In 2005, Tim Burton released “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” an updated version of the former, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was originally a children’s novel by author Roald Dahl. In every version of the story, one character stands above all others- Willy Wonka.
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka is portrayed by actor Johnny Depp. In my opinion, a more prominent actor could not have been chosen for the role. Johnny Depp as Wonka displays a level of child-like innocence yet at the same time, an eccentric overcast. Depp recalls that for the role of Willy Wonka he had studied the billionaire Howard Hughes who was often times criticized as being just plain odd.
Willy Wonka is described as a “chocolateer”. He is the owner of a gigantic chocolate factory which is run by strange little creatures known as “Oompa Loompas. The Oompa Loompas come from “Loompaland” and were transported to the factory by Wonka himself. The Oompa Loompas work in exchange for an unlimited supply of cocoa beans, their most prized possession.
Willy Wonka spends his entire day in doors, never leaving the factory or seeing the light of day. Often times, one who will remove himself from the general public is downplayed as being nothing more than a hermit. Usually a hermit possesses misanthropic traits and has some sort of psychological reason as to why he chooses not to mingle amongst the masses. In the case of Willy Wonka, the answer isn’t clearly defined. However, we do know that a debacle with his father and problems with employees before the Oompa Loompas took over might have contributed to Wonka’s shying away from the outside world.
Does Willy Wonka know that he is perceived as an eccentric by the general public? I’m sure he does. He seems to be a man of brilliance. But the question remains, does he care what the people think? More than likely not. Willy Wonka is something of a maverick and marches to a different beat. It is this characteristic which sets him apart and is a key contributor to his success.
In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we learn that Willy Wonka is searching for an heir to inherit the factory and all that has become of Wonka’s business. Willy sets up a contest and eventually, five children are chosen as possible candidates to acquire the wealth of the business once Wonka retires. The fact of the matter is that the children do not know that the ultimate prize of the contest entails taking over the entire company. They are led to believe that a tour of the factory and a life-time supply of chocolate is all that is in store for them. Eventually, the five children are narrowed down to only one, Charlie Bucket. Charlie then accepts the offer to live and work with Willy Wonka after some negotiations.
Why would Willy Wonka wish to share his factory with another? Was it truly because he didn’t want his business to be sold to incapable hands after he had died? Or did Willy Wonka simply seek companionship, something he magnanimously lacked in his personal life? Sure, Wonka had the Oompa Loompas to associate with, but they weren’t enough. They weren’t even a similar breed of humanity! So was Wonka’s contest conceived mainly for the reason of finding someone to love? In my opinion, yes. It was the loneliness of the factory which prompted Willy to search for completion to his life, and who better to complete it then a being of innocence, vis-a-vis, a child?
Wonka’s complete and total psychological make-up still remains something of a mystery since we haven’t a slew of evidence to base our opinions on. However, we can be sure that Willy is a man who had been robbed of his child-hood but has never lost his innocence. He is a “grown-up kid” and simply longs for a companion, a play-mate.
