Frank baums book the wonderful wizard of oz, upon which the movie is based, was a political allegory for american politics at the dawn of the 20th century. Although the wizard of oz is widely perceived as an innocent childrens fairy tale, it is almost impossible not to attribute a symbolic meaning to dorothys quest. Were off to read the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz. Dec 04, 2012 wizard of oz symbolism the wizard of oz is a nostalgic tale of dorothy, a young farm girl from kansas, who is swept away to a magical land by a tornado. Baum was at the height of his productive powers and a huge range of books were published between 1904 and the launch of the third oz book, ozma of oz, in 1907. Heres the real, forgotten meaning of the wizard of oz. Many people are not aware that the wonderful wizard of oz is suspected to have referenced several political issues of the late 1800s. The real meaning behind the wizard of ozs flying monkeys. Aug 19, 2014 christian sermons have discussed the wizard of oz s biblical meanings, comparing dorothys song over the rainbow to the end of the tale of noahfrom the book of genesis, or claiming that the. I started this costume by making a skirt with a gathered waistband. What is the deeper meaning of the wonderful wizard of oz by l. Frank baum, was the editor of a south dakota newspaper and a supporter of william jennings bryan who stood three times, unsuccessfully, as a u. With the wizard s illusion of power shattered, he is replaced by the scarecrow who would be another lincoln.
In the tale, these dangerous poppies bloom within the magical land of oz and are used as an obstacle of which involves the main characters and protagonist in the plot of the story, dorothy gale, her. Wizard of oz the deeper meaning justin taylor genesology the entire story of the wizard of oz is an allegorical tale of the souls path to illumination the yellow brick road. Henry littlefield argues that the wizard of oz is a story representing populism a philosophy that supports the rights of the people, and the 1896 presidential. Described as a successful humbug and little bumbling old man, the wizard manages to fool everyone into thinking he is the most powerful man in oz. Put your knowledge of this film classic to the test and quickly. Frank baum and followed by the iconic cinematic masterpiece starring judy garland in 1939, has remained one of the most enduring and popular stories over a hundred years later. Kansas aka the sunflower state, is a state within the united states of america. Print blog the colors of the wonderful wizard of oz by. Dorothy, the main character in the novel, is said to represent the average american.
A modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, supersummary offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz. The english language is vast and beautiful and takes inspiration from modern and ancient languages from around the world. The wizard of oz is the story of dorothy, a young farm girl from kansas. The wizard of oz is the original title of the wonderful wizard of oz. The symbolism hidden within the wizard of oz many people believe that the wizard of oz was and is an allegory for the radically new state of affairs that existed in america in the 1930s, following the stock market crash and the bankruptcy of the united states government which occurred immediately thereafter. Speculation of the parallels between the characters in the book and history of the united states began with a history teacher by the name of henry littlefield. The wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. It is filled with symbols and metaphors, all pointing to other things. Then, in a 1964 american quarterly article entitled the wizard of oz. Glenn beck goes deep into the wonderful wizard of oz, book. Frank baums book the wonderful wizard of oz, upon which the movie is based, was a political allegory for american politics at the dawn of. The symbolism hidden within the wizard of oz jabajabba. What is the deeper meaning of the wonderful wizard of oz.
Exploring serious themes such as courage, humanity, and evil in an open fashion accessible to children and adults alike, the story equally contains numerous hidden messages and meanings, many of which were not discovered until decades. Eddie redmayne cast as the wizard of oz author, which means he is the king of biopics. Mar 07, 20 salman rushdie, a noted fan of the wizard of oz who wrote a pretty amazing bfi classics book on the film, believes that one of the things that makes oz so powerful is that it lays bare the weakness. The wizard of oz is easily one of the greatest movies in the history of cinema. Hidden christian themes in the wizard of oz faith and. Saying that, there is plenty of speculation that l. Its mind boggling that there is a saw trilogy and this will never see the big screen.
Jellocolored horses and political allegories aside, here are some incredible facts about one of the most epic. In the novel, the wonderful wizard of oz, baums use of color is symbolic by associating distinct colors with specific settings and. Childrens author ruth plumly thompson was hired to continue the series and. This classic work of childrens fiction, which in the. The symbolism hidden within the wizard of oz many people believe that the wizard of oz was and is an allegory for the radically new state of affairs that existed in america in the 1930s, following the stock market crash and the bankruptcy of the united states. In said book, dorothy represents traditional american values. The book, therefore, is supposedly an allegory of these historical events making the information easier to understand. Hugh rockoff suggested in 1990 that the novel was an allegory about the demonetization of silver in 1873, whereby the cyclone that carried dorothy to the land of oz represents the economic and political upheaval, the yellow brick road stands for the gold standard, and the silver shoes dorothy inherits from the wicked witch of the east represents the prosilver movement. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the wizard of oz. Feb 01, 20 nprs backseat book club takes the yellow brick road back to its origins with l.
