It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title the wizard of oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 broadway musical adaptation as well as the iconic 1939 liveaction. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale written by l. The wizard of oz essays are academic essays for citation. Scholars have examined four quite different versions of oz. Sep 07, 2009 analysis of the wizard of oz, by salman rushdie when i found out that we were going to view this movie in a film analysis class, i was somewhat surprised. The wizard of oz was one of if not the first full length movie to incorporate two completely different mise en scenes within one movie.
The wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the wizard of oz by victor fleming. Yet, as a child, i preferred the emerald city, rinkitink, and the lost princess to the. Because of the power of imagination, the film transcends the limitations of the techniques used to craft it. The idea behind critical analysis of literature is to write an essay that explains how a work demonstrates its themes.
Aug 23, 2017 the wonderful wizard of oz is almost an allages book. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the wizard of oz. Baum then makes the disingenuous point that modern education includes morality. The wizard of oz is about the lure of a dreams calling you to faraway places where nothing at all is like home, but it is also about those pangs of heartsickness that make you want to get back home. The wonderful wizard of oz is often read as an allegory for 1900s american economic policy, which upheld the gold standard, a policy linking the value of. It was first rereleased in 1949, and then in 1955, and then for many seasons, it was featured regularly on network tv as a prime time event its first two showings were on cbs television on november 3, 1956 and in december, 1959. Elphaba is born in munchkinland to a minister, frex, and his wife, melena. She grows up in the marshy quadling country in the south of oz, where she sees the wizard s people decimate the local population.
The wizard of oz is a film that has been pored over and dissected from almost everyone involved in the wonderful world of film. Maybe not permanentlyit is highly unlikely that dorothy will live out the rest of her life in kansas after seeing the miracle of the emerald citybut at least for a visit. Protagonist dorothy gale judy garland nemesis miss gulch wicked witch of the west margaret hamilton attractor hunk scarecrow ray bolger, hickory tin man jack haley, and zeke. The wizard of oz is now almost universally acknowledged to be the earliest truly feminist american childrens book, because of spunky and tenacious dorothy, wrote the american literary. He never used his first name because he preferred frank. But i gained an even deeper appreciation for the symbolic, psychological, and emotional life of the movie when i analyzed it. This wonderful romp of a movie looks magical on the big screen. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the wizard of oz film by richard thorpe. The wonderful wizard of oz was such a phenomenal success that. The wizard of oz analysis 2 the wizard of oz analysis the wizard of ozs plot is the way the filmmakers unfold what we see and hear in the movie through diegetic and nondiegetic events.
It ran on broadway for almost 300 consecutive nights in 1903. The wonderful wizard of oz character analysis course hero. As she surveys the new world, geometrys most perfect shape, the sphere, floats toward her and is transformed into the good witch glinda who explains to dorothy what has occurred. After all, the first book is the one in which oz was invented. The first setting is, dorothys home, the kansas prairies. Frank baum wrote the childrens fantasy book the wonderful wizard of oz in 1900. The first stagemusical version, debuting in chicago. The wonderful wizard of oz was such a phenomenal success that baum was called upon to produce numerous sequels. Frank baum and first published in 1900 as an allegory or metaphor for the political, economic, and social events of america in the 1890s. Tzvetan todorov argued that the same basic structure can be found in all stories.
Jan 22, 2009 of course, once dorothy journeys to oz, these three friends accompany her there in the form of scarecrow, tin man, and the cowardly lion. At shiz university, she becomes aware of the wizards oppression of sentient. First, we see a young girl named dorothy who lives on a farm in kansas with her aunt em and uncle henry. Dec 23, 2017 the truth about mobile phone and wireless radiation dr devra davis duration. And as well see, while they become her allies along the way, they also play a critical role in dorothys change of heart about her home back in kansas befitting their roles as attractor characters. Frank baum biography lyman frank baum was born in 1856, just east of syracuse, new york. Legendary singeractress judy garland, as dorothy gale, sings somewhere over the rainbow, in a scene from the classic 1939 film the wizard of oz, in this photo.
