Chronicles Of Glinda

Who and what is Ozma?

Servant boy or Princess?

L. Frank Baum’s second Oz book, The Marvelous Land of Oz, introduces us to the wicked Mombi’s servant boy, Tip. But Tip is not at all what he appears to be. He is much, much more than a servant boy. Actually, as it turns out, he is not a boy at all. He is a beautiful young princess named Ozma whom Mombi has transformed into a boy. She has also afflicted him (or her) with amnesia, so he (or she) doesn’t remember who he (or she) is. In truth, Ozma is the rightful ruler of Oz. She should be sitting on the throne of the Emeral City.

How did Mombi get her hands on her in the first place?

This is where Mr. Baum’s story takes a rather dark turn. Years before he met Dorothy, the humbug Wizard secretly delivered the little girl Ozma to Mombi with instructions to hide her so she could not threaten his throne. According to Mr. Baum, the Wizard visited Mombi three times.

Happily, with a lot of help from Glinda the Good, the spell is broken, Ozma is restored to her rightful form, and becomes Queen of Oz, just like she should have been in the first place.

Wizard’s Voice

In my new book, The Lost Wizard of Oz, Glinda is forced to visit Mombi’s miserable little hovel where she meets the boy, Tip. She puzzles over his delicate, almost girlish appearance and wonders how such a boy could come to be living with crude, wicked old Mombi. Unfortunately, the good witch does not have time to consider the matter very thoroughly. She is there on urgent business.

She has hired Strigand Nightflyer to help her find the missing Wizard of Oz. But the Wizard has flown off in his balloon. How can anybody track someone through the air? Fortunately, Mombi has just what Glinda needs: A little bottle containing the Wizard’s voice. Strigand assures Glinda this will enable him to find the Wizard. Glinda accepts his word on this but is curious as to how Mombi came to have the voice. Mombi isn’t talking.

When Glinda opens the bottle, she clearly hears the Wizard say, “Take care of her. I’ll be back for her someday.”

Glinda is puzzled. “Take care of who?” I wonder. In time, she will learn the answer to the mystery of the missing Princess Ozma…

What Is the Wizard of Oz’s Real Name?

In my new book, The Lost Wizard of Oz, Glinda always calls the little humbug wizard, “Oscar.” Why is that?

In the original story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum does not tell us the little Wizard’s real name. He is just called “Oz.” Nobody asks his real name, and he doesn’t offer it. It is not until the fourth Oz book, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, that we finally learn his name.

In that book, Ozma has reclaimed her rightful place on her family’s throne. The Wizard has returned to Oz and Ozma wishes to meet him. In the interview that follows, she asks him the following question: “Please tell me, Mr. Wizard, whether you called yourself Oz after this great country, or whether you believe my country is called Oz after you.”

Notice that she, herself, doesn’t know and nobody in her court offers to answer the question for her. Funnily enough, the Wizard does not answer her question either. Instead, he tells her a little story about where he is from and what his actual name is. It seems his father was a politician who named him “Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmanuel Ambroise Diggs.” Altogether, that means his initials were O.Z.P.I.N.H.E.A.D. You can imagine the kind of trouble a name like that would give a child growing up. Who wants a nickname like “Pinhead”?

The Wizard’s Arrival in the Land.

As a young man, Oscar joined a circus and billed himself as a Wizard. He called himself “Oz” (Oscar Zoroaster). After a while he incorporated ballon ascensions into his act and had the word “OZ” painted on his balloon. One day, his ballon was swept away and brought to a magical land where he was accepted as a great Wizard and eventually declared himself king.

So What’s in a Name?

What’s in a name? In this case, quite a bit. Ozma explains that “Oz” means “Great and Good.” The kings of her family had historically taken the word “Oz” as a title, or “Ozma” in the case of a queen. She suggests the reason the people accepted him as their ruler was because of his adopted name. For him, that was a remarkable stroke of good fortune.

A Little Deceptive, Maybe?

Oscar ruled the Land of Oz for many years (we are never told how many). In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, it looks like the Wizard decided to leave Oz because he was tired of keeping up the deception of being a great wizard. However, in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, he claims he left because he missed his native city of Omaha and longed to return home. All of that homesickness seems to disappear when Ozma invites him to live with her in the palace. That is a pretty good retirement gig.

How Many Television Shows, Movies, And Plays Have Been Developed on The Wizard of Oz Theme?

