wizard of oz characters symbolism

They can move you forward in life, or bring you home. The Wizard of Oz (Film) study guide contains a biography of Richard Thorpe, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The Scarecrow represents farmers, The Tin Man represents industry (namely steel workers), and the Lion represents William Jennings Bryant, a populist American politician. The anti-authoritarian interpretation is consistent with the source material, which questioned blind allegiance to authority and tried to upend traditional fairy tales nearly 40 years earlier.
Political Symbolism – The Tornado represents political upheaval and the sweeping free silver monetary movement. Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. A brain or smarts would help him deal with all three. The steel workers who protested during the deadly 1892 Homestead labor strike at the Andrew Carnegie owned steel mill near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were a likely source of inspiration for the Tin Woodman character.

Littlefield pinpoints what he sees as symbols of monetary reform i.e., Dorothy’s silver shoes represent the silver standard, and the yellow brick road represents the gold standard. The yellow brick road, according to this interpretation, is meant to represent the "gold standard," while Dorothy's shoes (originally silver in Baum's books) were meant to represent silver. Given Baum’s admiration, shared philosophies and close relationship with his mother-in-law, one can safely speculate that Baum based the character of Dorothy on Matilda. Positive thinking was a prevalent trend in this period, and was the conduit by which Dorothy ultimately gets herself home. The cyclone was used by editorial cartoonists of the 1890s to represent political upheaval. Nevertheless, many people continue to find the overall theory persuasive. Yip Harburg, the lyricist for the 1939 film, was aware of the political background of the original story. In a little over a year, Baum’s quirky little shop went bankrupt and Baum was forced, once again, to search for another occupation and means to support his growing family. The north, the Gillikins, has the hills and lakes that Baum associated with his vacation home in Michigan. Dorothy and the Wizard’s head — from the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Bert Lahr in his costume as the Cowardly Lion in Victor Fleming’s 1939 ‘The Wizard of Oz’ The Cowardly Lion is, according to Littlefield, a representation of William Jennings Bryan, who was a hero of the Populist movement at the time. It is interesting to note that not all witches in Oz are bad.
Baum's theosophist mother-in-law, Matilda Gage, looms large. WIZARD OF OZ: Wikimedia Commons. The South, the Quadlings, has both hammerhead hillbillies and dainty china people.

portrayed the state's Populists as "wild-eyed, rattle-brained fanatic[s]" and "gibbering idiots." EMERALD CITY: While pondering upon my conversation, and also after watching and analyzing the documentary, I was struck by another curious thought. Perhaps the most autobiographical character is the Tin Man. Scarecrow: Thought to represent the Western farmers Those of you who communicate with me know that in my e-mail replies, I usually use this quote by Robertson Davies: "A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight." Various characters and themes in The Wizard of Oz seem to be ripped straight from the pages of Frank Baum's life. Silver Slippers: Silver relates to the monetary political issues So prepare for a crazy journey. When the Wicked Witch of the West tries to take them later on in the film, she is electrocuted, unable to take them from Dorothy.

Wikimedia Commons. Nor does the story's expected male hero, the decidedly charmless Oz, actually manage to rescue her.

(Matilda was initiated into the Iroquois Wolf Clan and received the name Karonienhawi which translates to “she who holds the sky”.) In keeping with Hindu and Buddhist teachings, theosophy's core principles include karma and reincarnation. At the end of the film, Glinda tells Dorothy that all she has to do to travel home is click the heels of the slippers together and remember home; here, the slippers take on a different symbolic meaning, representing Dorothy's powers to transport herself home whenever she wants, and the fact that she has had access to her desires all along. There are ways to do this. Reflecting on the film, he made it abundantly clear that the things he wanted to emphasize were the characters' "search for some basic human necessity" and the fact that life consists of "the images of things rather than the things themselves.". However, in Oz the Munchkins are all dressed similarly in blue, unlike these caricatures.Many of the events and characters of the book resemble the actual political personalities, events and ideas of the 1890s.

Everyone knows the story of Dorothy and her little dog Toto too. The glittering trappings of regal luxury. With or without Judy Garland's amazing singing, Baum's bizarre fairy tale will make you feel like you're way up high over the rainbow beyond the dark side of the moon. The story chronicles the adventures of a girl named Dorothy in the Land of Oz.

What does Miss Gulch present to the girl and her aunt and uncle? The plains of the South Dakota territory were hit by extreme weather, which included: multiple tornadoes, a devastating drought which culminated in a failed wheat crop. And Dorothy, represents the American individual, hope and ideals. Apart from references to people from Kansas, there is nothing in the book that is "modern" except the political references peppered in every chapter. The Question and Answer section for The Wizard of Oz (Film) is a great Matilda wrote to Baum, “Now you are a good writer and I advise you to try,” suggesting further, “If you could get up a series of adventures or a Dakota blizzard…or maybe bring in a cyclone from North Dakota.”. L Frank Baum with cowardly lion character inset. He also followed his mother-in-law's passion for witches. Moreover, Dorothy's shoes aren't ruby, and the journey isn't a dream despite nightmarish sequences. His finances limited, Baum completed the purchase of the newspaper in monthly installments.

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