1 / 23

Is The Wizard of Oz a musical fantasy or a “parable on Populism”?

UNMASKING THE WIZARD OF OZ. 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

quamar-phillips
Download Presentation

Is The Wizard of Oz a musical fantasy or a “parable on Populism”?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. UNMASKING THE WIZARD OF OZ Is The Wizard of Oz a musical fantasy or a “parable on Populism”?

  2. 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

  3. 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 and “bimetallism”

  4. The Populist metaphors can be found in… • Settings • Key Objects • Characters

  5. 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

  6. Dorothy wants out— “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” • “Uncle Henry” was a famous editor of a farmer’s alliance newspaper

  7. Bright and colorful • “Oz”= ounce • Silver is measured in ounces

  8. THE EMERALD CITY • Main political city of Oz • Symbolizes the national capital, as well as paper money (farmer’s supported the “greenbacks” system of paper money)

  9. CYCLONE • Some pamphlets compared the depression of the 1890s • to a cyclone • Also, could be the political turmoil caused by the debt of the farmers

  10. Dorothy’s house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East (what might farmer’s have thought was “wicked” about the East?)

  11. The Ruby Slippers • Originally silver in Baum’s book, changed to ruby because of color technology • Symbolize the power of the silver movement

  12. The Yellow Brick Road • Represents balance between silver and gold movements • Journey on road is dangerous—gold standard might not be wise

  13. DOROTHY • Represents “common people” • From a Kansas farm (why Kansas?) • Does not see the power of slippers • at first

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. THE COWARDLY LION • Represents William Jennings Bryan—Populist leader • Looking for courage—Bryan thought to be a coward by some • …but he possessed courage all along

  17. Glinda the Good Witch • Glinda in the book was the Good Witch from the South • Why the South?

  18. WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST • Personification of harsh natural forces of west, such as the drought • Dorothy’s main adversary—present throughout entire story

  19. Poppy field (major obsession with China and their opium problems distracted many Americans from farmer’s plight) • “Once free” flying monkeys, moved from their forest…who might these represent?

  20. She is killed by water, just like a drought

  21. THE WIZARD • Represents political leadership during the depression • Everyone saw the Wizard in a different light (was he good? Bad? Did he really have any power?) • Toto (the average person) revealed who the Wizard REALLY was…

More Related