During the Christmas season, my family has a tradition of watching numerous versions of Charles Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol. There are dozens and dozens of film adaptations of this classic tale of redemption. I think, though I cannot prove, that it is the only book ever written that can compete with L. Frank Baums’ The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as having more film adaptations to its credit.

Below, we have compiled a list of plays, movies and television shows based on or which heavily infer a relationship to the Wizard of Oz universe.

So, what do you think? Are there more Wizard of Oz or more Christmas Carol adaptations?

We would love to hear from you.

Merry Christmas from the Wonder World of Oz!

Films Inspired by The Wizard of Oz

Some notable film adaptations include:

The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays (September 1908). A multimedia silent film presented by L. Frank Baum.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (March 1910). The first proper movie version is a 15-minute short film.

The Wizard of Oz (June 1933). The first animated adaptation of the classic story.

***The Wizard of Oz (August 1939). The iconic film starring Judy Garland.

The Wiz (October 1978). A musical adaptation directed by Sidney Lumet, featuring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

The Wizard of Oz (July 1982). An anime adaptation by TOHO Animation Studio.

Return to Oz (June 1985). A darker sequel produced by Walt Disney Pictures.

Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz (August 2011). A crossover featuring the beloved cartoon characters.

Oz the Great and Powerful (March 2013). A prequel directed by Sam Raimi, starring James Franco.

Wicked (November 2024). An adaptation of the popular Broadway musical starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

TV Shows with Direct or Indirect Connections to Oz

Here’s a list of TV shows with direct or indirect connections to Oz:

  • The Muppet Show (1976–1981). Features various Oz-inspired sketches and characters.
  • Tin Man (2007). A sci-fi miniseries reimagining the Oz story with a dark twist.
  • Once Upon a Time (2011–2018). Incorporates characters and elements from The Wizard of Oz in its narrative.
  • Emerald City (2017). A gritty reimagining of the Oz tale, which tells the story of Dorothy’s involvement in an Ozian war.
  • Oz (1997–2003). A drama set in a fictional prison, indirectly inspired by the themes of The Wizard of Oz.
  • The Wonderful World of Disney: The Wizard of Oz (1998). A television adaptation of the classic film featuring various performers.
  • Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2014–2015). An animated series depicting Dorothy’s adventures in Oz.
  • Wicked City (2015). While not directly related, it plays on the dark themes found in Wicked.
  • The Oz Kids (1996–1997). An animated series featuring the next generation of characters from Oz.

Stage Productions Inspired by Oz

Here’s a list of stage productions inspired by Oz:

  • Wicked(2003). A musical that tells the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda the Good Witch.
  • The Wizard of Oz (Various adaptations). Stage adaptations of the classic story featuring music and choreography inspired by the original film.
  • The Wiz (1975). A musical reimagining of The Wizard of Oz with an all-Black cast, blending R&B, gospel, and soul music.
  • The Marvelous Land of Oz (2011). A musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s sequel to The Wizard of Oz focuses on new characters and adventures.
  • Oz: The Musical(2009). A contemporary musical that explores the characters and themes of Oz through original songs.
  • The Wizard of Oz: A New Musical (2007). A fresh adaptation featuring new songs and a modern twist on the classic tale.
  • The Wizard of Oz: The Musical (2011). A family-friendly adaptation that expands on the original story with music and dance.
  • The Tin Woman (2012). A play inspired by the Tin Man’s story, exploring themes of love and loss in a contemporary setting.

Oz-themed Video Games

Here is a list of video games based on the Wizard of Oz. This is something I don’t think anybody has ever done with A Christmas Carol. t

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road (2007). A role-playing game for the Nintendo DS that offers a unique take on the Oz story.

The Wizard of Oz: The Land of Oz (2000). An adventure game that follows Dorothy’s journey through Oz with puzzles and mini-games.

L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz (1993). A classic point-and-click adventure game for PC, based on the original book.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2009). A hidden object game that allows players to explore various locations from the Oz universe.

Oz: The Great and Powerful (2013). A game inspired by the film, featuring action-adventure gameplay set in the world of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz: Match 3 Game (2015). A mobile puzzle game that combines match-3 mechanics with characters and themes from Oz.

Oz: The Great and Powerful — The Game (2013). A mobile game based on the film, featuring various challenges and character interactions.

Dorothy’s Adventure (2010). A platform game that takes players on a quest through the magical land of Oz.

