L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz
L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz more than 115 years ago, but it still remains one of the most beloved and well known children’s stories of all time. Baum weaved together a fantastical tale of a young girl being transported to a faraway magical land with witches and wizards and other mythical creatures such as Munchkins, Winkies, and Quadlings. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz remains as one of the most famous children’s stories of all time because of its fantastical setting, the triumph of good over evil and the positive portrayal of a powerful young girl. The protagonist Dorothy is young girl from rural Kansas, a dull and gray land where melancholy prevails and laughter is almost nonexistent. Baum created a loveable character who is able to
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find joy in depressive settings and whose optimistic personality is engaging and addictive. Dorothy’s unending love for her companion Toto causes her to risk her life in her attempt to save Toto’s when a cyclone hits her family’s farm. Dorothy remains strong and calm in the eye of the cyclone, even though her house is literally flying through the air. Her courageous nature combined with her childlike innocence creates an appealing nature for all children to aspire to. Dorothy remains trapped in the Cyclone for several hours until her house is transported to the magical land of Oz. Dorothy comes from the dark, dreary plains of Kansas where color was nonexistent and a melancholy mood was prevalent throughout. But then, she is transported to the magical land of Oz where vibrant colors and liveliness prevails. She is stunned by the sight of “lovely patches of green sward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits…[and] a small, brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks” (10). The Land of Oz is the manifestation of a child’s expansive imagination. It is a vibrant land where a plethora of vivid colors envelops all the magical creatures who live there.
Oz is the perfect place for children to dream about and explore in the minds, for it is a land where good prevails over evil and children have the power to change the world. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a beloved children’s book not only because of its fantastical setting, but also because of its message that good triumphs evil. Dorothy is the quintessential heroine due to her innocence and optimistic outlook and benevolent nature. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, there is a clear line between good and evil, divided by the cardinal directions. To the north and the south, reside the good witches of Oz, and to the east and the west reside the wicked witches of Oz. Dorothy upsets this balance when she arrives in Oz and unintentionally kills the Wicked Witch of the East with her house. This act tips the scales in favor of good and eventually all evil is beaten in the story. Dorothy is able to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, the Wizard of Oz, the flying monkeys, and the Quadlings because she “is protected by the power of good, and that is greater than the power of evil” (124). When the good witch of the north kisses Dorothy
on the forehead, she gives her a mark of protection, one that no evil can defeat. The Wicked Witch of the West is unable to harm Dorothy because of her purity. Dorothy is the manifestation of a perfect heroine. She is distraught when the Wizard of Oz tells her to kill the Wicked Witch of the West because she knows that murder is an evil crime. In an act of passion, however, she throws the bucket of water upon the witch and is “truly frightened to see the Witch actually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes” (154). Her act is unintentional as she profusely apologizes for the murder and feels genuine remorse over killing the wicked witch. Throughout the novel, the good characters repeatedly defeat any evils in Oz. The evil in Oz is represented by the stereotypical Wicked Witch who enslaved the Winkies but is also represented in the Wizard of Oz’s deceitful and cunning nature. When Dorothy discovers who Oz is and shames him into leaving, Baum is creating a message that those who lie and cheat will never succeed. All evil is abolished by the end of the story with the death of the Wicked Witch and the expulsion of Oz. Dorothy and her companions are rewarded for their heroic acts and good natures. Glinda exemplifies good through her wisdom and benevolence, showing Dorothy the way home; helping the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion realize their true callings; and freeing the Winged Monkeys from the Golden Cap. The Lion, formerly known as the Cowardly Lion, becomes the King of the Beasts and realizes that he was courageous all along. The “brainless” Scarecrow becomes the real leader of Oz after expelling the deceitful “wizard,” and the Tin Woodman becomes the benevolent ruler of the Winkies. In the second chapter, The Council with The Munchkins, the good witch of the north rewards Dorothy by giving her the silver shoes that were once worn by the Wicked Witch of the East. This transfer of power symbolizes the victory of good over evil throughout the land of Oz. Dorothy treasured those shoes throughout the rest of the novel and eventually they were the key to taking her home to her aunt and uncle.
