Irony In The Wizard Of Oz

In hopes that the Wizard will help her return to Kansas, Dorothy follows the Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City. On her way there, we are introduced to a doubtful Scarecrow who claims to have “no brain at all”. The brainless Scarecrow represents the farmers, whose misfortune sunk their confidence leaving them in a constant state of depression. The Populists' ignorance along with their agenda and push nationalization of the railroads, income tax, and the abundance of silver. They found themselves bring laughed at by critics that rallied against their overblown rants and mocked their socialist rhetoric. Fortunately for the Scarecrow he discovered that he was not as dense as he perceived; along the journey he is profound for his common sense and
resilient attitude. As the Scarecrow learned his true potential the farmers of the Midwest reflected this attitude, pleased to find out that they held the cards all along. As the Scarecrow stumbles and falls on the “hard” yellow brick road this metaphorically symbolizes the damaging effects the gold standard had. Although he stumbled and fell the Scarecrow was never hurt from the impact, much like the farmers who later realized the “yellow” metal was not the cause of their misfortune. Proceeding down the road, the duo encounters the Tin Woodman. Once lively and productive, the Woodman was cursed by the wicked Witch of the East, lost his adeptness, and accidentally sawed off his limbs. Each lost appendage was replaced with tin until the Woodman was no more and birth of the Tin Man. The Witch of the East (big business) reducing the Woodman for a machine. The Tin Man representing the industrial workers who Populist hoped to join their plight. His rusted Tin parallel tom the shabby conditions of labor during the depression of 1890s; leaving many workers unemployed.
As the trio continues their journey they meet the last member of their quartet the Lion. The Lion representing William Jennings Bryan was known for his thunderous rhetoric and occasionally referred to as the Lion of the Populist party. Bryan fully embraced the concept of free-silver mantra ultimately winning the support of the Populist party against McKinley. Synonymous with the perception of the Lion, he was called cowardly by critics for opposing the was with Spain in 1898. But by most Anti-imperialist Bryan’s unpopular decision made him brave after all.
Much like the Land of Oz, America has a multifaceted landscape with diverse inhabitants was a replicated model of America. Emerald City representing the heart of Washington D.C. and its center and seat of government. Dorothy and her quartet travel to the capital to see the Wizard, that will grant their wishes. The journey to Emerald City corresponds to the Populist demand for repossession of power in Washington, much like the industrial armies who marched on the capital during the depression of 1893-97. The shapeshifting Wizard, who "can take on any form he wishes," represents the Presidents of the Gilded Age. Because of the subdivide between the political parties and filamentous majorities during elections, candidates didn’t have concrete stands on any particular issue. Doubt often left voters in a conundrum. Just like many politicians, the Wizard is unwillingly to help them without favors: "I never grant favors without some return." Much like politicians today, they were infamous for failing to keep their promises, and the great Oz is no different. Once Dorothy returned after killing the Witch of the West, the Wizard stalls because he cannot meet the demands. By accident, the all-powerful Wizard is exposed for the fraud that he is, instead of an all-powerful magician he is a mere old man whose power is not magic but deception. The Wizard symbolizing manipulative and conniving politicians with two faces. Afraid of being exposed on a grand scale he is terrified of being exposed; the Wizard warns Dorothy to lower her voice to save his identity. The Land of Oz is described as vivid and colorful.
The novel is consumed with implicit references of the colors: gold, silver and green The references to colored money regurgitate the prominence of monetary politics throughout the 1890’s, crusaded by Bryan and the Populist party. The Witch of the West beseeches her henchmen with the help of her silver whistle and golden cap, the Tin Man receives a new ax made of gold and silver and new oil. The pretext of Oz, to describe the Great Wizard of Oz, is a pun for ounces of gold and silver.
Green, in compilation with gold is repeated in the story, sprinkled with the irony that paper money is green. The Greenback Party, a forerunner of the Populist movement, urged the expansion of the money and circulation of “greenback” money. At the end of the story, the Scarecrow succeeds the Wizard as the ruler of Emerald City, the Tin Woodman is made master of the West, and the Lion is placed over the animals of the forest. Dorothy returns back to Kansas by clicking her silver shoes together three times. All this is attained with the help of Glinda, the good Witch of the South. Populism is triumphant over all, the power is given back to the people and political power is accomplished. The Tin Man, Scarecrow nor the Lion found what was “missing” and the Wizards’ powers were proved to be an illusion. And Dorothy had the power to get home all
along.