Conclusion

The enduring allure of The Wizard of Oz has sparked a remarkable array of adaptations across television, film, and theater.

From classic films like the iconic 1939 version to innovative stage productions like Wicked, the story continues to inspire creativity.

Each interpretation brings a unique perspective, ensuring that the magic of Oz remains relevant and beloved by audiences of all ages, showcasing its timeless appeal and cultural significance.

What Is Empedocles, A Twenty-Five-Hundred-Year-Old Greek Philosopher, Doing Under the Poisonous Desert Surrounding the Land of Oz?

Empedocles was a Greek philosopher who was born about twenty years before Socrates. He lived and taught on the Island of Sicily. He was the first philosopher to develop the idea of the universe being made up of the four classical elements: earth, water, air, and fire.

As an old man, he went a little mad, believing he had become a god because of his great wisdom. He is said to have died when he threw himself into Mount Etna, a live volcano, to prove his deity.

The “God of Earth”?

In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” Glinda discovers Empedocles living in isolation beneath the poisonous desert which surrounds the Land of Oz. He has apparently been granted his wish and has become immortal. He fashions himself to be a god, specifically the “God of Earth,” one of the four elements. He is extremely powerful, possibly even more powerful than Glinda herself.

Worse yet, he is still quite mad, unpredictable, and smitten with Glinda, seeing her as a likely candidate for romance. We can understand this when we consider the fact that he has not seen a woman in some twenty-five hundred years.

Glinda’s bodyguard, a bounty hunter named Strigand, is having none of this and plants himself firmly between the two. For her part, Glinda sees the advantage of recruiting Empedocles in her quest to find the little lost wizard who disappeared from the Land of Oz when he sailed away in his balloon.

Might not a little flirtation serve her purposes? She will certainly not be the first woman in authority to have used her charms to manipulate powerful but unstable men to her advantage.

Is there help for Empedocles?

Empedocles is a complex and conflicted character. He is narcissistic and arrogant, yet also desperately lonely after centuries of isolation. Haunted by the possibility that his immortality is a punishment for his pride, Empedocles struggles to find a way to repent and redeem himself.

Glinda may be the only one who can help guide the ancient philosopher toward the redemption he so deeply craves. Her intervention could be Empedocles’ last chance to find peace after millennia of solitary torment.

What are some of the lands beyond Oz like?

In L. Frank Baum’s original book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the Land of Oz is surrounded by the terrible Poisonous Desert. Over five hundred years ago, the Fairies created the beautiful Land of Oz. To protect it from the outside world, they surrounded the land with the vast Poisonous Desert. They intended the desert to protect Oz from evil influences.

In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” we take up the story just after the so-called “Great and Powerful” Wizard of Oz has flown away in his balloon, leaving poor Dorothy behind. Glinda discovers he has taken the most powerful magical talisman in the Land with him.

She hires a bounty hunter named Strigand to track down the missing wizard and get the talisman back. To Glinda’s dismay, Strigand discovers the wizard has crossed the desert. This means they will have to leave Oz to find him.

Surprisingly, this does not bother Strigand in the least. He calmly tells her, “I am widely traveled, my lady. There’s a lot of world beyond Oz.” His words suggest that there are many undiscovered lands and adventures waiting to be explored.

These quotes spark the imagination and invite readers to envision the rich and diverse landscapes that lie beyond the Land of Oz, promising a wealth of new tales and mysteries ready to be unraveled.

Many of the lands beyond Oz are just as remarkable as Oz itself. In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” we catch glimpses of these intriguing places. For instance, we find that a powerful witch named Brannagh, who calls herself Queen of the Dark Heart, rules one such land, far to the west of Oz.

As if Oz didn’t have enough problems within its borders, this new threat has hired the Gnomes to dig a tunnel into Winkie Land, the westernmost kingdom in Oz.

Permeability of Oz’s Borders

In the original Oz books by L. Frank Baum, the barriers surrounding the Land of Oz are not as impenetrable as they may seem. Throughout the series, various characters are able to devise clever methods to cross the desert and reach the lands beyond Oz and vice versa.

This allows for a great deal of interaction and exchange between the magical land of Oz and the wider world, opening up intriguing narrative possibilities.

What Lies Beyond the Land of Oz

Kingdom of Ix and the Land of Ev. L. Frank Baum wrote a “non-Oz” book called “Queen Zixi of Ix” (1905), which features both the Kingdom of Ix and the Land of Ev, which are both to the north of Oz, across the Poisonous Desert. However, “Queen Zixi of Ix” has no connection to the Oz books.

