Therefore the Yellow Brick Road of the story symbolised the gold standard, while Dorothy's slippers (originally silver, not ruby) symbolised the cause of monetary reform. The Yellow Brick Road led to the centre of power – the Emerald City (green symbolising the Dollar).

How does the Wizard of Oz relate to the Populist movement?

Littlefield interpreted the yellow brick road as representing gold and Dorothy's silver slippers (which were changed in the movie to ruby slippers) as representing the Populist call for backing the dollar with silver. Oz was the abbreviation for ounces, a reference to the Populist call for the government to coin.

How does the Wizard of Oz relate to politics?

Hugh Rockoff suggested in 1990 that the novel was an allegory about the demonetization of silver in 1873, whereby "the cyclone that carried Dorothy to the Land of Oz represents the economic and political upheaval, the yellow brick road stands for the gold standard, and the silver shoes Dorothy inherits from the Wicked ...

How does the Wizard of Oz represent American culture?

Literary scholars have long interpreted “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” as a fable of populism, but it is more than that: It is a celebration of consumer culture as the the very meaning of America, this bright and shining land where men and women are happy to deceive themselves into believing a fairy tale, which, as the ...

What is the Populist symbolism of Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz?

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According to Littlefield, the scarecrow, displaying “a terrible sense of inferiority and self doubt,” represents the American farmer (who made up the bulk of the Populist Party).

The Populist Movement: The Real Story Behind the Wizard of Oz | The Story of Money, Episode 10

Is The Wizard of Oz an allegory for the Populist movement?

As conceived and written by Lyman Frank Baum in 1900, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was a political allegory of turn-of-the-century America. Written in the waning days of the Populist movement of the late 1800s, it was the story of the sad collapse of Populism and the issues upon which the movement was based.

What is the hidden message in The Wizard of Oz?

But in both cases, Dorothy is instantly hailed as a conquering heroine, just as the Wizard was when he touched down in Oz. The message is that people will march behind any authority figure who makes a splash, however undeserving they may be.

What was the cultural impact of The Wizard of Oz?

Impact on popular culture

One of the biggest adaptations is easily the Wicked musical. In 1995, Gregory Maguire wrote Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West which is based on The Wizard of Oz movie from 1939. This book follows the Wicked Witch of the West befriending Glinda the Good Witch.

What does Glinda the Good Witch represent in The Wizard of Oz populism?

The Witch represents eastern financial-industrial interests and their gold-standard political allies, the main targets of Populist venom.

What is one of the most important themes in The Wizard of Oz?

Oz has been a way to explore themes of friendship between strangers; of journey and home; of human flourishing against the odds.

What does Oz symbolize in The Wizard of Oz?

"Oz is an abbreviation for ounces, one measure of the worth of gold and silver bullion," Ritter points out. "In the land of Oz, gold and silver are often the arbiters of power." In Oz, a brick road the color of gold leads to the Emerald City.

How does the Wizard of Oz represent the Great Depression?

Like the workers, the tin man in the movie is shown as rusty and is unable to move until Dorothy comes along and pours oil on him. Once she pours oil on him, the tin man is now able to move as well as speak. Many factory workers felt immobile when man businesses began to shut down due to the Great Depression.

What does the Wizard of Oz have to do with politics and monetary policy quizlet?

The story The Wizard of Oz can be interpreted as an allegory about U.S. monetary policy in the late 19th century. Changes in monetary policy will have disruptive effects on production and employment in the short run. Between 1880 and 1896 the average level of prices in the U.S. economy. fell 23 percent.

What does the Lollipop Guild represent in The Wizard of Oz populism?

Munchkins: The little people, the munchkins, are said to represent the common people or ordinary U.S. citizens. The Lollipop Guild is seen as representing child labor.

What does The Wizard of Oz symbolize in Christianity?

Religious allegory

Christian sermons have discussed The Wizard of Oz's Biblical meanings, comparing Dorothy's song Over The Rainbow to the end of the tale of Noahfrom the book of Genesis, or claiming that the Emerald City represents “the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem”.

What did the lion scarecrow and Tinman represent?

We all know the story of Dorothy's quest to find her way home and the three unlikely characters who she meets along the yellow brick road: the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man. Each of these characters represents a virtue that Dorothy needs for her journey back home: brains, courage, and heart.

What are some values that are in The Wizard of Oz?

What lesson is The Wizard of Oz trying to teach?

In order to go home, 16-year-old Dorothy has to see the Wizard, for which she has to travel across a strange land. Though she is not in the safe environment of her home, Dorothy sets off, facing her fear head-on. This shows that to achieve a target, it is very important to accept and face your fears.

What is the lesson at the end of The Wizard of Oz?

In her final moments in Oz, Dorothy learns her most powerful life lesson – she always had the power to get back to Kansas on her own. She just had to learn it for herself, which she did as a direct result of her adventures.

What do the flying monkeys represent in The Wizard of Oz?

Winged Monkeys. According to some writers, the Winged Monkeys of Oz represent Native Americans in the West in the late 1800s. Baum himself had clear attitudes toward American Indians and some of his earlier writings about Indians are very similar to his descriptions of the Winged Monkeys found in Oz.

What mental illness did Dorothy have in The Wizard of Oz?

Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)

We're no shrinks, but it seems like Dorothy could be suffering from HPD, a disorder that manifests itself through attention-seeking behavior, intense theatricality, and a shallow array of emotions.

Why is The Wizard of Oz a timeless classic What important lessons does it teach?

The story of the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz" is a timeless tale that teaches us about the importance of courage. By facing our fears, acknowledging our vulnerabilities, and doing what's right, we too can develop and demonstrate courage in our own lives.

Why is The Wizard of Oz considered a classic?

The Oz story has become a classic because it blends elements of traditional magic, such as witches, with ones from early twentieth-century American reality, such as a Kansas cyclone, a scarecrow, and a man made of tin.

In what ways is The Wizard of Oz a prime example of classical Hollywood style?

Such narrative pattern is the classical Hollywood narrative, in which the plot moves forward in a clear and linear path. In The Wizard of Oz, the linear story line can be even visualized as the Yellow Brick Road, since most events and actions take place one after another on Dorothy's journey along the road.

Why does the witch kiss Dorothy?

She kisses Dorothy on the forehead, a magical act that serves to protect Dorothy on the journey, because "no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North".