Transcript Document
Is The Wizard of Oz a musical fantasy or a “parable on Populism”? L. Frank Baum The Author of The Wizard of Oz In favor of many Populist movements Political views may have influenced writing Helped produce a musical which was the premise for the 1939 MGM musical What is Populism? Populists in late nineteenth century America wanted to help the common people They advocated measures that would help farmers and laborers They supported the free coinage of silver The Populist metaphors can be found in… •Settings •Key Objects •Characters KANSAS IN THE LATE 1800s Farmer discontent and Populist politics were concentrated in Kansas Suffering from a drought—many farmers going through hard times Farmers wanted the free coinage of silver to help them out of debt •Shown in a sepia wash •Dorothy wants out— “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Bright and colorful “Oz”= ounce Silver is measured in ounces THE EMERALD CITY •Main political city of Oz •Symbolizes the national capital, as well as paper money CYCLONE •Cyclones used in many Populist political cartoons •Some pamphlets compared the depression of the 1890s to a cyclone Dorothy’s house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, and she gets… The Ruby Slippers •Originally silver •Changed to ruby because of color technology •Symbolize the power of the silver movement The Yellow Brick Road Represents balance between silver and gold movements Journey on road is dangerous—gold standard might not be wise DOROTHY •Common people •From a Kansas farm •Does not see the power of slippers at first THE SCARECROW Represents farmers Farmers thought to be ignorant—looking for a brain Shows common sense throughout the story—has always had a brain Shows belief that farmers were not as ignorant as wealthy people thought THE TIN MAN •Industrial workers •Wants a heart—dehumanized •Physically strong, hollow inside •Stuck when the found him—workers felt trapped in an economic rut THE COWARDLY LION •Represents William Jennings Bryan—Populist leader •Looking for courage—Bryan thought to be a coward by some •Possessed courage all along WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST Stands for wealthy people of the East favoring gold currency Symbolic of big businesses and corporation who also wanted gold standard Dorothy kills her—defeats people who wanted gold currency WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST •Personification of harsh natural forces of west, such as the drought •Dorothy’s main adversary—present throughout entire story •Uses nature to hurt Dorothy and friends •Poppy field •Flying monkeys She is killed by water, just like a drought THE WIZARD •Represents leadership during the depression •Government seemed powerless •Uses hot air balloon (as did many cartoons) •Wizard is from Kansas, like Dorothy