The Island of Pingaree. Mr. Baum’s tenth book in the Oz series was “Rinkitink of Oz” (1916). Almost none of the action takes place in Oz. Rather, the story is set on the Island of Pingaree, which is in the ocean near Oz but still across the poisonous desert. Toward the end of the book, Dorothy travels from Oz to help rescue the royal family of Pingaree, who are being held captive by the wicked Gnomes.

Land of the Gnomes. The Gnomes are the best-known and most formidable of all the enemies of Oz. They appear in numerous Oz stories, both in the original Baum canon and in several Oz books written by other authors.

The “Real” World: Oz appears disconnected from the everyday world, with Dorothy’s home in Kansas on the other side of the desert. In fact, we are never told where the real world is in relation to the Land of Oz. Apparently, it is somewhere over the rainbow.

Who and what is Tip, Mombi’s servant boy?

The little boy Tip first appears in L. Frank Baum’s second Oz book, “The Marvelous Land of Oz.” Tip has been in Mombi’s service for as long as he can remember. In fact, that is all he can remember. The boy’s past is shrouded in mystery, piquing our curiosity. What circumstances led him to become Mombi’s servant, and what secrets might he harbor?

One can’t help but wonder about Tip’s relationship with the sinister Mombi. Is he merely a dutiful, if somewhat reluctant, helper, or is there something more going on?

Peculiar Turn of Events

As it turns out, Tip is not really a boy at all. He is really Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of all the Land of Oz. She has been bewitched by Mombi at the insistence of the “Great and Powerful” Wizard of Oz. Of course, Glinda the Good Witch of the South helps rescue Tip/Ozma and restores her memory and original form.

The new book, “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” is set between the events described in the first and second Oz books. This new book describes Glinda’s first meeting with Tip. Glinda is looking for the little wizard who has flown away with a powerful talisman. She needs to find him and get it back. She reluctantly visits Mombi’s miserable little hovel, seeking information, which she gets.

Little Tip answers the door and greets the Good Witch. Glinda is taken aback by the child’s delicate and almost “girlish” appearance. How could such a child come to be living with crude, wicked old Mombi? She will have to investigate this later. First, she has to find the Wizard.

The Character of a Worthy “Princess”

A person’s character is shown by the way they handle the problems life throws at them. Tip really Ozma shows many excellent character traits we would like to see in a leader.

Resilient: Despite his difficult circumstances and the harsh treatment he receives from Mombi, Tip remains strong.

Curious: Tip is inquisitive, always exploring and seeking to understand the world around him.

Resourceful: He is clever and quick-thinking, often finding ways to navigate challenges and tricky situations.

Loyal: Despite his hardships, Tip shows a sense of loyalty, which is especially evident in his interactions and concern for others like Glinda.

Courageous: Tip demonstrates bravery, particularly in standing up to Mombi and facing the unknown.

Kind-hearted: He possesses a good heart, often showing compassion and empathy towards others.

Independent: Tip has a strong sense of independence, surviving and adapting to a harsh environment.

Determined: His determination is evident in his actions and decisions, driving him to seek a better life and understand his past.

If Glinda the Good is the Witch of the South, who is the Witch of the North?

Everybody thinks Glinda is the Good Witch of the North. This is because of how she is portrayed in the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.” However, in L. Frank Baum’s original book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Glinda is the Good Witch of the South, not the North. The Good Witch of the North is Glinda’s little sister. She is the one who sends Dorothy on her way to see the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz.

In the book, Glinda doesn’t even meet Dorothy until the very end of the story. It is she who sends Dorothy home with the magical slippers, which by the way, were silver, not ruby.

The Witch of the North’s Foolish Act.

In his original book, Mr. Baum is a little vague about who the Witch of the North is. She only appears in the first of his fourteen Oz books, and he never explicitly names her. However, we get a hint as to her identity in that first book. Mr. Baum briefly mentions a powerful witch who lives in the northern part of Oz.

Her name is Gayelette. It turns out she bears a grudge against the flying monkeys. They play a prank on her fiancé. As punishment, Gayelette creates the Golden Cap. This cap gives whoever possesses it the power to command the monkeys three times.

