Again, it’s impossible to tell whether Mr. Wonka is joking or not—but either way, he proposes here that his fudge is far more important than Augustus’s health and well-being. When the Oompa-Loompa laughs at Augustus’s plight, it essentially gives the reader permission to do the same. The novel treats the Oompa-Loompas as its moral compass, showing readers what’s right and wrong, and what’s acceptable to find funny.