Everlasting Gobstopper facts for kids
Multi colored Everlasting Gobstoppers
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| Type | Sweets | ||||||
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| Region or state | Product: Chicago | ||||||
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| 60 kcal (251 kJ) | |||||||
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| Similar dishes | Aniseed balls | ||||||
The Everlasting Gobstopper is a famous candy. It first appeared in Roald Dahl's 1964 children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the story, the candy is special because it changes colors and flavors. It also never gets smaller or disappears, no matter how long you suck on it! Willy Wonka, the candy's fictional creator, made it for kids with "very little pocket money."
In real life, a candy called the Everlasting Gobstopper was created in 1976. This real candy is similar to a normal gobstopper or jawbreaker. It's a hard candy with many layers.
Contents
The Fictional Everlasting Gobstopper
The Everlasting Gobstopper is a magical candy from the world of Willy Wonka. It's designed to last forever, providing endless flavor and color changes. This makes it perfect for kids who don't have much money to spend on sweets.
Gobstopper in the Movies
The Everlasting Gobstopper plays a big role in the 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. In this film, Wonka's business rival, Slugworth, tries to trick the children visiting the factory. He offers them money to steal a Gobstopper.
However, this turns out to be a trick! Slugworth is actually Mr. Wilkinson, one of Wonka's own workers. The whole idea was a secret test. Wonka wanted to see which of the children were honest and worthy enough to take over his amazing chocolate factory.
The actual Everlasting Gobstopper prop used in the 1971 movie was quite valuable. It was later sold for $100,000 to the owners of the TV show Pawn Stars.
The Real-Life Everlasting Gobstopper
A candy product named the Everlasting Gobstopper was launched in 1976. It was made by a company called Breaker Confections in Chicago. This company had permission to use the "Willy Wonka" name. This allowed them to sell candy that was connected to the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie.
Later, the Willy Wonka Candy Company brand was bought by Nestlé. Today, the candy is made in Itasca, Illinois.
How the Real Gobstopper Works
The real Everlasting Gobstopper is like a regular jawbreaker. It has several different layers. These layers are what make the candy change color and flavor as you suck on it. You can find them in many different flavor combinations. They usually have a chalky center, often with a cherry flavor. There's also a version with a chewy center.
Comparing Fictional and Real Gobstoppers
The real Everlasting Gobstopper candy looks more like the one described in the book and the 2005 film. In those versions, the Gobstopper is a round, single-colored ball. The one in the 1971 film was bumpy, spiky, and had many colors.
There are also some key differences between the real and fictional candies:
- In the book, Willy Wonka says you would break your teeth if you tried to chew a Gobstopper. But the Nestlé Gobstoppers can be chewed once you've sucked on them for a while.
- Most importantly, the real-life Gobstoppers are not actually "everlasting." They do eventually disappear!
Special Gobstopper Flavors
Sometimes, special versions of the Everlasting Gobstopper are available for holidays. For example, "Gobstopper Snowballs" are sold during winter holidays. "Gobstopper Heart-breakers" appear around Valentine's Day. There's even a "Gobstopper Candy Cane," which is shaped like a regular candy cane for Christmas. It's the only Gobstopper that isn't round!
