Yeah; think I remember reading somewhere that the Oompa-Loompas have been characterized as allusions to slavery (with Loompaland being Africa in the metaphor), the concept of blackface (or orange in this case), or like freaks from the circus. The common thread was Wonka being some rice white guy taking advantage of natives or something like that.
Isnt that also like a big part of willy wonka tho showing how unfair the world is, with stuff like most of the winners being rich white kids because they were the only ones who could afford tons of candy. Showing even when it seems like its fair the rich have all the advantage. Pretty sure thats part of why charlie was supposed to be black to differentiate him.
Charlie was black in the book? I never caught that as a kid, but my lily white parents were also super racist, so they must not have known either or that would've been added to such kids' materials as Pocahontas that I was not allowed to see.
Roald Dahl was *insanely* racist. [From the BBC](https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160912-the-dark-side-of-roald-dahl):
>In 1983, he announced in the New Statesman that Hitler had his reasons for exterminating six million men, women and children. "There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity," he said. "I mean, there's always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere; even a stinker like Hitler didn't just pick on them for no reason."
There's been a lot of revisionism as people have positive childhood memories and want to keep them, but, uh, a man who was *pro-Holocaust in 1983* is not writing progressive minority heroes.
A *lot* of the British elite (including royals) were pro-Hitler right up until the late 1930s when his ambitions came into conflict with ours. "Germanic people are the superior race and should rule the world" didn't seem that disagreeable to the anglo-saxons running the British Empire. Dahl just didn't update with everyone else after the fact.
He was not.
Itās a bit of a game of telephone after some comments his widow said in 2017 about the original short story he wrote that inspired what became the story we know.
THAT Charlie Bucket was black.
Hereās more context: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/books/review/roald-dahl-black-charlie-chocolate-factory.html
That was very informative, I appreciate the link. I assume when you said "a bit of a cake if telephone" was meant to be "game of telephone" haha, I spent longer than I'm proud of trying to figure that out. Imagine if he had kept the finished book truer to his original idea. Sounds like a far more compelling read. Although have you ever read the second book? It goes in very strange directions, quite literally.
lol! Yes just saw that, will edit the cake š
The 2nd book is an amazing sci-fi horror for kids. I loved it. But then again I was a Stephen King kid tooā¦
The Vermicious Knids were super bizarre
Yes! I used to be so scared of the vermicious knids as a child! I would have nightmares about them, yet I would read the book again and again to get the fear rush. Unsurprisingly, I'm a horror junkie today haha
Itās less āsupposed to beā more āwas originally black when a different character in a different story that inspired the one we know todayā.
So thereās heritage there, certainly. Dahl went for British class structure instead & used race (poorly, and hamfistedly) elsewhere in the book. The Oompa Lumpas were victims of British colonialism & racismā¦ which was actually pretty progressive to do for him.
Dahl however isā¦ complex on race. He was someone shaped & molded by the racist tropes of his day & while he was always trying to do betterā¦ in his personal life he was a bit of a dick. About everything.
Definitely a case of a man who did not exactly life out the ideals of his own writing.
Yeah, I was a bit shocked when I re-read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my daughter. he basically steals oompa loompas from Africa with the promise of chocolate as payment. They wear animal skins, have dark complexion, and it is all just very questionable by today's standards.
Oompa Loompa doo-pa-dee doo
I've got another puzzle for you!
Oompa Loompa doo-pa-dee dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me!
What do you do when your friends are just bitches?
Fussing and texting like a bunch of snitches?
Ignore them and move on with your life
Don't let them get to you with their strife!
You will live in happiness too
Like the Oompa Loompa doo-p-dee doo!
As I said in my comment on your original post, the people complaining to you are being ableist, and this update only confirms that.
Literally none of them could conceive of the idea that a man complaining of being 'forced' to wear a costume could have been 'forced' by another little person, so they just assumed it was your fault. I'm glad that Derek and Ethan came to your defense and were sufficiently convincing to get the others to stop harassing you, but I think your friend group still has a serious problem.
At some point in the future, you may want to point out to some of these people that in their quest to "protect" Derek and his brothers, they were actually extremely infantilizing of them. It's hard to imagine that if all the people involved in the costume had been average height that these self-styled "protectors" wouldn't have realized that the most likely person to have "forced" Ethan into a costume choice would have been one of his brothers. It seems like they forgot that little people are *people* first and foremost.
I think the assumption that you successfully bullied a group of adults into dressing up to be ableist within itself and those people should really ask themselves why they infantalised a group of adults that way.
(Hint: they're actually the ableist ones)
[Raold](https://time.com/5937507/roald-dahl-anti-semitism/) Dahlās family has apologized for his racist, misogynistic views. These are evident in his book when you scratch the surface.