Oz is opposed from kansas, it is colorful, bright, and full of. The wizard of oz study guide 3 directors notes by daren a. Dorothy has unknowingly killed the wicked witch of the east when her house landed in the land of oz. I want songs, which have since become a staple of the genre. It can also be an interesting exploration in critical analysis. For the purpose of this handout, we will pretend that you must write a critical analysis of the wizard of oz. In part one of our analysis of the wizard of oz, we looked at the storys primary characters and their respective narrative functions per these archetypes. Jan 24, 2009 in summation, the wizard of oz is an excellent example of five primary character archetypes protagonist, nemesis, attractor, mentor, trickster.
Oh, my, and theres no place like home, are ones that will always pop into our heads when someone. The film is perennially popular because it explores many of the issues and fears that children ages 5 12 must confront as they mature. Analysis of the wizard of oz 560 words 3 pages the wizard of oz is a beloved, classical movie among children and adults alike. The wizard of oz is one of the most important cultural texts of the twentieth century. But i gained an even deeper appreciation for the symbolic, psychological, and emotional life of the movie when i analyzed it using five primary. Over the years, the wizard of oz has been subjected to the kind of scrutiny reserved for only the greatest of motion pictures. In addition to the storyform, youll also find any additional analysis or media related to the story in question. The atheist approach to the wonderful wizard of oz. The wizard of oz remains the weirdest, scariest, kookiest, most haunting and indelible kidflickthatsreallyforadults ever made in hollywood.
In his introduction to the wonderful wizard of oz, l. Because of a weak heart, baum could not participate in typical childhood physical activity and therefore kept to himself and made up imaginary places and playmates. Frank baum claims that the book is simply an innocent childrens story. Quotes from the story such as toto, i have a feeling were not in kansas anymore, lions, and tigers, and bears. The wonderful wizard of oz analysis critical survey of science fiction and fantasy print. At shiz university, she becomes aware of the wizard s oppression of sentient animals and eventually drops out of school to move to the emerald city and join a radical resistance network. Frank baum chapters 1 2 before you read the chapter. The wizard of oz 1939 is everybodys cherished favorite, perennial fantasy film musical from mgm during its golden years. Still, the main characters dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, and the lion embody traditional american values. The truth about mobile phone and wireless radiation dr devra davis duration. The book even provides opportunities for high school students to sharpen their skills. I always thought that the wizard of oz, as a film, was simply a childrens film at best and offered nothing when it comes analysis. Ive always thought the wizard of oz to be a classic example of the heros journey, following the cyclical paradigm of the odyssey starting at home kansas, traveling to an extraordinary world of adventure oz, then returning home. The mise en scene while dorothy is in kansas is completely different than while.
The wizard of oz 1908 fairylogue and radioplays, produced by the radio play company of america. As adults, we love it because it reminds us of a journey we have taken. In his detailed analysis of the wizard of oz salman rushdie discusses how the films explicit message, theres no place like home, is actually contradictory to the actual message of the film. The protagonist of the wizard of oz is dorothy, a feisty young girl who experiences many exciting adventures as the story unfolds. This and peter pan are my two favorite childhood stories, and i am honored to have brought them both to life on the lesher stage within the last five years. Frank baum was born near chittenango, new york in 1856. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz. Judy garland as dorothy, frank morgan as the wizard, ray bolger as the scarecrow, jack haley as the tin man, bert lehr as the cowardly lion, billie burke as the good witch of the north, margaret hamilton. Theres actually a term to describe the pattern perfected by dorothys over the rainbow. Its hard to believe, but the wizard of oz, one of the most beloved movies of all time, celebrates its 71st birthday next month. In addition to the storyform, youll also find any additional analysis or media related to the story in question more analysis theres something about mary. The jaggedness can be explained by the fact that the man who was writing fourteen oz books was writing fortyeight other books at the same time.
The wonderful wizard of oz was such a phenomenal success that baum was called upon to produce. Narrative theorists have argued about different films having the same story or having the same structure. Youve reached the hub for any and all dramatica analysis of the wizard of oz. After his death in 1919, his publishers commissioned ruth plumly thompson to continue writing sequels. Kathy smail works cited brief history of populism william jennings bryanhead of the populist movement focus of the 1896 presidential election was the standard of currency free silver only greenbacks currency that could be printed had to have gold backing it up wanted a.