L. Frank Baum was a pioneer author in the early 20th century when he created a strong, independent female protagonist. Baum was “committed to the cause of women’s rights” (178) and transferred that commitment into his writing with the creation of Dorothy and Glinda, both examples of positive female heroines. Even though Dorothy is a young girl, she manages to save the lives of her closest friends, the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Woodman, rescue the Winkies and Munchkins from enslavement, kills a wicked witch, and exposes a corruption in government. Dorothy is so beloved by readers because she is not extremely intelligent nor has magical powers, but she is a normal girl. She’s a reminder for children everywhere that with determination and friendship, they can overcome any obstacle. She is sensible, gregarious, and deeply attached to her friends and family who inspire her to pursue her goals. Dorothy is a great role model for impressionable children. Dorothy does not undergo a drastic character change in her journey because she is already a wonderful person. She is driven by her undying love for her family and her home and reminds us all that “no matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home” (33).
find joy in depressive settings and whose optimistic personality is engaging and addictive. Dorothy’s unending love for her companion Toto causes her to risk her life in her attempt to save Toto’s when a cyclone hits her family’s farm. Dorothy remains strong and calm in the eye of the cyclone, even though her house is literally flying through the air. Her courageous nature combined with her childlike innocence creates an appealing nature for all children to aspire to. Dorothy remains trapped in the Cyclone for several hours until her house is transported to the magical land of Oz. Dorothy comes from the dark, dreary plains of Kansas where color was nonexistent and a melancholy mood was prevalent throughout. But then, she is transported to the magical land of Oz where vibrant colors and liveliness prevails. She is stunned by the sight of “lovely patches of green sward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits…[and] a small, brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks” (10). The Land of Oz is the manifestation of a child’s expansive imagination. It is a vibrant land where a plethora of vivid colors envelops all the magical creatures who live there.
Oz is the perfect place for children to dream about and explore in the minds, for it is a land where good prevails over evil and children have the power to change the world. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a beloved children’s book not only because of its fantastical setting, but also because of its message that good triumphs evil. Dorothy is the quintessential heroine due to her innocence and optimistic outlook and benevolent nature. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, there is a clear line between good and evil, divided by the cardinal directions. To the north and the south, reside the good witches of Oz, and to the east and the west reside the wicked witches of Oz. Dorothy upsets this balance when she arrives in Oz and unintentionally kills the Wicked Witch of the East with her house. This act tips the scales in favor of good and eventually all evil is beaten in the story. Dorothy is able to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, the Wizard of Oz, the flying monkeys, and the Quadlings because she “is protected by the power of good, and that is greater than the power of evil” (124). When the good witch of the north kisses Dorothy
on the forehead, she gives her a mark of protection, one that no evil can defeat. The Wicked Witch of the West is unable to harm Dorothy because of her purity. Dorothy is the manifestation of a perfect heroine. She is distraught when the Wizard of Oz tells her to kill the Wicked Witch of the West because she knows that murder is an evil crime. In an act of passion, however, she throws the bucket of water upon the witch and is “truly frightened to see the Witch actually melting away like brown sugar before her very eyes” (154). Her act is unintentional as she profusely apologizes for the murder and feels genuine remorse over killing the wicked witch. Throughout the novel, the good characters repeatedly defeat any evils in Oz. The evil in Oz is represented by the stereotypical Wicked Witch who enslaved the Winkies but is also represented in the Wizard of Oz’s deceitful and cunning nature. When Dorothy discovers who Oz is and shames him into leaving, Baum is creating a message that those who lie and cheat will never succeed. All evil is abolished by the end of the story with the death of the Wicked Witch and the expulsion of Oz. Dorothy and her companions are rewarded for their heroic acts and good natures. Glinda exemplifies good through her wisdom and benevolence, showing Dorothy the way home; helping the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion realize their true callings; and freeing the Winged Monkeys from the Golden Cap. The Lion, formerly known as the Cowardly Lion, becomes the King of the Beasts and realizes that he was courageous all along. The “brainless” Scarecrow becomes the real leader of Oz after expelling the deceitful “wizard,” and the Tin Woodman becomes the benevolent ruler of the Winkies. In the second chapter, The Council with The Munchkins, the good witch of the north rewards Dorothy by giving her the silver shoes that were once worn by the Wicked Witch of the East. This transfer of power symbolizes the victory of good over evil throughout the land of Oz. Dorothy treasured those shoes throughout the rest of the novel and eventually they were the key to taking her home to her aunt and uncle.
L. Frank Baum was a pioneer author in the early 20th century when he created a strong, independent female protagonist. Baum was “committed to the cause of women’s rights” (178) and transferred that commitment into his writing with the creation of Dorothy and Glinda, both examples of positive female heroines. Even though Dorothy is a young girl, she manages to save the lives of her closest friends, the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Woodman, rescue the Winkies and Munchkins from enslavement, kills a wicked witch, and exposes a corruption in government. Dorothy is so beloved by readers because she is not extremely intelligent nor has magical powers, but she is a normal girl. She’s a reminder for children everywhere that with determination and friendship, they can overcome any obstacle. She is sensible, gregarious, and deeply attached to her friends and family who inspire her to pursue her goals. Dorothy is a great role model for impressionable children. Dorothy does not undergo a drastic character change in her journey because she is already a wonderful person. She is driven by her undying love for her family and her home and reminds us all that “no matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home” (33).