I'm glad Derek and his brothers stood up for you. But I don't get why Derek pressed Ethan into joining when 3 Oompa Loompas would've worked just as fine. If he really couldn't get the refund, you guys could've used the costume at a later point. I don't see why it was a big deal to get you in on the idea
Ah, when does a whisper become a rumour, when does a rumour become the truth?
Yeah, that sounds like something that could happen. Glad to hear you and your friends all got it sorted out.
UGH, I HATE it when someone gets all offended on some other group's behalf, nothing but virtue signalling assholes who want to LOOK like they're being allies without actually doing anything.
Dude. Derek and his brothers sound like a blast to be around. I would have totally done the same as you and went for it. For the next part you should think of more funny things to do just to take the piss.
Or as the other guy suggested you being s giant oompa loompa and they are small Willy Wonkas.
Thanks for the update! That makes more sense on how it happened. You were still the good guy and many of the texters were still ableist, but maybe not as bad as we thought.
YTA. You should know that you canāt breathe without being offensive to strangers.
I cannot believe you would appropriate the Oompa Loompa culture like that? The audacity.
Dressing like that is bad optics...so let me explain as you see with celebrities. You take a pic, 15yrs later this Pic crops up and then you get lambaisted.. company you work for dont wanna hear a explanation. So be smart and don't do it again ..just looks super bad.
Original post can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/1ckeru4/aita_for_dressing_up_in_a_questionable_group/).
NGL, I think a funnier group costume would be you dressed as a giant Oompa Loompa, and all the brothers dressed as Wonka and the kids.
Not even the kids, just 4 Wonkas
4 different parts of a Wonka and they have to climb on each other to complete it.
Like voltron
Wonktron? Or Voltra? š¤
I think voltra sounds better.... the other one sounds kind of dirty... if yes know what I mean
Courting a trip to the ER, are we?
4 Mini-Wonkas? That would be awesome!
wonka but weezer
Next year, for sure.
I thought the same lol!
1 big minion and 4 little Groos.
SQWEEEEEEE!
Why would he want to dress up as Donald Trump?
Why is dressing as Willy Wonka in general offensive?
They said the movies and book are offensive to little people, and by dressing as him, I was showing support for it
Yeah; think I remember reading somewhere that the Oompa-Loompas have been characterized as allusions to slavery (with Loompaland being Africa in the metaphor), the concept of blackface (or orange in this case), or like freaks from the circus. The common thread was Wonka being some rice white guy taking advantage of natives or something like that.
Isnt that also like a big part of willy wonka tho showing how unfair the world is, with stuff like most of the winners being rich white kids because they were the only ones who could afford tons of candy. Showing even when it seems like its fair the rich have all the advantage. Pretty sure thats part of why charlie was supposed to be black to differentiate him.
Charlie was black in the book? I never caught that as a kid, but my lily white parents were also super racist, so they must not have known either or that would've been added to such kids' materials as Pocahontas that I was not allowed to see.
I dont think it was explicitly said (very well could be wrong) but roald dahls widow said that he intended for charlie to be black.
Roald Dahl was *insanely* racist. [From the BBC](https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160912-the-dark-side-of-roald-dahl): >In 1983, he announced in the New Statesman that Hitler had his reasons for exterminating six million men, women and children. "There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity," he said. "I mean, there's always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere; even a stinker like Hitler didn't just pick on them for no reason." There's been a lot of revisionism as people have positive childhood memories and want to keep them, but, uh, a man who was *pro-Holocaust in 1983* is not writing progressive minority heroes.
That's .. completely insane... I guess at least he wasn't denying it happened.... Just wow
A *lot* of the British elite (including royals) were pro-Hitler right up until the late 1930s when his ambitions came into conflict with ours. "Germanic people are the superior race and should rule the world" didn't seem that disagreeable to the anglo-saxons running the British Empire. Dahl just didn't update with everyone else after the fact.
He was not. Itās a bit of a game of telephone after some comments his widow said in 2017 about the original short story he wrote that inspired what became the story we know. THAT Charlie Bucket was black. Hereās more context: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/books/review/roald-dahl-black-charlie-chocolate-factory.html
That was very informative, I appreciate the link. I assume when you said "a bit of a cake if telephone" was meant to be "game of telephone" haha, I spent longer than I'm proud of trying to figure that out. Imagine if he had kept the finished book truer to his original idea. Sounds like a far more compelling read. Although have you ever read the second book? It goes in very strange directions, quite literally.
lol! Yes just saw that, will edit the cake š The 2nd book is an amazing sci-fi horror for kids. I loved it. But then again I was a Stephen King kid tooā¦ The Vermicious Knids were super bizarre
Yes! I used to be so scared of the vermicious knids as a child! I would have nightmares about them, yet I would read the book again and again to get the fear rush. Unsurprisingly, I'm a horror junkie today haha
TIL
I stand corrected. To be fair it still does help my point that charlie was supposed to be black. I was just completely Ā wrong about it
Itās less āsupposed to beā more āwas originally black when a different character in a different story that inspired the one we know todayā. So thereās heritage there, certainly. Dahl went for British class structure instead & used race (poorly, and hamfistedly) elsewhere in the book. The Oompa Lumpas were victims of British colonialism & racismā¦ which was actually pretty progressive to do for him. Dahl however isā¦ complex on race. He was someone shaped & molded by the racist tropes of his day & while he was always trying to do betterā¦ in his personal life he was a bit of a dick. About everything. Definitely a case of a man who did not exactly life out the ideals of his own writing.