The wizard projects an image of what he believes the people of oz expect him to bea great and powerful wizardwhile he hides his true self behind the curtain. Frank baums first oz book titled the wonderful wizard of oz, published in 1900. The wonderful wizard of oz as a fable of modern america. He does, of course, represent the president of the united states. The oz factor is a sensation that ufo witnesses experience. Frank baum and originally published in 1900, may have been inspired by the reallife economic struggles during the gold standard. The wonderful wizard of oz essay questions gradesaver.
The wicked witches are interpreted as a representation of the major financialpolitical interests that held sway over american politics. Apr 04, 2014 lets look at the story and glean from it a life lesson for all christians. Over the years, both book and movie have fueled a number of elaborate theories as to the storys deeper meanings. As in all great stories, the characters and the symbols of the wizard of oz can be given a second layer of interpretation, which may vary depending on the readers perception. The original title by lyman frank baum may 15, 1856 may 6, 1919 was changed to avoid confusion over the book itself. The wonderful wizard of oz 1900 the wizard of oz dorothys farmhouse in the kansas cyclone. Frank baums first oz book titled the wonderful wizard of oz, published in 1900 and appear in the eighth chapter of the novel the deadly poppy field. Because of this, many words have disappeared between the cracks, known only to writers and bookworms. The entire story of the wizard of oz is an allegorical tale of the souls path to illumination the yellow brick road.
The wizard of oz has been interpreted as both a religious and atheistic allegory at the same time. Toto has blood in his eyes and hes going to wreak some fucking havoc on oz. However, baum gave her the name of locasta in the 1902 musical extravaganza, the wizard of oz. The politics of the wonderful wizard of oz by deb wax medium. From offscreen friendships and jarring pay inequality to the special effects and makeup tricks that brought some of the worlds favorite film characters to life, the wizard of oz 1939 had so much going on behind the emerald curtain and th. In the book and the play the shoes are silver, not ruby as they were famously depicted in the 1939 film. A parable on populism, was published in american quarterlys spring 1964 issue by. Frank baum wanted to write a modern, and less psychotic fairy tale 1. Specifically, littlefield argued that the story of the wizard of oz was an elaborate metaphor for the populist movement a rising political force in the 1890s and a critique of the complicated national debates over monetary policy. Jun 04, 2019 the 14th and final oz book written by baum, glinda of oz, was published in 1920, a year after his death. Now 80 years old and still winning viewers hearts, its an icon of american culture. Frank baum, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature.
If you have not read the book or seen the movie, you have probably at least heard the well known phrase i dont think were in kansas anymore or heard of toto, dorothys dog. It will certainly be no surprise to anyone to hear that famous classic books such as 1984, the jungle, or brave new world have a much more serious purpose than just pure entertainment. In his reading of the wizard of oz, littlefield believed that dorothy was a standin for the average american, and that the magic silver shoes represented the late 1890s free silver movement. The real meaning of the wizard of oz renee fishman. Dorothy gale is transported from kansas to a strange land filled with munchkins, wizards, and witchesbut all she wants is to find a way home. Frank baum wrote 14 wizard of oz books, but his biggest home run was 1900s the wonderful wizard of oz, which mgm turned into a wonderful wizard of oz movie. This classic work of childrens fiction, which in the hundredplus years since it was written has become perhaps the most familiar fictional story in the world, is in fact a sly political satire filled with rich allegorical and metaphorical imagery that could act as an historical primer on the issues that dominated the political climate. Frank baum had a deeper, and more political meaning behind wizard of oz. Parable on populism, the american teacher henry littlefield posited that the book contained. The colors chosen are significant and give the story a deeper meaning. He is already starring as newt scamander in fantastic beasts and where to find them, the highly anticipated harry potter spin off, and is now set to embark upon another magical journey this time it.
Thanks for exploring this supersummary plot summary of the wonderful wizard of oz by l. Only a word wizard will know the meaning of these 35 words howstuffworks. A vocabulary list featuring the wonderful wizard of oz by l. The occult roots of the wizard of oz sagacious news. Jellocolored horses and political allegories aside, here are some incredible facts about one of the most epic films of all time. Dorothy, the kansas innocent, represents the nobility of middle and midwestern america. What is the deeper meaning of the wonderful wizard of oz by.
