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| The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 1900. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Web. 13 Jan. 2013. |
This
is the first time I have actually read the original The Wizard of Oz by
L. Frank Baum. My first encounter with the world of Oz and L. Frank Baum was
actually the 1939 film, directed by Victor Fleming. Most audiences remember the
spectacular Technicolor film and actress Judy Garland. Since I saw the film at
a young age, I mostly remember the peculiar characters and song-sequences. It
never occurred to me that the film was based on a fairytale.
Amusingly enough, the introduction
of the story is one of my favorite parts. The introduction comments on how the
fairy tales of Grimm and Anderson are considered “historical.” Modern “wonder
tales” dismiss the “stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy” and the “horrible and
blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to
each tale.” A quick thought to the original Grimm fairy tales does include some
rather disturbing violence, which is frequently edited out of modern collections
and films. Baum further comments that the “modern child seeks only the
entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly disperses with all disagreeable
incident.” Bluntly, I find this hilarious. There are several events throughout The
Wizard of Oz with death and violence, such as the Tin Woodman’s back story
and the fights against the Wicked Witch’s minions. I suppose that all stories
must have a villain and its minions, who must appear “evil” and have to be
destroyed. All violence cannot be removed from fairy tales since the villain
must be vanquished in the end. Still, I found this introduction interesting and
humorous.
Another aspect of the story that I
found interesting was character development of the lead, Dorothy. In most
stories, the main character encounters obstacles and a wide variety of people.
These interactions provide information and motivation for the main character. The
main character might realize a personality flaw, a new appreciation for life or
relationships, or a moral. Dorothy actually develops very little as a
character. She doesn’t learn any particular moral or solve any problems. The Scarecrow,
Tin Woodman, and Lion conquer the obstacles and the journey continues. I
believe that Dorothy acts more as a vehicle for the reader. By giving her very
little personality or obvious skills, Dorothy makes a convenient void in the
story. The reader, with a little imagination, can slip into her place and join
the quest. Since The Wizard of Oz is a fairytale, a child or parent can
provide interaction and information. However, my concerns or conclusions over her
character may be a matter of time period.
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| The Wizard of Oz. 1939. The Wizard of Oz (1939). Web. 13 Jan. 2013 |
The Wizard of Oz was
originally published in 1900. The year 1900 is an almost inconceivable time to
anyone today. Perhaps Dorothy is not an unusual character for this time period.What could life have been like 113 years ago? Many of my
classmates brought up the idea of the “American Dream.” With the Industrial Age
booming and the benefits of mass production, America was a place of
opportunity. Some of this optimism and opportunity is present in The Wizard
of Oz. The Yellow Brick Road is one obvious metaphor for “streets lined
with gold.” The protagonists’ basic desires for a home, knowledge, love, and
courage can all be compared to immigrants. One reference that can only be found
in the original text is the spectacles in the Emerald City. The guard at the
gates of the Emerald City demand that the protagonists wear spectacles. It is
later revealed that these spectacles make the city appear to be made of
emerald. This may refer to "rose-tinted glasses" or the American Dream, an ideal world with opportunity
and a promise of a brighter future. Some people were quickly disillusioned of
the American Dream, similar to the protagonists’ removal of the spectacles. On
the flip side, the residents of the Emerald City never learn about the
spectacles. One might argue that the residents wouldn’t even care about the
truth. Maybe the immigrants felt similar. Even when surrounded by an America
with the same problems as other nations, an immigrant might argue that anything
is better and the future is still an opportunity. My grandmother moved to the United States
from Puerto Rico. She wanted more for her family and we have benefited. Such a
situation is almost inconceivable to a young adult or child or today. The lessons and questions in The Wizard of Oz may have meant something different for a person in the 1900s. It would
be interesting to compare the reactions of children and adults, from 1900 to 2013, to The
Wizard of Oz. How much influence does the time period have on reactions?
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| Wicked. 2012. Hal Leonard Wicked A New Musical Vocal Selections. Web. 13 Jan. 2013 |
The matter of the time period
actually relates back to my first experience with The Wizard of Oz and
our class discussion. I confessed earlier that the 1939 film was my first
exposure to the story. I didn’t even know that there was a book series. If I
was born in the 1920s, would I have read the original story? Would I have known
it existed? Our professor asked the class, “What is the text of The Wizard
of Oz?” In other words, what is the real
Wizard of Oz? Is it the L. Frank Baum story? The 1939 film with Judy Garland?
Maybe even the musical “Wicked” or the new film “Oz, the Great and
Powerful”? After some thought, I
concluded that it would depend on when you were born. The older generations may
automatically refer to the L. Frank Baum book, while my generation would refer
to the 1939 film. Maybe future generations will talk about the musical or new
film. I think the “real” Wizard of Oz depends on the person. What do you define
as the “real” Wizard of Oz?
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| Theatrical Release Poster. 2013. Oz the Great and Powerful. Web. 13 Jan. 2013. |
Personally, I like all variations of
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The original story is an endearing
children’s story. The characters have sincere, fascinating back stories and
desires. The world of Oz is expansive with many different people and animals.
There are deep metaphors and philosophical questions. The 1939 film is a
milestone in American history. With a combination of black-and-white and
Technicolor sequences, it marks new achievements in technology. It is an
important part of many people’s childhoods. The musical “Wizard” provides
another point-of-view about the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West and her
motivations. The musical also has a beautiful soundtrack. “Oz, the Great and
Powerful” is a new Disney film, which will reveal the origins of Oz and the
back story of the most powerful wizard in the land. A consistent theme in all
these variations is quirky and lovable characters. Even when the character is
foreign or mystical, they are all motivated by human desires and flaws. I
highly recommend all of these to any audience. I’ll be watching “Oz, the Great
and Powerful” as soon as it is released. Please feel free to leave your opinion
and suggestions.
Links for the Images:
1939 Film Cover: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/
Wicked: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/books-videos-music/hal-leonard-wicked-a-new-musical-vocal-selections
Oz the Great and Powerful:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oz_the_Great_and_Powerful
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