Meaning Behind Meaning Behind the the Wizard of OzWizard of Oz

Adult Populism or Children’s FantasyAdult Populism or Children’s Fantasy

William Jennings BryanWilliam Jennings Bryan During that campaign During that campaign

Bryan gave the speech Bryan gave the speech that concluded: "You that concluded: "You shall not crucify shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of mankind upon a cross of gold“gold“

Thus, William Jennings Thus, William Jennings Bryan became the basis Bryan became the basis for the Cowardly Lion for the Cowardly Lion character, who had a character, who had a loud roar but little bite loud roar but little bite

The Working ClassThe Working Class Unemployment caused Unemployment caused

havoc, desperation and havoc, desperation and union militancy among union militancy among the urban working classthe urban working class

Lacking another trade, Lacking another trade, he "worked harder than he "worked harder than ever“ever“

The worker becomes The worker becomes like a machine, like a machine, incapable of loveincapable of love

The PopulistsThe Populists The Populists wanted The Populists wanted

government ownership government ownership and operation of the and operation of the railroads, a graduated railroads, a graduated income tax, and silver income tax, and silver coinagecoinage

Kansas was a leading Kansas was a leading Populist statePopulist state

Alliance between Alliance between farmers and workers farmers and workers was no more powerful was no more powerful than a “Scarecrow”than a “Scarecrow”

Dorothy GaleDorothy Gale Dorothy was an orphan Dorothy was an orphan

who had been taken in who had been taken in by Uncle Henryby Uncle Henry

She is good, not She is good, not precious, and she thinks precious, and she thinks quite naturally about quite naturally about othersothers

Dorothy wishes for a Dorothy wishes for a better life "somewhere better life "somewhere over the rainbow“…her over the rainbow“…her adventure is to find her adventure is to find her "American dream""American dream"

Silver SlippersSilver Slippers

Dorothy’s Dorothy’s silversilver shoes shoes were changed to ruby in were changed to ruby in the 1939 moviethe 1939 movie

The original meaning The original meaning was the gold standard was the gold standard versus the silver versus the silver standardstandard

She was innocent She was innocent enough to see the truth enough to see the truth before the othersbefore the others

Witches of OzWitches of Oz The Wicked Witch of the The Wicked Witch of the

East symbolizes the East symbolizes the large industrial large industrial corporations and corporations and eastern financeeastern finance

Despite these forces, Despite these forces, the mark of goodness, the mark of goodness, placed on Dorothy's placed on Dorothy's forehead by the Witch of forehead by the Witch of the North, serves as the North, serves as protection for Dorothy protection for Dorothy

Yellow Brick RoadYellow Brick Road The alliance between The alliance between

the farmers (The the farmers (The Scarecrow) and the Scarecrow) and the urban workers (the Tin-urban workers (the Tin-man) was a fantasyman) was a fantasy

Along with Bryan (the Along with Bryan (the Cowardly), Dorothy had Cowardly), Dorothy had been taken down the been taken down the yellow brick road (the yellow brick road (the gold standard) that gold standard) that leads nowhereleads nowhere

Emerald CityEmerald City Our characters Our characters

journeyed to the journeyed to the Emerald City (the Emerald City (the Capitol) seeking favors Capitol) seeking favors from the governmentfrom the government

Those who enter the Those who enter the Emerald City must wear Emerald City must wear green glassesgreen glasses

The Emerald City is a The Emerald City is a clear symbol for the clear symbol for the White HouseWhite House

Wizard of OzWizard of Oz Like all good politicians, Like all good politicians,

the Wizard can be all the Wizard can be all things to all peoplethings to all people

"They believe I am "They believe I am something terrible“something terrible“

The powers-that-be can The powers-that-be can only remain at the only remain at the throne through throne through deception and allowing deception and allowing the powerful to the powerful to manipulate themmanipulate them

Dorothy’s CycloneDorothy’s Cyclone Dorothy is whisked Dorothy is whisked

away by a cyclone away by a cyclone which in the Greek which in the Greek translation represents a translation represents a coil or snake or serpent. coil or snake or serpent. So, it is the serpent who So, it is the serpent who takes Dorothy to Oztakes Dorothy to Oz

A fearsome cyclone that A fearsome cyclone that lifts Dorothy into "a lifts Dorothy into "a country of marvelous country of marvelous beauty”beauty”

Munchkins of OzMunchkins of Oz The Wicked Witch of The Wicked Witch of

the East kept the little the East kept the little Munchkin people "in Munchkin people "in bondage…making bondage…making them slave for her them slave for her night and day“night and day“

The Munchkins are The Munchkins are the little people, the little people, ordinary citizens on ordinary citizens on the losing side of an the losing side of an electionelection

Dorothy’s Dog “Toto”Dorothy’s Dog “Toto”

““Toto was a little black Toto was a little black dog, with long silky dog, with long silky hair and small black hair and small black eyes that twinkled eyes that twinkled merrily on either side merrily on either side of his funny nose”of his funny nose”

In the first book, Toto In the first book, Toto never spoke, although never spoke, although other animals, native other animals, native to Oz, didto Oz, did speak speak

Flying MonkeysFlying Monkeys Native Americans of Native Americans of

the plains are the plains are symbolized in the Oz symbolized in the Oz stories as the Winged stories as the Winged MonkeysMonkeys

"Once we were a free "Once we were a free people, living happily people, living happily in the great forest…in the great forest…before Oz came out of before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over the clouds to rule over this landthis land

Uncle HenryUncle Henry

““Uncle Henry never Uncle Henry never laughed…he was gray laughed…he was gray from his long beard to from his long beard to his boots, he looked his boots, he looked stern and solemn, and stern and solemn, and rarely spoke”rarely spoke”

Henry mortgaged his Henry mortgaged his farm in order to rebuildfarm in order to rebuild

This crisis took a toll This crisis took a toll on his healthon his health

Passenger Hot Air Passenger Hot Air BalloonBalloon

In the television In the television program program LostLost, the , the character Benjamin character Benjamin Linus initially tells Linus initially tells survivors his name is survivors his name is Henry GaleHenry Gale

Passenger balloons Passenger balloons are filled with hot air, are filled with hot air, symbolizing how symbolizing how dreams vanishdreams vanish

L. Frank BaumL. Frank Baum Baum was born near Baum was born near

Syracuse, N.Y., in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1856 to a wealthy 1856 to a wealthy family and enjoyed family and enjoyed success writing playssuccess writing plays

In 1887, he moved to In 1887, he moved to Chicago, where he Chicago, where he continued to write and continued to write and where he authored where he authored The Wonderful Wizard The Wonderful Wizard of Ozof Oz in 1900 in 1900