What exactly does Violet Beauregard do wrong in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? I guess she’s prideful and ignores Wonka’s warnings when trying the gum, but the other kids all got punished in response to a legitimate character flaw. There was a lesson involved for the other 3, don’t overeat, don’t be a brat, go touch grass. The lesson the Oompa Loompas try to teach Violet is to… stop chewing gum so much? Just look at the song lyrics:
“Gum chewing's fine when it's once in a while
It stops you from smoking and brightens your smile”
Ok, so far you’ve given her 2 reasons why what she’s doing is good.
But it's repulsive, revolting, and wrong
Chewing and chewing all day long.
But why is it repulsive, revolting, and wrong? You don’t give a single reason.
“The way that a cow does.”
The best thing you can come up with is comparing her to a cow. So a playground insult.
At least the version in the Tim Burton movie gives an explanation for why it might be a bad thing by saying she’ll eventually bite her tongue in two, but in Willy Wonka they just call her a cow. They end off the song by saying “Given good manners you will go far.” I guess she was rude in the first half of the movie but that’s a completely different part of her personality.
You punished her for the wrong reason and now she’s an icon for a particularly weird group of people on DeviantArt. Are you happy?