Little did Gayelette suspect that the Golden Cap would fall into the hands of the Wicked Witch of the West, who would use it to cause so much trouble for Oz in general and Dorothy in particular.

In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” we begin to see how Gayelette’s actions drained a great deal of her power, youth, and beauty. That is why Gayelette is a little old woman while her older sister, Glinda, retains her youth and beauty even though she is five hundred years old. Revenge always comes with a very high price.

Glinda’s Sweet Relationship with Gayelette

Despite her failings, Glinda loves her sister dearly and supports her as the Witch of the North. As children, Glinda helped train Gayelette in the magical arts. In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” Glinda recalls a story from their childhood.

“When my baby sister, Gayelette, was born, she exhibited her own variety of magic. I remember trying to give her a bath once. Gayelette loved the water, and the water certainly seemed to love her. She didn’t just sit in the tub splashing and kicking like some children. Not Gayelette. She would make water spouts and whirlpools by waving her little hands in the air. The oddest thing was that she never needed to be dried off. We’d pull her out of the water, and she’d be as dry as bone, but she’d be clean.”

This early display of Gayelette’s magical prowess foreshadowed her profound connection with the elements, making her a powerful and intriguing figure in the northern lands of Oz. Even now, they share a profound bond as sisters. Together, they struggle to maintain the balance of magic in their enchanted world.

Learning from Her Mistakes.

Gayelette does not become bitter about the loss of her youth and beauty. Rather, she learns from her mistakes and embraces her new role as the Land of Oz’s warm and loving Grandmother. Her kindness and approachability make her a comforting presence in the northern lands of Oz.

The Role of Dialogue in the Wizard of Oz

Enhancing Character Development Through Dialogue

Have you ever watched an old science fiction movie from the 1950s? I remember watching those as a kid and being bugged by how they would start the movie with several minutes of narration explaining what was going on before the action actually started. That was so dull! I would listen to it and wonder why they didn’t just have the actors talk to one another about what was going on. That would have been much more interesting.

Advancing the Plot with Conversational Clues

Dialogue should be used to guide us through a story. It moves the plot forward.

Through dialogue, good writers place hints, foreshadowing, and subtle revelations that pique the reader’s curiosity, keeping them engaged.

Good stories, and I mean all good stories, are based on conversations and interactions between the characters in the stories. Consider L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Most of the action is driven by conversations between Dorothy and the people she meets.

Dorothy and the Good Witch of the North:  “Oh what shall I ever do? How will I get home?” The Good Witch tells her to see the great Wizard and off she goes down the yellow brick road.

Dorothy and the Scarecrow:  “I wish there was some way to get out of this cornfield.” This leads to a charming conversation during which Dorothy suggests he go with her to see the Wizard to get a brain.

Dorothy and the Tin Woodman: “Get an oil can!” This is followed by the story of how he came to be made of tin and how he lost his heart in the process. Dorothy invites him along to see the Wizard too.

Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion:  “Don’t you dare bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You’re nothing but a big coward.” This leads to the Lion’s confession of his own cowardice. True to her kindly nature, Dorothy invites the Lion along as well.

And on and on.

Making us care

In these conversations, we see Dorothy revealed as kind, caring, and self-sacrificing. As the story progresses, we find that she is more concerned about her friends getting their wishes granted than she is about taking care of her own needs.

That’s why we love her!

We would rather hear the characters in a book talk about a problem than read a narrative describing the problem. It’s much more interesting that way and we develop an affinity with the characters, even though they don’t really exist. Dialogue doesn’t just give us information; it gives us a feel for the character and makes us care about them.

Balancing Dialogue and Narrative for Effective Storytelling

Of course, you’ve got to have some narrative as well. Like a graceful dance, storytelling demands a harmonious balance between dialogue and narrative, each complementing the other and never stepping on each other’s toes. Mr. Baum understood when to allow the characters to speak, their voices carrying the story forward, and when to describe the action from the narrator’s perspective.

Just how immortal were the Gnomes in the Wizard of Oz books? Is immortality all it’s cracked up to be?

In L. Frank Baum’s original Wizard of Oz series of books, the Gnomes (spelled “Nomes” by Mr. Baum) are a nasty breed of creatures who live to the east of the Land of Oz, across the Poisonous Desert. This places them opposite of Munchkin Land, former home of the Wicked Witch of the East. The Gnomes first appear in the third book of the original series, “Ozma of Oz” (1907).

