Wonka: An Invitation for Pure Imagination
Everything you need to know about Wonka, can be found in the iconic song “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 classic, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The song, which is cleverly placed at the end of this film, to maximize its thematic resonance, lays out the soul of the film. One that finds itself in the childlike belief in the impossible. The simplicity of believing in something bigger than one’s self, that is often written off as naivety or immaturity, is at the core of this story. Even more than just those ideas, Wonka shares the power that comes in the complete commitment to those ideas. “There is no life I know/that compares with pure imagination/living there, you’ll be free/if you truly wish to be.” The beauty of this film is in these lyrics, and the inspiration to be found in Wonka is perfectly captured.
“Come with me and you’ll be/ in a world of pure imagination”
Fatherhood has given me many things, one of which is the reminder of the simplicity of childhood. As a child anything is possible, belief is easy and the only limit is one’s imagination. The harsh realities of the world strip all of this away and adulthood becomes far too practical for imagination. But as a kid, if you could see it in your mind, then it was possible. Wonka begins here, at the intersection of the realities of life and dreams. Immediately we see exactly why dreams and imagination die in a harsh world. The optimistic get taken advantage of, hope is leveraged against us and it always seems foolish. So we adapt, becoming cynical, we become more of a realist, and we lose all that faith and imagination that brings with it dreams and hope. It’s not practical to dream, to wonder, to expect the best from the world around you. This is where Wonka starts, in the reality of our world and why our imaginations have died.
It isn’t until after Wonka is in bad shape that we see our first bit of wonder from this character. His initial presentation of his chocolate is what we hope to see from the film, in terms of dazzling spectacle. It’s also the initial invitation of the iconic song we all know. After acknowledging the harshness of the world, we are invited into his imagination. A world in which practical rules don’t apply, things don’t make much sense and the harshness of the world fades away. In this moment, as chocolates fly around the screen, we have to make the decision to accept the invitation. While it’s crucial to enjoy the film, it’s more important for the themes, the impact and the experience. We have the opportunity to decide if we want to dream again, believe in the ridiculous and enter a world of pure imagination. It’s a beautiful invitation, one that changes you and inspires you.
“If you want to view paradise/ Simply look around and view it”
As we grow further apart down into the algorithms that isolate our worldviews and access to information, the scarier the world appears. Danger looks to be around every corner, because that captures your attention. That individualized and powerful fear, makes us more cynical. We are trained to view everything through the negative lens of the worst case scenario. In the face of that it becomes quite hard to accept this next invitation. Yet again, the film shows us, instead of merely telling us. After his display of flying chocolates, his situation gets much worse. While we know he won’t be in this situation forever, it is a representation of an idea. The illustration of the belief that is core to Willy Wonka in this film and the theme of the entire experience. Changing your situation begins with how you view it. So the invitation here is as simple as any other the film offers, to simply view things how you want them to be.
As ridiculous or even frustrating as this may sound, particularly if you are facing something unspeakably bad, the invitation here isn’t meant to be practical. Literal, yes, but the mere imagining of a better situation will not make for a better situation. However, this is an exercise in mindset. Of which this is very important and can bring about the change we seek. Imagination and dreams create belief, which then creates hope and hope can fuel us to be stronger, fight harder or see a solution where one wasn’t before. We see this played out in Wonka, after things get worse, that is when we see the film’s most creative, beautiful and astonishing spectacle yet. We see his vision, through an incredible set piece that captures your heart, if you let it. That’s where the power of the film lies, in its inspiring presentation of this idea. The idea that seeing a circumstance, not for what it is, but for what it could be, is, in part, the key to a life filled with joy and happiness.
“Anything you want to do, do it/ Wanna change the world? There’s nothing to it”
As we grow older, the hopes and dreams of our youth die out, in favor of the practical and responsible choices of adulthood. Even if we do dare to dream, they are small in comparison to that of childhood. They are safe, reasonable and manageable. Gone are the days where we could change the world, impact history or make the world a better place. In its place is the practicality of raises, vacations and the sweet relief of clocking out on a Friday. Wonka challenges this, with the same childlike simplicity found throughout the rest of the film. The thing you think is impossible, is only such because we stopped believing. We capped our imagination and we stopped wanting more. Large, impractical dreams have fueled great things all throughout time. While there are many things that separate great from ordinary, one of the biggest is a lack of imagination.
We find this in Wonka in the practicality of the supporting characters. All of which encounter Wonka at what should be his lowest, but never really see him accept it. His continued belief for the world he sees inspires them. It opens their imaginations and their beliefs. Even his brief moment of acceptance is quickly followed by reimagining what could be possible. The world doesn’t change in large scale. Dreams don’t come true overnight. It all happens in small increments. Influencing those around you, changing your world, and with enough belief, ingenuity and people, the world can see change. Seeing the end is great. Believing in the end is even better. But for the great change that we all have access to, it starts with inspiring one person with your vision. It was Noodle’s first piece of chocolate that changed the course of her life and Wonka’s. The care, love and belief put into that one chocolate, inspired another and that changed everything. That is the belief we need, and there is nothing to that.
“There is no life I know/ that compares with pure imagination/ Living there, you’ll be free/ if you truly wish to be.”
So we end where we started, with the final line of the song. It’s here where we see everything come together. “Nothing compares with pure imagination, living there, you’ll be free”. Powerful words in a powerful song. But only if you believe. Yes the practicality of all this is nonexistent. It’s also true that Wonka is a film for children and thus reading this much into these childlike ideas may be foolhardy. However, the best children stories are the ones that inspire both children and adults. I was deeply moved by the heart behind the dazzling spectacle and the simplicity of what it was asking. Sure, believing in something bigger than yourself may not change your immediate life, and it won’t solve the world’s problems. It will change you, and how you interact with the world around you. Behind the flying chocolates, cotton candy clouds and magic, is that idea. An active imagination changes how you see reality, and that is paradise.
