Charlie And The Choclate Factory

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory was considered one of the best books in the UK as well as the rest of the world.  It was written in 1961 by Roald Dahl who was was also responsible for James and The Giant Peach, Matilida, and The BFG. SUCK ON THAT DOOM DAHL MADE UP BFG BEFORE YOU DID HAHA!!!! It has had 2 books, 2 movies, A musical, and even theme park rides. As well as something I will cover in this article. 

The series revolves around Charlie Bucket, a poor kid that was selected with 5 other children to take a tour of the factory.  There they meet Willy Wonka, the eccentric boss and head candy maker with a mind of a child. Each of the kids save for Charlie often has a personality trait that would end up being their downfall.  Augustus Gloop is a shameless glutton that has an endless appetite for sweets.  Violet Beauregarde is a gum obsessed competitor.  Veruca Salt is a spoiled brat who would make her dad buy the world if it were possible. And Mike Teevee is a lazy kid that does nothing but watch TV day and night.  How he managed to walk despite the atrophy he should have stuns me.  They all take a tour and show their true colors, which makes them end up in unfortunate accidents that eliminate them from the factory.

Now for the fun part, Could It Exist In Real Life?

Now many of the stuff that goes on in the chocolate factory seems fantastical, however at least some of it can be explained. First let's get rid of the one I did cover.

The small door leading to the chocolate room seems impossible, but what I said in my Doctor Who Article says otherwise.   However since this was made 2 years before Doctor Who, one wonders if DW took cues from Dahl.  They are in the same country after all.   

First off is the Chocolate Room itself,  both adaptations have shown different variations of it aside from one thing: everything is eatable....edible.....eat--- You get the picture.  Among most things there is the chocolate river and water fall.  No other factory in the world mixes their chocolate by waterfall. Now there's no way this can possible exist right?  Wrong.  For you see the problem isn't making the room it's maintaining it.  In order to make a chocolate room you need the following:

1. Chocolate and other confectioneries.
2. Industrial strength central air conditioning.
3 fully sealed well ventilated room.

If you are a great sculptor , making the bridges and other things in the room.is easy so long as they are strong enough to support people.  If you are a great candy maker then making candy shaped trees and stuff can be a breeze.  However the trick is making sure it lasts.  You wound need to seal off the room you are using, so you could prevent bugs from coming in and turning it into a nesting ground. Most importantly you need to have air conditioning cold enough to keep the chocolate and confectioneries from melting away. You also have to ventilate it so you and your guests wouldn't freeze to death or melt the chocolate from the increase in body heat.  However don't take my word for it.  According to Extreme Chocolates, Godiva, a famous chocolatier has built a hotel suite entirely out of chocolate.  Wow, just don't let Augustus near that. The other aspect of the room is the chocolate river and waterfall.  Now as fantastic as it sounds there is no fantasy to it.  Notice how when they first show the water fall you never see beyond the cliff as it starts raining chocolate. That's because many machines used to roast the coca beans and produce the chocolate are behind said cliff. As for the waterfall itself, it's possible to have an indoor waterfall.  Many condos and fancy houses have them for decoration.  However unlike them the one used in the Wonka factory, served the purpose of mixing chocolate, which is possible.  A regular waterfall causes the water to foam and froth up upon hitting the water and rocks below.  If one were to replace water with molten chocolate and used any mixing ingredients below while it's still frothy, you could have a perfect mixture. But alas, no such river exists in or outdoors.  However I dare any amateur chocolatiers reading this, to try mixing chocolate by waterfall.

Next we have Mike Teevee's fate. I was originally gonna put this on my I already covered paragraph due to teleportation theory.   However something about it intrigued me.  When he got transported by the Wonkavision, instead of reappearing in normal size he was shrunken down.  I theorize that had the TV he had been transported into was the size of a big screen, he woulda been alright.

Last but not least is the factory itself..  Believe it or not it does exist. In 1971 to coincide with the movie and make some money off of it, Nestle started selling a line of candies.  There were ones made specific for the movie, like Laffy Taffy, Everlasting Gobstoppers and the now discontinued Wonka Bar.  Then there were brands they made themselves, such as Nerds and Sweet Tarts.  Rather than disband like most merchandising gimmicks today, they stuck around and have been around ever since.  Even updating their advertisements to coincide with the Tim Burton remake.  This, along with Omni Consumer Products, became the world's first leaders in defictionalizing products. I just wish I was around when the Wonka Bar was still in.  Damn you Cadbury and Hersheyyyyy!!!!!

As usual debate, argue and let me know what I missed. Stay tuned for more and don't skip out on pure imagination.