Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Inferno Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Dante’s Inferno are similar and very much so. A journey through a chocolate factory and Hell, when put up to interpretation, are actually more similar than you think. Many things in both Willy Wonka and Dante’s Inferno while having literal meanings, also have allegorical meanings. For example, in both Willy Wonka and Dante's Inferno there were punishments that got worse the deeper they went, Dante and Charlie both had a voice of reason, and both stories have many plot similarities. The kids were tested and their own greediness was their fallout. Only the pure of heart and intentions, Charlie, is able to go through the factory, unharmed, and claim his freedom. Much like Dante's Inferno, the deeper they …show more content…
Virgil was Dante's spiritual guide and helped him get through Hell. By doing so Virgil acted as Dante's voice of reason, helping him understand what he did wrong and how to redeem himself. In Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka himself acted as Charlie's voice of reason. Wonka tested Charlie throughout the factory all the while guiding him through it. When Charlie failed a test he called him out on it and waited for Charlie to redeem himself. The only way for Charlie to do just that was to show he wouldn't betray Wonka by giving Slugworth the everlasting gobstopper. In the end, Charlie chose the right path by giving Wonka's gobstopper back. There are lots of similarities in the plot of both stories. Both Dante and Charlie went on a journey that was optional. Dante embarked on his journey to get into heaven, while Charlie did it because he had nothing to lose. In Dante's Inferno, there were long waiting lines to get into Hell and when the golden tickets were announced in Willy Wonka, there were long lines to get into the stores that sold Wonka bars. There was also a boat ride in both stories to go deeper into Hell and the chocolate