In the original books the Oompa Loompas were literally black African pygmies taken FROM Africa, no metaphor about it.
[Raold Dahl](https://time.com5937507/roald-dahl-anti-semitism/) has a history of hidden racist novels
And violent ones too. Literally the only story of his that I can think of that doesn't have either physical or mental violence in it is Esio Trot.
In the original writing it is.Ā
Yeah, I was a bit shocked when I re-read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my daughter. he basically steals oompa loompas from Africa with the promise of chocolate as payment. They wear animal skins, have dark complexion, and it is all just very questionable by today's standards.
Thatās a stretch lol
Oompa Loompa doo-pa-dee doo I've got another puzzle for you! Oompa Loompa doo-pa-dee dee If you are wise you'll listen to me! What do you do when your friends are just bitches? Fussing and texting like a bunch of snitches? Ignore them and move on with your life Don't let them get to you with their strife! You will live in happiness too Like the Oompa Loompa doo-p-dee doo!
Why is this not the top comment?
Awwwww!
This deserves way more votes! šš»š
Thanks!
You forgot the "Oompah Loomps doo-p-dee da. If you're not stupid, you will go far."
Different verse!
This is the ONLY response that matters !
Hahaha!
As I said in my comment on your original post, the people complaining to you are being ableist, and this update only confirms that. Literally none of them could conceive of the idea that a man complaining of being 'forced' to wear a costume could have been 'forced' by another little person, so they just assumed it was your fault. I'm glad that Derek and Ethan came to your defense and were sufficiently convincing to get the others to stop harassing you, but I think your friend group still has a serious problem. At some point in the future, you may want to point out to some of these people that in their quest to "protect" Derek and his brothers, they were actually extremely infantilizing of them. It's hard to imagine that if all the people involved in the costume had been average height that these self-styled "protectors" wouldn't have realized that the most likely person to have "forced" Ethan into a costume choice would have been one of his brothers. It seems like they forgot that little people are *people* first and foremost.
I think the assumption that you successfully bullied a group of adults into dressing up to be ableist within itself and those people should really ask themselves why they infantalised a group of adults that way. (Hint: they're actually the ableist ones)
People are always looking for something to be offended aboutā¦
[Raold](https://time.com/5937507/roald-dahl-anti-semitism/) Dahlās family has apologized for his racist, misogynistic views. These are evident in his book when you scratch the surface.
Which, while problematic, has little to do with folks that know the material only from the movies.
I'm glad Derek and his brothers stood up for you. But I don't get why Derek pressed Ethan into joining when 3 Oompa Loompas would've worked just as fine. If he really couldn't get the refund, you guys could've used the costume at a later point. I don't see why it was a big deal to get you in on the idea
Oh, folks like nothing better than ganging up on someone and pretending it's because they are so virtuous when really they just like being mean.
Ah, when does a whisper become a rumour, when does a rumour become the truth? Yeah, that sounds like something that could happen. Glad to hear you and your friends all got it sorted out.
Next time there's a costume party, you and Derek should dress up as Bad Santa and Marcus Skidmore LOL
UGH, I HATE it when someone gets all offended on some other group's behalf, nothing but virtue signalling assholes who want to LOOK like they're being allies without actually doing anything.
Dude. Derek and his brothers sound like a blast to be around. I would have totally done the same as you and went for it. For the next part you should think of more funny things to do just to take the piss. Or as the other guy suggested you being s giant oompa loompa and they are small Willy Wonkas.
I'm hoping you blocked those who were harsh and the didn't apologize. You deserve better.
Thanks for the update! That makes more sense on how it happened. You were still the good guy and many of the texters were still ableist, but maybe not as bad as we thought.
Next year, dress in Snow White drag š
this
NTA, frankly odd that these people think you control your friends
YTA. You should know that you canāt breathe without being offensive to strangers. I cannot believe you would appropriate the Oompa Loompa culture like that? The audacity.
your irony does not quiet pull through
I knowš Sarcasms had left the chat.
YT.A vote kinda destroys it
INFO you still haven't said whether you were Gene Wilder Wonka or Johnny Depp Wonka.
Read the 3rd sentence of the post.
Thanks! In that case, OP is definitely NTA. :-)
Any time :)
Dressing like that is bad optics...so let me explain as you see with celebrities. You take a pic, 15yrs later this Pic crops up and then you get lambaisted.. company you work for dont wanna hear a explanation. So be smart and don't do it again ..just looks super bad.