American Themes in the Wizard of Oz Essay

in that respects no place handle office (Baum) is a quote read by children and adults alike, from the idealistic age of the 1950s to the modernity of today. It is from the cl foreverly written bedtime story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which seems like an innocent pouffe tale that is written solely to pleasure children. However, deep between the lines of L. Frank Baums novel, the various images of the States that brings readers awargonness to the troubles at the turn of the century.The wicked entrance of the vitamin E represents eastern industrialists and bankers who control the people, the Munchkins the scarecrow is the quick of scent yet naive western invokeers the Tin Woodman stands for the dehumanization industrial workers and Dorothys silver slippers represents the Populists response to the res publicas economic woes. The novel is a framework of allusions to Ameri screw life. There are examples of how Baum makes connections to the American world in his novel (Bellman ).In the novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the wicked hex of the East is a horrendous leader that brings distress and hardship to her people, the Munchkins. She represents eastern industrialists and bankers who control the citizens, and contributes nonhing but heartache and pain, prima(p) to a tragic demise. The good bewitch of the North, describes the atrocity of the Witch of the East towards the helpless Munchkins She was the wicked Witch of the East, as I said, answered the little women. she has held all the munchkins in thralldom for some(prenominal) years, qualification them slave for her iniquity and day (Baum 12).The ruling of Oz is closely related to real-life rulers and political systems of the time (Bussey). The Witch of the East salvages from her defenseless people, making them pitifully work for nonhing in return. In America, banks liberate money from their citizens, forcing them to slave for little income. Fortunately, the troubles they compositors case end th eir power over the citizens. The Witch of the North, is no match for the malign forces of the East But I Witch of the North am a good witch, and the people love me.I am not as right on as the wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should tolerate set the people release myself (14). The admirable Witch, like the voters of the upper Midwest, are no match for the injurious powers of the East. She does any amour in her leadership to advise the sorrow of the Witch, but with no success. The East of America is ruled by individuals who are greedy, just like the endives Witch of the East, and through their ultimate struggles for power, their own torment arrives.Dorothys farm house kills the wicked Witch of the East We are so grateful to you for having killed the wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking unwrap (12). Dorothys farmhouse killing the wicked Witch of the East is symbolic of the eventual demise of rich easterners at the hands of rural farmers. So, in both events, their ultimate downfall is meet due to their actions, and the people have a considerably extensive role in the events that occur.The power of both the Witch of the East, and the industrialist and bankers of America, overrule the easiest target, causation distress and tribulation with the feeling of indestructibleness. Thus, due to the inhabitants need for salvation, they both advance towards the cusp of their supremacy. So, inevitably, the wicked Witch of the East through the eyes of Frank Baum, is seen as the individuals who control the East of America, that take all they desire, leave nothing behind. Frank Baum writes the bird-scarer as a wise individual, but also someone who is seen as childlike, with no sense of his surroundings.Subsequently, he references this with western farmers of America, who do not have enough intellect to realize their political interests , similarly to the Scarecrow with no brain. But both eventually see the true causes of their misery. The Scarecrow explains that he has no brains If anyone treads on my toes or sticks a pin into me, it doesnt matter, for I cant feel it. But I do not want people to call me a fool, and if my point in time stays stuffed with straw instead of with brains, as yours is, how am I ever to bed anything? (28).In the corresponding way as the Scarecrow, who is depicted as an uneducated character, blinded by his deceiving atmosphere, the farmers of America do not have enough intellect to recognize they are creation out witted by the bank. Without an educated mind, the Scarecrow falls into the holes on the yellow brick road, but gets up without being injured As for the Scarecrow, having no brains he walked straight ahead, and so measuringped into the holes and fell at full length on the hard yellow bricks. It never injustice him, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap (32).On his journey through the forest, where the road is in disrepair, the Scarecrow stumbles and falls on the hard yellow bricks, a reference to the Populist claim that the notes shopworn has a damaging repair on farmers and the people at large. Although, the Scarecrow is never hurt by his falls, which suggests that the yellow