Why was James very unhappy?

James is very unhappy on a number of occasions throughout the story, but he's especially unhappy with his life situation as the story begins. Since James lost his parents to a rampaging rhinoceros, this poor young orphan has lived in a strange, ramshackle house with his wicked aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, who treat him abominably.
James leads a pretty miserable existence. His aunts force him to do all the household chores, and he never gets the chance to go outside and play with other children or make friends. No wonder he's very unhappy. Thankfully, James's luck changes for the better when on he meets a mysterious old man who hands him a gift that will not just transform his life forever but will introduce him to some of the most unusual friends a boy could ever have.