Literature is ‘˜a rife with imaginary characters’. Werewolves, Lilliput, Vampires and much more forms the band of imaginary creatures in several stories. Roald Dahl’s popular read for children, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has its share of mythical creatures too- the oompa-loompa. They are the workers of the factory and produce the best tasting treats. They are the best kept secret of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

However, the oompa-loompas cannot be dismissed as mythical characters simply. Parallels of the oompa-loompa slave been drawn to the African American slavery prevalent in US during the 1800s. The terms on which the oompa loompa work in the factory and those of African American slaves are similar.

Below presented are known facts about the oompa-loompas of Willy Wonka’s factory:

The Oompa-Loompas are natives of Loompaland, located in the interiors of the African continent. They are short in height with very dark skins.
They live in very precarious conditions as they are preys to dangerous creatures such as the hornswogglers, snozzwangers and whangdoodles. The hornswogglers would gobble up almost ten oompa-loompas for breakfast and then come back for more. To protect themselves from these creatures, the oompaloompas lived in tree houses.

Willy Wonka had visited Africa and come in contact with these creatures. He offered them cacao or cocoa beans, which they loved immensely. A deal was struck between the 2 parties- they would work for Wonka in exchange for shelter and cacao beans. The deal was quite profitable to Willy as he had an immeasurable supply of cocoa beans as a chocolate maker.

The oompa loompas were a scantily clad tribe. The men wore deer skins; the women wore tree leaves while the children wore nothing. They spoke in an incomprehensible language and their songs had dark themes.

Dahl wrote that the oompa loompas were brought to the chocolate factory in boxes with holes in them. Such description of treatment was criticized after the publication of the book.

The oompa loompas helped revive Wonka’s shut down factory. Due to espionage by competitors, Wonka’s secrets were disclosed which affected his business a lot. However, after the arrival of the oompa loompas, his business started running well.

When the book was being adapted for the silver screen for the first time in 1971, the description of the Oompa-Loompas had to be significantly altered. They were given an orange complexion to avoid brick bats from different activist groups.

Researchers of children’s literature have however, distinguished between the Oompa Loompas and the African American slaves of the cotton fields. The slaves were brought to US by force while the oompa loompas went willingly to the Chocolate factory.

Moreover, they were provided cacao beans as demanded by them, unlike slaves who had to survive on food and clothing provided by their masters so that they could work for another day.

The book was readapted on screen in 2005, where the Oompa Loompas were played by an Indian American Deep Roy, who actually suffers from retarded growth. He is only 4 feet and 4 inches tall.

Despite the racial intonation, the Oompa Loompas remain a part of literature as one of the most well-known fantasy creatures.