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. He wrote thirteen additional oz books, and the film. 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 wizard of oz an allegory author unknown an allegory parable is the expression of truths about human conduct and experience by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions. Why is the wizard of oz a example of allegory answers. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale as an allegory or metaphor. Author and oz series originator lyman frank baum may 15, 1856may 5, 1919 had his first book published under different titles such as the new wizard of oz, the wizard of oz, and the wonderful. I have to say, though, that todays book, no space like home is by far the best. The populist movement was an electoral attempt by farmers and. The book, therefore, is supposedly an allegory of these historical events making the information easier to understand.
The wizard of oz was about the gold standard the reformed. And it turns out that the wizard of oz is full of hidden political symbolism, which sometimes seems barely hidden at all. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz wikipedia. Many people are not aware that the wonderful wizard of oz is suspected to have referenced several political issues of the late 1800s.
The wizard of oz, metrogoldwynmayers 1939 musical version of l. The wonderful wizard of oz 1939, like many fairy tales depicting a series of fantastic adventures, is really the story of an individuals inner journeya story of personality integration and coming of age. Frank baums book the wonderful wizard of oz, upon which the movie is based, was a political allegory for. In said book, dorothy represents traditional american values. Religious allegory over the decades, the wizard of oz has been seen by many christians and used often in sermons see here for one example as an allegory of faith. Youre off to read the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz. The wizard of oz film symbols, allegory and motifs. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american history.
Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, however, is not only a childs tale but also a sophisticated commentary on the political and economic debates of the populist era. Frank baums book the wonderful wizard of oz is an allegory for the populist movement in america at the turn of the 20th century. In the book, a cyclone appears to come and takes dorothy and toto to this magical land named the land of oz. May 30, 2014 turns out the book and movie may be an economic fairy tale about america in the late 1800s and gold. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the. You may think you know this one cold, but even if youve seen the movie a thousand times, youre in for a few surprises. In the book and the play the shoes are silver, not ruby as they were famously depicted in the 1939 film. In an article entitled the wizard of oz as a monetary allegory 1990, hugh rockoff examined the analogies between baums use of imagery and the monetary politics of the populist era.
More recently, however, a number of authors have argued that the wizard of oz is not a children book at all, but rather a populist allegory about the us monetary debates of the last quarter of the 19 th century. In fact, the library of congress has stated that the film is the mostwatched movieever. In the original book, the wonderful wizard of oz, by frank baum, published 39 years before the movie came out in 1939, and three years before the crash, the slippers were not rubyred, but silver. Oct 03, 2014 for many years, the wizard of oz retained its status as purely a modern classic of the children literature. He wrote thirteen additional oz books, and the film adaptation staring judy garland was released in 1939. The wizard of oz as a satirical allegory of money and politics in 1900. The wizard of oz is more than just a childrens story. Frank baums classic childrens novel the wonderful wizard of oz was published in 1900. The movie, starring judy garland, bert lahr, ray bolger, and company, is an annual television ritual.
Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, however, is not only a childs tale but also a sophisticated commentary on. It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title the wizard of oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 broadway. The wonderful wizard of oz is too long to be a parable and not quite didactic enough to be an allegory. Author and oz series originator lyman frank baum may 15, 1856may 5, 1919 had his first book published under different titles such as the new wizard of.
Frank baums classic as a political and monetary allegory 9780275974190. What is the example of allegory in the wizard of oz answers. Frank baums book was penned in 1900 following unrest in the agriculture arena read. It turns out dorothys house landed and killed the wicked witch of the east. Lobby card from the original 1939 release of the wizard of oz. 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.
Frank baums book the wonderful wizard of oz, upon which the movie is based, was a political allegory. Oct 26, 2018 so obsessed was the era with this policy debate that a line of scholarship in the latter half of the 20th century argues the wellknown childrens book, the wizard of oz originally titled the wonderful wizard of oz, is an allegory of the eras political conflict over bimetallism. This book takes on a wizard of oz allegory with both futuristicspacetravel fun, and the good shepherd into. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz. 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. Frank baum wrote the childrens fantasy book the wonderful wizard of oz in 1900. Unlike the childrens book, the movie was not an immediate sensation. It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title the wizard of oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 broadway musical adaptation as well as the iconic 1939 liveaction film.
