What are things the aunts do to show they are unpleasant to him?

• Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker forced James to perform back-breaking labor, locked him up for punishment, and never let him leave the confines of their house and garden.

• Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge threaten to beat James.

• James' aunts hreaten to punish him by making him sleep in the water bucket to the well.