Have you ever noticed the social issues and messages that "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" address?

Yes indeed, so much time and so little to say, strike that... reverse it  ;)

Although i'm guessing that you refer to the film rather than the book with the slightly different title "Charlie and the Chocolate factory" I completely agree. (I don't think the book had half of the insinuations of the film)

It is a film that has captivated everyone from small children, to adults, and the "God of *uck" himself Marilyn Manson. It works on many levels, from kids fairy tale to, fundamental Judeo–Christian religious metaphor.

Apart from the obvious issues that it addresses, such as greed, slavery, constant sensory consupmtion, morality, repentance and redemption. One part of the film has intrigued me more than any other.

I have always wondered if there is some social issue/religious allegory to the scene of the film where they leave the chocolate mixing room in the Wonkatania and travel to the back of the factory and the Inventing room.

As they are passing through the tunnel. All sorts of nasty visions are shown flashing around the passengers on the Wonkatania, the boat increases it's speed to incredible velocity, and of course Wonka himself recounts that amazing poem to the passengers:

THERE'S NO EARTHLY WAY OF KNOWING, WHICH DIRECTION WE ARE GOING
THERE'S NO KNOWING WHERE WE'RE ROWING, OR WHICH WAY THE RIVER'S FLOWING

IS IT RAINING
IS IT SNOWING
IS A HURRICANE A-BLOWING

Not a speck of light is showing, So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of hell a glowing?, Is the grisly reaper mowing?

Yes! The danger must be growing, For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing, Any signs that they are slowing!

(Wonka screams. Chaos.)


What is this about???

Is this Mans descent into Hell?, is it the world turning to chaos?, or is it just a sequence to scare kids by cutting the head off a chicken???

Also is there some siginficance to the number of the door to the inventing room? I can't quite remember what the number is but get the feeling is room 101 or something similar.

If you want to view paradise,
Simply look around and view it.
Anything you want to do it
Want to change the world,
Theres nothing to it.

I actually have always seen the movie as a conflict between realism and idealism.
The boat scene shows that although imagination always seems the best option, that each person's most terrifying fear (the snake, the chicken, Willy Wonka's number 1 competitor) are part of their imagination rather than their reality.

During the scene when they are in the mixing room, Wonka doesn't seem quite content, and even cynical when saying "You can be totally free... if you really want to be" Inviting the children seems his escape to reality while they all escape to fantasy, promoting a combination of both, or an intersection of both.