CCF Censorship

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The Criticism

In the original book, the Oompa Loompas don’t come from Loompaland — they come from Central Africa, and they were described as a tribe of 3,000 black pygmies who have been imported by Mr. Willy Wonka from ‘the very deepest and darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had been before.’ Mr. Wonka keeps them in the factory, where they have replaced the sacked white workers. Wonka’s little slaves are delighted with their new circumstances, and particularly with their diet of chocolate. Before they lived on green caterpillars, beetles, eucalyptus leaves, "and the bark of the bong-bong tree".

In the 1973 edition, they were relocated to Loompaland and their skin was changed from black to white in the illustrations thanks to growing controversy in the 1970s. In the 1964 original version, Willy Wonka simply found a tribe of Africans, enslaved them and used them to replace his regular work force because they were willing to work for chocolate. Before you complain that they were not slaves because they got paid, we’d remind you that even the worst slave owners fed their slaves a more balanced diet than Mr. Wonka.

Of course, the original treatment of the Oompa Loompas is reminiscent of colonial Europe, when white people were still able to convince each other that they were doing all the other races a favor by enslaving them. The book was published in 1964 around the time of the civil rights movements, so it's no wonder that it sparked criticism.

Dahl even based some of the ideas from the book on actual events involving real chocolate companies, such as Cadbury, so Dahl was probably at least partially aware that a lot of the cacao plantation workers in Ivory Coast, the biggest producer of chocolate, were practically enslaved African children. It seems more than a little insensitive of Dahl to give Wonka a bunch of funny little African slaves who happily give away their freedom just to give kids some chocolate.

Why was the book challenged or banned?

Racism and Cultural Insensitivity: Some critics have argued that the portrayal of the Oompa-Loompas as small, dark-skinned, and from a faraway land is racially insensitive and perpetuates negative stereotypes. Additionally, the wealthy Indian prince is depicted as lazy and overweight.
Violence: The book contains some violent scenes, such as when Augustus Gloop falls into the chocolate river and has to be rescued, or when Veruca Salt is attacked by squirrels. Some critics have argued that these scenes are too graphic and could be disturbing for young readers.
Morality: The book has been criticized for promoting immoral behavior, such as when the children disobey their parents or when Willy Wonka tests the children's honesty and integrity by tempting them with forbidden treats.
Religious Concerns: Some schools and libraries have banned the book due to concerns about the portrayal of magic, which conflicts with their religious beliefs.
Offensive Language: The book contains language that has been deemed offensive by some readers and educations, including terms like "midget" and "dwarfs."
Gender Stereotypes: Some readers criticize the book for perpetuating gender stereotypes, particularly in the portrayal of female characters. For instance, Charlie's mother is depicted as a homemaker who does not work outside the home.