose flaws get them in trouble. He's not a dramatic hero, since he mostly watches and keeps his head, but he's as easy to back as a character gets.