I somehow need to breakdown the process of The Once-ler inventing the Thneed. That way, I can figure out where the idea originated, what the prototypes looked like/accomplished, and how I can properly associate it with the Sham-Wow idea in my musical. So far, I've got hardly anything to go on, but I'm sure his first idea was more to impress his parents. Perhaps cleaning messes was the main purpose? And then it started to integrate further, into becoming more of a multi-purpose product?
That's all I've got for now. So, I guess I need to write a scenario in which he either makes or needs to clean up a really big mess and what he has to clean with doesn't do a very good job. The gears start working, and his dreams are filled with being able to use this amazing invention to prove to his family that he isn't worthless...
But, in my musical, The Sham-Wow Guy somehow** gets his hands on the invention prototype/blueprint, and steals Oncie's idea, creating a successful product. So, he decides it needs to do more that just clean up messes. It needs to do more than be absorbent and easy-to-use. It needs to do EVERYTHING. Now, THAT would make his family proud! So, he works on how it should look, how it will work in different ways, what kind of material he'll need to work with to make the product, etc.
And, finally, he leaves home, and makes his dreams come true! TA-DA! SUCCESSFULNESS! WHOO! ...kinda.
**= In the musical, it's implied that Aunt Grizelda sells the original Sham-Thneed idea to the Sham-Wow Guy for a good chuck of cash, which she quickly walks by with, counting it greedily with a big smirk on her face, while Oncie feels that he can't trust others with his inventions and blueprints because they'll just steal them.
Anyway, if you have any ideas about the invention process of the Thneed, let me know, okay?