One of their more peculiar traits is their absolute immortality. It is almost impossible to kill them, except for touching them with the inside part of an egg. Very weird, that. Now mind you, we never actually see a Gnome hit with an egg so we can’t prove it would kill them. Nevertheless, the narrator assures us this is a fact.

Understanding Immortality in Baum’s Oz

The hope of immortality has fascinated philosophers, religionists, storytellers, and story readers for centuries. In the Land of Oz, immortality takes on some unique features that don’t normally appear in our thinking about the subject.  For example, in the sixth book of Mr. Baum’s series, “The Emerald City of Oz,” we see an officer in the Gnome Army, sentenced to “death” by his King Roquat for refusing to obey orders. Roquat has the soldier sliced into thin pieces with a very sharp knife. However, each piece of the poor fellow remains alive. Next, Roquat has the pieces fed to a pack of ravenous seven-headed dogs. We are given no word as to whether the soldier ever actually dies. Personally, I can’t quite wrap my head around that one.

The Dark Side of Living Forever

The Reverend Billy Graham once said, “Eternal death lasts just as long as eternal life.” What Billy meant was that people either go to a terrible hell forever or they go to a blessed heaven forever, depending on the choices they make about Jesus Christ in this life. The Gnome sliced up and fed to the dogs might have an interesting perspective on that, don’t you think?

The Gnome King’s Eternal Reign?

At the heart of the Gnome Kingdom lies the Gnome King, Roquat. He may be immortal, but his reign is not necessarily eternal. The Gnome world is in a constant state of turmoil because of their obnoxious, greedy, selfish nature. In my new book, “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” we see a Gnome Chieftain by the name of Rockpounder, working on a plan to overthrow his king. Read the book and discover how this works out for him.

Conclusion

The Gnomes give us a lens through which we can look at some of the trickier aspects of immortality. Their eternal existence serves as a metaphor for the human condition, a reflection of our desires to transcend mortality’s limitations.

Explore the Symbolism of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz Series. Was It a Commentary on Social Problems of The Time or Just a Fanciful Bit of Storytelling?

America’s Gilded Age

L. Frank Baum’s original story “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1900) is set in the heart of America’s “Gilded Age” (1870-1910). The Industrial Revolution had given rise to a new wealthy class of people with names like Vanderbilt, Morgan, Ford, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. Massive fortunes were made very quickly and spent on lavish lifestyles.

Symbolism in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Mr. Baum’s story about a little girl and her friends is more than just a charming fairytale. Many see it as an allegory of American life in the late 19th century.  Consider the following:

Dorothy: This innocent little girl is pulled out of her mundane Kansas farm life. She represents average Americans, just trying to get by in life. She is kind, hard-working, uncomplaining, brave, and determined. She puts most of us modern day Americans to shame.

The Scarecrow: This fellow symbolizes the struggling farmers of the Midwest who were looked down upon by the more educated Easterners. He is a real country bumpkin. In the book, he describes himself as brainless, but throughout the book he demonstrates common sense and cleverness as he helps Dorothy along the way. The Scarecrow embodies the resilience and resourcefulness of the American farmer.

The Tin Woodman:  The man of tin represents mistreated factory workers who are victims of the Industrial Revolution. He is neglected and has been left to rust with no one to care for him. As American industry treats workers as soulless automatons, so the Tin Woodman declares he has no heart. However, in the story, we see him as even more tender-hearted than Dorothy, worried that he might step on a bug.

The Cowardly Lion:  The Lion represents politicians who roar boldly and bravely but are as timid as mice. They strut about trying to impress others with their power but are, in reality, ineffectual and disappointing. Under Dorothy’s influence, even this hopeless coward begins to show signs of true courage.

 

The Gilded Age in Oz: A Reflection of American Society

Baum’s story is a mirror held up to the Gilded Age, reflecting the stark contrasts and inequalities that plagued American society in the late 1890s.

The Emerald City’s opulence starkly contrasts the humble existence of the Munchkins, and Dorothy herself. It is a moving commentary on the widening gap between the wealthy elite and the struggling masses.

The triumph of the American Spirit.

Through his charming characters, Mr. Baum develops a delightful story that exposes some of the flaws of American society. More importantly, the book is about the triumph of the American Spirit over adversity. This is not a story about a pathetic little girl wallowing in her own despair waiting for someone to help her. Dorothy faces her problems head on and overcomes them through grit and determination, all the while maintaining her kindly, humble nature.