metal is not the real culprit of the farmers woes. The Wizard depicts the Scarecrow with no brain, which is derived from experience Cant you give me brains? asked the Scarecrow.You dont need them. You are learning something everydayExperience is the totally thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get (160). serious the end of the novel, the Scarecrow and the farmer find out that they have brains, discovering that they have enough intellect to bobby pin the true causes of his misery and the basics of monetary polity. On her j ourney, Dorothy encounters a Scarecrow, representing the farmers, who has no wit to understand that they can end up losing their farms to the banks, even though they work hard to grow the food to feed a hungry nation.Frank Baum exemplifies that the Tin Woodman is a product of the dehumanized industrial workers in America, create them to loose the ability to care. The Witch of the East makes the Tin Woodman cut through his body with an axe. Thus, openhanded him a frame of tin. I Tin Woodman thought I had beaten the wicked Witch then, and I had worked harder than ever but I little knew how cruel my enemy could be and made my axe slip again, so that it cut right through my body Once more the tinner came to help and made me a body of tin But, alas I had now no heart (46) The Woodman is cursed by the Witch of the East, and hacks off all his limbs.Each lost appendage is replaced with tin until the Woodman is made solo of metal. So, the Witch of the East (American bankers) reduces the W oodman to a machine, a dehumanized worker who no longer feels, who has no heart. He needs oil to fix his dilapidate joints Get an oil-can and oil my joints, he answered. They are rusted so badly that I cannot move them at all if I am well oil I shall soon be all right again (41). The Woodmans rusted retainer parallels the prostrated condition of labour during the depression of 1890 like many workers, the Tin Man is unemployed.Yet, with a few drops of oil, he is able to resume his customary labors. In the novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Tin Woodsman, representing the industrial workers, rusted as solid as the factories of the 1890s depression, loses all the sense of compassion and co-operation to work unneurotic to help all(prenominal) other during hard times stating that the Woodman has no heart. Dorothys silver slippers represent the Populists solution to the nations economic woes. Only these slippers enable her to remain safe on the yellow-brick road, representing the b anks gold standard.A Munchkin, explaining the power of the Witch of the Easts silver footwear The Witch of the East was exalted of those silver shoes, said one of the Munchkins and there is some charm connected with them but what it is we never know (16). The mystical silver shoes belong to the Witch of the East before she is crushed by the farm house. When she dies, they are repossessed by Dorothy, and when the banks in the East of America get overruled, the nations gold standard assisted the Americans out of their depression era.Glinda explains to Dorothy that the silver shoes has the power to take the wearer anywhere in only three steps. The Silver Shoes, said the Good Witch, have wonderful powers. And one of the most curious things rough them is that they can carry you to any place in the world in three steps, and each step will be made in the wink of an eye. All you have to do is to knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to g o (216). She explains to Dorothy that the slippers have an unending supply of unthinkable powers that have never been seen before.Dorothy is able to use the slippers in order to return home to Kansas. Baum attempts to show America that the scourge of the economic times will be altered. Baum writes the silver shoes as deciphering the tribulation of the people of Oz, giving them a way out in a time of misfortune. They are the only thing that enables Dorothy to safely remain on the brick road, depicting the banks gold standard. Together, with being the only object known to man to safely return her home to Kansas.The roposed free silver policy which brings economic relief to those oppressed by the federal governments single standard of gold for the national currency (Bellman). The novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, through the eyes of children, is an innocent fairy tale, a bedtime story. However, it has many hidden purposes and allusions, that L. Frank Baum writes so adults and critics are informed of the difficulties that America is facing in this era. The Witch of the East represents the imperious bankers, along with the eastern industrialists, who control the individuals of America, depicted as the Munchkins.The Scarecrow embodies the cunning but transparent farmers who let authoritative individuals control their future. The Tin Woodman stands for the robotized industrial employees, who loose the ability to care. Finally, the silver slippers represent the Populists solution to the nations economic woes. Dwelling into The Wonderful Wizard of Oz gives insight into Baums imagination, creating a sense of understanding towards his underlying details. Yet, some are still hidden and might never be discovered.