I especially enjoyed the movie on the scifi network a few years decades back. Over the years, both book and movie have fueled a number of. The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory cameron school of. Five alternative readings the classic film was first shown 75 years ago. The wizard of oz also functions as a spiritual allegory, showing people how they can make miracles happen in even the most difficult of circumstances just by relying on the natural gifts they. Wizard of oz political allegory essay example graduateway. It was adapted into a broadway musical by baum in 1902, and then into its first. When the story begins, despite her good heart and the best of intentions, dorothy is not at all fitting in to life around herthis. Frank baum published his famous novel, the wonderful wizard of oz, in 1900, and underneath the surface of the story, with all its whimsy and childish delights, is what some literary historians claim is a very thinlyveiled allegory. The wonderful wizard of oz was, littlefield thought, a midwesterners vibrant and ironic portrait of this country as it entered the twentieth century. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american. Prices had fallen by about 22% over the previous 16 years, causing huge debt.
Frank baums classic childrens novel as an allegory of the gilded age political economy and a comment on the gold standard. Frank baum and first published in 1900 as an allegory or metaphor for the political, economic, and social events of america in the 1890s. Money and politics in the land of oz independent institute. The cyclone is supposed to represent the populist movement and the political upheaval it brought involving william jennings bryan, and the granger movement. Nov 18, 20 a segment of a much longer video analyzing frank baums childrens book from a current financial perspective. Jul 01, 2019 although the wizard of oz might be most famous today for the 1939 movie, starring judy garland, the book was originally written in the 1890s by author l. His reading of the book sees the wizard of oz as an allegory about american monetary policy of the time with implications for what came later as a result of conflict over maintaining the gold standard and the free silver movement of the day. Sep 24, 2018 i often refer to an actual appearance of god as being something im sure some religious group concocted while they remain hidden behind a curtain. In the book version of oz, dorothy treads the yellow brick road in silver shoes, not in ruby slippers. Frank baums 1900 childrens book the wonderful wizard of oz, is an american classic. Apr 05, 2017 frank baums classic childrens novel the wonderful wizard of oz was published in 1900. Hugh rockoff of rutgers university, the wizard of oz as a. This popular and welldocumented reading sees the wizard of oz as.
The allegorical interpretation did not break into popular consciousness until 1964, when a high school history teacher named henry littlefield published an article titled the wizard of oz. Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, however, is not only a childs tale but also a sophisticated commentary on the political. Religious allegory over the decades, the wizard of oz has been seen by many christians and used often in sermons see here for one example as an allegory of. The real story of dorothy and the wizard of oz youtube. A segment of a much longer video analyzing frank baums childrens book from a current financial perspective. Is there a hidden political allegory in the wizard of oz. What is the deeper meaning of the wonderful wizard of oz by. The wonderful wizard of oz, perhaps americas favorite childrens story, is also an informed comment on the battle over free silver in the 1890s. The characters in the story represent real figures such as william jennings bryan. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale written by l. The symbolism of the wizard of oz came to light again recently after the famous filmmaker, bill still, produced a twohour documentary film, the secret of oz, in which he shakes up the existing economic paradigms and contends that the book contains a solution to the economic problems that plague this country. The wizard of oz is perhaps the bestloved american childrens story. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the wizard of oz.
Since then, there have been many interpretations, from religious allegory to an acid trip. But while the wizard of oz as a political satire makes fun of politics and the pomposity it breeds, there is something more to the book than just this. The historians wizard of oz synthesizes four decades of scholarly interpretations of l. Such was the movie the wizard of oz, an allegory of the state of affairs we now live in today.
Mar 17, 2009 thinking the great wizard of oz can grant her wish, she sets out to meet him with her beloved dog, toto, joined by a scarecrow, a tin woodman and a lion. The secret political symbolism you never knew was hidden. What i didnt know as a child most adults i meet are similarly oblivious is that l. America still had its gold at that time, and the value of 1 oz. Still, the main characters dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, and the lion embody traditional american values. By the time the book entered the public domain in 1956, the wonderful wizard of oz had sold three million copies. The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory journal of. Baum published the book in 1900, just after the us emerged from a period of deflation and depression.
61 439 274 697 1393 357 127 590 421 853 784 627 1496 400 244 1188 418 231 864 1155 1055 549 643 768 100 1135 248 422 46 60 259 1358 566 1013 179 1445 1459 929 83 276 614 988 1096 179 188 992 1235 1430