The Wizard represents President William McKinley. “The Wizard in his Emerald City is none other than the evasive, hard-to-pin-down President William McKinley: '[h]e symbolizes the American criterion for leadership-he is able to be everything to everybody'” (Earle, 8).

What did each character in The Wizard of Oz represent?

Littlefield also claims that the characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz represent figures from the Gilded age. Munchkins are ordinary people oppressed by the witches of the East, banks, and monopolies. The Scarecrow is the farmer, and the Tin man is the industrial worker who has been dehumanized by factory labor.

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.

Who was supposed to be the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz?

Buddy Ebsen was originally cast in the role of the Tin Woodman, a.k.a. the Tin Man, but he was essentially poisoned by the makeup, which was made of pure aluminum dust.

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”.

Does "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" have a hidden message? - David B. Parker

What was the real message of The Wizard of Oz?

Including spirituality, self-development, and the quest for truth. The Wizard of Oz is more than a fantasy story about a girl and her dog trying to get back home; it's a parable of how to achieve spiritual enlightenment and use it effectively in the physical world.

What does the wicked witch symbolize in The Wizard of Oz?

This represents, again, how the main focus of The Wizard of Oz is on the people of America. Further into this interpretation, according to Littlefield, The Wicked Witch of the West is a representation of the Great Plains, and how hard it was for Americans to make a living there.

Why is the Wicked Witch of the West evil?

What in her past made her the “wicked witch” and is she really so? “Sometimes we think she's just mean and a very bad person. But actually you have to think of it from her point of view. It wasn't as happy a time as she wanted it to be, because she just never got what she wanted.”

Why was Wizard of Oz cursed?

The true curse of The Wizard of Oz is the neglect and abuse its cast suffered at the hands of MGM during a time when actors were not protected as they are now. The set's horrors jarringly contrast with the completed film's light-hearted and whimsical tone.

Why is the witch green in Wizard of Oz?

The earliest reference to a green faced witch was The Wizard of Oz in technicolor. She probably was given a green face because they had technicolor and wanted her to look scary and stand out.

What does the silver slippers represent in The Wizard of Oz?

In the book and the play the shoes are silver, not ruby as they were famously depicted in the 1939 film. In his reading of The Wizard of Oz, Littlefield believed that Dorothy was a stand-in for the average American, and that the magic silver shoes represented the late 1890s free silver movement.

What does the Wicked Witch of the East represent?

Dorothy is taken to Oz on a tornado, a common symbol in the 1890s for political upheaval and revolutionary change. Her house lands on and kills the Wicked Witch of the East, who represents the evil bankers and the wealthy Eastern establishment.

What does ruby slippers represent in The Wizard of Oz?

All kidding aside, the slippers make for a pretty straightforward representation of Dorothy's own potential power. She has it, she just doesn't know how to use it yet, which is really why Glinda sends her off to see the Wizard.

What does Yellow Brick Road represent?

The Yellow Brick Road represents strategy—how you will get there; the path you identify as the best, smartest way to accomplish your goal. And each of the shiny yellow bricks in the road represents an action step—the smaller tactics that go into executing your strategy.

Why didn t Dorothy leave in the balloon with Oz?

Toto took off chasing a kitten. Dorothy couldn't leave without him. Once she had found Toto and was racing toward the balloon, the ropes holding the balloon cracked, and the balloon took off without Dorothy in it.

Why does the Yellow Brick Road represent the gold standard?

The gold standard was blamed for the rise in prices and many believed the end of the gold standard would fix everything. But the citizens of the East (who are represented by the munchkins) wanted to keep the gold standard in place. They urge Dorothy to "follow the yellow brick road".

Why and where was Wizard of Oz banned?

Then in 1957 the Detroit Public Library banned Baum's tales by stating the novels had “no value for children of today”, arguing the stories and characters supported “negativism and brought children's minds to a cowardly level”.

Is The Wizard of Oz a hallucination?

Answer and Explanation: Some may argue that the entire narrative of The Wizard of Oz is based on hallucinogenic drug use. However, Baum provides little indication that Dorothy's journey to Oz is fueled by her drug use.

Is The Wizard of Oz the villain?

Dorothy was just a child trying to get home and helping people along the way. She didn't intend to kill the Witch of the East. She did go to the Witch of the West when she ran out of options to get home. The witches were the villains and the Wizard was slightly villainous himself.

Who are the 4 witches of Oz?

The Wiz: All four witches remain, but they get new names. The Wicked Witch of the East becomes Evvamean, the Good Witch of the North becomes Addaperle ("Miss One" in the movie version) and the Wicked Witch of the West becomes Evillene, while Glinda gets to keep her name.

Why did the Wicked Witch want Dorothy?

…the evil witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), vows to kill Dorothy in order to avenge her sister and retrieve the powerful ruby slippers.

Is Glinda the Wicked Witch's Sister?

She introduces herself as Glinda and explains that the true Wicked Witch is her half-sister, Evanora. Years ago, she poisoned their father, the King, so she could rule Oz uncontested. Before he died, the King predicted that a powerful Wizard would come and take his place.

What does the Cowardly Lion symbolize in The Wizard of Oz?

the Cowardly Lion represented northern reformers; the Emerald City represented Wall Street, greenback colored; and. the Wizard represented the Money Power, whose influence rests on manipulation and illusion.

What does green colored glasses represent in The Wizard of Oz?

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)

This is explained as an effort to protect their eyes from the "brightness and glory" of the city, but in effect makes everything appear green when it is, in fact, "no more green than any other city". This is yet another "humbug" created by the Wizard.

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.