Dark Interpretation of "Wonka": Chocolate and Power

"Wonka" constructs a fairytale world where all problems can be solved with chocolate. In reality, this signifies that chocolate is more than just a food; it has become a symbol of power or wealth.

The three antagonistic chocolate tycoons are almost like monopolistic capitalists of that era. They control the resources of raw chocolate syrup, determining allocation and market pricing. Religious leaders and government officials are under the dominance of chocolate, forming an invisible power structure.

You'll notice that common people often couldn't decide what they eat; the capitalists decide for them. Chocolate becomes a privilege of the elite, and the poor are not deemed worthy of it.

Before Wonka's emergence, chocolate serves as a hierarchy differentiator, a luxury product for the privileged, displaying social status and popular culture.

Hence, the most handsome chocolate merchant in the film feels nauseous when hearing the words "the poor"; it was an instinctive rejection.

After Wonka's appearance, chocolate begins flowing to the civilian class. Chocolate is more than food for them—it provides different modes of transportation (floating), offers intoxicating emotional experiences (drinking), and even provides sustained euphoria through giraffe macaroons (energy boosters). Wonka's business helps chocolate transform from a symbol of power into a commercial symbol, becoming a staple in people's daily lives.

The chocolates that flow to the civilian are collected by Wonka from various parts of the world, shipped back, and personally processed by Wonka into exclusive chocolates. Does this entire process sound familiar?

Each step has significant economic implications, especially when Wonka steals the scarce cocoa from the Oompa-Loompas, adding a layer of political meaning.

Why does the Oompa-Loopmpa (played by Hugh Grant) always claim that Wonka owes the Oompa-Loompas? Is it really just about owing cocoa beans?

By this point, you should understand what lies behind the surface of "Wonka." Superficially, Wonka exposes monopolistic old capital groups and corrupt power structures, creating an illusion of a new, bright world. However, in reality, Wonka becomes the new monopolistic capital, merely replacing the old order.

If the three chocolate tycoons and the representatives of the church symbolize capitalist monopoly and autocratic rule, then Wonka represents the First Industrial Revolution. The most evident hint is Wonka's use of the vicious dog in his factory as mechanical power source, inventing a system for automatic washing, drying, and hanging clothes, liberating his companions from physical labor and concentrating power on chocolate's commercial operations.

In the book "Sweetness and Power," the author mentions how in English aristocratic banquets, "desserts" and "sweet tea" often served as the climax of a feast. The dining environment might even feature sugar sculptures in the shapes of animals, flowers, or buildings to show off the royal nobility. Because sugar prices were extremely high at that time, sugar sculptures often represented the wealth, authority, and privileges of the royal family.

As a result, even today, many people have the habit of having desserts or a cup of sweet tea after meals. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution, sugar prices fell, and the use of sugar sculptures gradually spread from the royal to the aristocratic class, further extending to the middle class. Sugar became a "luxury" used for the middle class's sense of superiority.

Today, desserts are always a necessity during occasions like Valentine's Day, Christmas, birthdays, and weddings, sometimes even becoming the highlight of an event. Sweet food has become a cultural tradition in the world.

The book also mentioned that as the Chinese tea-drinking habit gradually became popular in England, sweet tea was born. This was a combination of tea and sugar, becoming increasingly important for British laborers.

Because sweet tea made it easier for workers to consume large quantities of tedious and unpalatable food and saved housewives the cooking expenses without having to use more expensive condiments, "sweetness" became increasingly important to the poor.

After a whole day of hard work, a cup of sweet tea was enough to soothe the fatigue of the poor and provide them with a moment of happiness during tea time.

What's most interesting is that perhaps the movie "Wonka" itself served as an escape into a sweet fairy tale world for those enduring tough times, allowing them to spend over 100 minutes in sweetest dreams.