Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, children’s book written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of children’s literature. However, by the late 20th century the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz had become more familiar than the book on which it was based.

The Wizard of Oz was released in 1900. Readers were instantly won over by Dorothy’s pluck and the fully realized Land of Oz. In addition, W.W. Denslow’s lavish illustrations proved highly popular. The Wizard of Oz was an immediate best seller, and translations appeared around the world. Baum penned 13 more Oz books—the last of which, Glinda of Oz, appeared in 1920, a year after his death—and the series was continued by another writer.

While The Wizard of Oz is a wonderful and exciting adventure for children—with the appealing message that people already possess what they thought they lacked—some readers believed the seemingly simple fairy tale actually explored more complex political and societal issues. Notably, the book has been seen as a feminist work. Baum’s mother-in-law was a noted advocate for women’s rights, including suffrage, and he adopted many of her progressive causes. This influence is allegedly seen in his creation of strong female characters, and some consider Dorothy one of the first feminist heroes in children’s literature. In addition, Baum created a world that was largely matriarchal. In fact, in a later book in the series, the rightful ruler of Oz is revealed to be a girl.

Dorothy, fictional character, the youthful heroine of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900; film 1939), a book-length tale for children by L. Frank Baum, and most of its sequels. Dorothy’s down-to-earth Kansas upbringing serves her well in the fantastic Land of Oz, where she travels in the company of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and her little dog Toto.

To many, The Wizard of Oz serves as a fairytale with the sole purpose of bringing joy to the reader. To others, however, the story weaves subtle, yet deep political themes in its pages. Debated for many years, some literary experts insist there are influences of Populism and what they fought for. They see influences of the fight for the silver standard, the roads paved of gold in America, criticisms of industrialization, racial commentary, class differences, and feminism among many other important themes. While there are many compelling arguments for each side; deeming the Wizard of Oz a true Populist parable may be far-fetched. There are many parallels and symbols one can find in the pages of Baum’s fairytale, but one cannot effectively connect them with Populist beliefs for certain. In this way, The Wizard of Oz does not serve as a true politically charged anecdote. Analyzing Baum’s life and personality helps to explain that, while there may have been strong influences of feminism due to the strong relationship he harbored with his wife, his political engagement and personality appear too lacking to write a politically driven fairy tale.