Ruth plumly thompson continued to write the series after his death. Launched on a tide of oz projects, the book was a great success. Until this version, the book had inspired a number of now less well known stage and screen adaptations, including a profitable 1902 broadway musical and three. Three colors that stand out in the beginning, middle and the end of the novel are gray, yellow and green. Plus, six other new beauty launches out this week beauty plus, six other new beauty launches out this week with november trudging along and december firmly in our sights, christmas is on everyones minds right now. This popular and welldocumented reading sees the wizard of oz as being about the collapse of the populist movement in the united states at the turn of the twentieth century. What made littlefields claim bold was its departure from common wisdom.
Carl jung and later joseph campbell described how certain symbols and motifs appear in mythology, fairy tales, stories, and religions throughout the world. The wizard of oz is initially quite majestic and apparently awesome, but he turns out to be a little man without the power that people assume he possesses. Both versions tell the story of dorothy gale and her adorable dog toto getting stranded in a fantastical land by a tornado, and both include the icon ic characters of the scarecrow, cowardly lion, tin man, glinda the good witch, and the wizard of fraud, oz. The wizard of oz follows the story of dorothy, a young farm girl from kansas. Boots no 7s wizard of oz collection just won christmas. Frank baums book was penned in 1900 following unrest in the agriculture arena read. It was adapted into a broadway musical by baum in 1902, and then into its first. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale as an allegory or metaphor for the political, economic, and. See tons of rare photos of the set, cast, and promotion of the iconic mgm film, the wizard of oz. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the. Here are links to our lists for the other books in the series. The wonderful wizard of oz has been adapted to other media numerous times, most famously in the wizard of oz, the 1939 film starring judy garland, ray bolger, jack haley, and bert lahr. Learn where the term oz factor came from, and what the experience is like. Ruth plumly thompson, baums handpicked successor in writing oz books, revamped the character and gave her the name of tattypoo.
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The story behind the wonderful wizard of oz a parable about. The wonderful wizard of oz study guide contains a biography of l. Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, published in 1900. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. It is a celebration of consumer culture as the the very meaning of america, this bright and shining land where men and women are happy to deceive themselves into believing a fairy tale, which, as the wizard of oz himself admitted, every sensible person ought to know is untrue. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz wikipedia. This classic work of childrens fiction, which in the hundredplus years since it was written has become perhaps the most familiar fictional story in the world, is in fact a sly political. In the novel, the wonderful wizard of oz, baums use of color is symbolic by associating distinct colors with specific settings and characters. Frank baum, the author of the book on which the film is based, many scholars and interpreters of the film believe that oz itself can be read as an allegory for the political and social structures that were at work in the american west in the 1890s when the book was written. Frank baum created the popular wizard of oz series. These behindthecurtain facts will change how you see the wizard of oz. Literary scholars have long interpreted the wonderful wizard of oz as a fable of populism, but it is more than that. But many may be surprised to learn that the most popular childrens fantasy of alltime, l.
Oct 08, 2009 although the wizard of oz is widely perceived as an innocent childrens fairy tale, it is almost impossible not to attribute symbolic meaning to dorothys quest. Advertisement in ufo reality 1983 british ufologist jenny randles noted that some ufo witnesses exper. Frank baum wrote the childrens fantasy book the wonderful wizard of oz in 1900. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting. On a stormy and dark day she is swept away in a tornado and lands in a faraway land of the munchkins. On a stormy day she was swept away, farmhouse and all, in a tornado from her beloved home, family and friends, and she was setdown in the faraway land of the munchkins.
Though some believed that baum intended it in his novel as a symbol of the financial gold standard and the emerald city as corrupt washington, d. The story behind the wonderful wizard of oz a parable. It occurred to me that at different chronological stages of ones life, a great book, such as the wonderful wizard of oz, mean different things. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american. The wizard of oz still illustrates biblical truths. The story behind the wonderful wizard of oz from the. Jan 27, 20 the good witch of the north was not named in the wonderful wizard of oz. Scarecrow farmers tin man workers in the steel industry cowardly lion william jennings bryan cyclone quick cultural political change. The wonderful wizard of oz was first published in chicago in 1900. During her travels she encounters a number of characters, some good, some bad. In the decades since original publication, the wonderful wizard of oz has been recurrently used by christians as a religious allegory similar to that of c. The occult roots of the wizard of oz the vigilant citizen.
To a child who reads this book soon after she or he learns to read, this book represents magic wonderful, pure, magnificent fairytale. In buddhism and an important part of theosophical teachings the same concept is referred to as the golden path. Glenn beck talked about hugh rockoffs allegory of the the wonderful wizard of oz. Frank baumfrank baumon may 5, 1919, baum suffered a. Glenn beck goes deep into the wonderful wizard of oz. I bought trim and ribbon and sewed it along the bottom of the skirt.
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