The wizard of oz is a classic musical, beloved by children and their parents for generations. Mar 06, 2017 in his introduction to the wonderful wizard of oz, l. Frank baum published his famous novel, the wonderful wizard of oz, in 1900, and underneath the surface of the story, with all its whimsy and childish delights, is what some literary historians claim is a very thinlyveiled allegory. The wizard of oz takes on a life in our head that it never quite attains on the screen. More than just a childrens story by lauren houlberg the wizard of oz is a classic, a legend, and a childrens story that will never grow old. In addition, the film can be used in language arts classes. The wizard of oz appeals and caters to every demographic and pretty much any age group, we have adventure, the meeting of new friends, fears and trepidations, booming colour, songs to singalong with, and of course the total crux point of homely values. One thing that strikes me every time i view it is that there not only is no place like home, there is also no film like the wizard of oz, and really, when all is said and done, there is unlikely to be another film of.
Aug 21, 2015 legendary singeractress judy garland, as dorothy gale, sings somewhere over the rainbow, in a scene from the classic 1939 film the wizard of oz, in this photo. The wonderful wizard of oz is almost an allages book. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the. It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title the wizard of oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 broadway musical. The functions of the latter four service both the physical and psychological journey of the protagonist, so when dorothy returns home, she is a transformed individual.
Essays for the wizard of oz film the wizard of oz film essays are academic essays for citation. Analysis of the wizard of oz, by salman rushdie when i found out that we were going to view this movie in a film analysis class, i was somewhat surprised. She grows up in the marshy quadling country in the south of oz, where she sees the wizards people decimate the local population. Frank grew up with a heart condition so he couldnt play physically like other children so he developed a creative side, so he decided to write stories. Over the decades, the wizard of oz has been seen by many christians and used often in sermons see here for one example as an allegory of faith. On rereading the oz books by gore vidal the new york. The wizard of oz starts and ends with the musical, and as you may have suspected, actually served as the inspiration for countless musicals to come. The wizard of oz has a wonderful surface of comedy and music, special effects and excitement, but we still watch it six decades later because its underlying story penetrates straight to the deepest insecurities of childhood, stirs them and then reassures them. Rushdie points out how oz is a much more magnificent place than kansas, how dorothy is never treated like a child in oz, but instead like a heroine, and. But some scholars have found hidden criticisms of late.
The wonderful wizard of oz the wonderful wizard of oz is a fictional adventurefantasy that was written by l. The wizard of oz is more than just a childrens story. The story is about a young kansas girl who dreams of being picked up from her uncles farm in a storm. The protagonist in most novels features the main character or good guy.
Carollo diablo theatre company is proud to present the family classic, the wizard of oz. The wizard of oz stars legendary judy garland as dorothy, an innocent farm girl whisked out of her mundane earthbound existence into a land of pure imagination. The wizard of oz is the perfect representation of the persona archetype. Frank baum says that he would like to create modern fairy tales by departing from grimm and andersen and all the horrible and bloodcurdling incident devised by such authors to point a fearsome moral. But there are loads of other imaginative touches, including a talking scarecrow, a man made of tin, armless men with projectile headsthe list goes on. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. The wizard of oz analysis the yellow brick road the most famous road in movie history has been analyzed to death and is probably one of the most famous metaphors in the english language. An analysis of setting and tone of the the wizard of oz. The wizard of oz stands up well 80 years later because it taps into all the emotions. Zeke cowardly lion, scarecrow and tin man dialog reveals who they will be in oz. The wizard of oz i choose the film the wizard of oz, 1939 and its a musical, fantasy film. On that image alone we could rest our case that the wonderful wizard of oz is a fanciful book.
The book opens with an essay by nye, entitled an appreciation, which is an overview of baums creative and imaginative genius. It was written at about 6th grade level, though younger students have embraced it as their own. The wonderful wizard of oz is too long to be a parable and not quite didactic enough to be an allegory. Sep 07, 2009 in his detailed analysis of the wizard of oz salman rushdie discusses how the films explicit message, theres no place like home, is actually contradictory to the actual message of the film. The world is, obviously, related to the word person and personality, and comes from a latin word for mask. Rushdie points out how oz is a much more magnificent place than kansas, how dorothy is never treated like a child in oz, but instead like a heroine, and how it was in oz.
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