Salam Rushdie, author of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, once claimed that seeing the classic movie The Wizard of Oz “made a writer of [him] (London: Palgrave-Macmillian, 1992).” He continued on to explain how the movie later influenced the novel, because it provided the “right voice” as he attempted to create a story that could transcend the boundary that typically “ghettoizes children’s books from adult literature” (London: Palgrave-Macmillian, 1992). While adult readers did tend to shun and avoid children’s literature, movie adaptations of children’s books (such as The Wizard of Oz) were able to attract audiences of all ages. As Rushdie himself states, the movie’s influence on the text is not subtle on any level. In both cases, a pre-adolescent …show more content…
Most of the characters that fill the fantasy land have counterparts in the heroes’ real lives. The Wicked Witch of the West who threatens Dorothy “and her little dog Toto too” is a reflection of Miss Gulch in Kansas, who obtains an order to have Toto destroyed. In Kansas, the farmhands on the Gale’s farm take turns instructing Dorothy to handle her problems with Miss Gulch by having a brain, a heart, and courage; these are the same qualities that Dorothy’s companions in Oz are seeking from the Wizard. The Wizard himself is a double of the fortune teller Dorothy consults as she tries to run away from home. To make the parallels more apparent, the movie makes did not just create similar characterizations for their doubled characters, but had them portrayed by the same actors so that the audience could physically see that they were the same …show more content…
Children are fascinated by magic, and are innocent enough to believe that it might actually exist. Because of this, they delight in any fantastical or supernatural tale. Adults, on the other hand, have the life experience to know that there is no such thing as magic, and to believe in magic is immature and foolish. Because of this, most adults find it patronizing to be expected to suspend their disbelief and accept the possibility of magical lands and wizards and fairy godmothers. It is for this reason that most fantasy stories are traditionally regarded as being for children, such as fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland, and the original text The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, are traditionally regarded as being for children. By placing the magical component in the story in a dream sequence, however, the story is able to have the realism that adults respect while still inspiring wonder in younger viewers. This is what made it possible for the Wizard of Oz to attract an audience across age ranges, and why Rushdie chose to employ the same device when writing Haroun and the Sea of
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most controversial movies in American history because there is no clear and cut meaning of the film. Everyone has a different interpretation of what the film Wizard of Oz really means. Some people believe that the movie has Christian religious symbolism or atheist symbolism, others believe that the illuminati was behind the making of the Wizard of Oz to brainwash people, others believe that there is a more political based meaning of the Wizard of Oz with a connection to what was going on in the history of the United States. During the 1800’s society faced many issues and although the Wizard of Oz can be interpreted in many different ways it is believed that the most significant meanings of the
Frank Baums, The Wizard of Oz is arguably one of the most popular films made. Even though it was released in 1939, nearly three-quarters of a century ago, the film continues to entertain audiences and speak to them in a personal way. The question that comes to the mind when analyzing this film is: What is it about this film that gives it such timelessness? When reflecting on the film’s timeless qualities, it seems clear the plot is one of the things that enable it to maintain its relevance. Primarily, the plot of The Wizard of Oz is timeless because it is such an excellent example of the heroic journey, both in literally and cinematically. This journey of self-awareness is a metaphor for growth, which is something we all search to discover at some time in our lives.
Russell. E. “ How is the Film Wizard of Oz different from the novel.” http://thatwasnotinthebook.com/ Feb 2014, Retrieved March 7th ,2014.
“Were off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz” One of the infamous phrases from one of the most well know classics of all time. The original movie titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was made in 1939 by Frank Baum. This film featured stars such as Judy Garland, Jack Hayley and many others. This was not only a movie, it was a fantasy, and a musical storytelling adventure with unusual characters that shook the audience. This was one of the first films to make it to the big screen with color. Because of its success, this film has been remade many times with multiple different spins making it rhetorical. Over the years this film has become one of the best films of all time and is still watched today among all ages
Scene: This scene in the film comes just after the house has been picked up in the twister. Dorothy's house has been lifted up into the sky and suddenly dropped back down to earth in the middle of the Land of Oz. In the scene itself, Dorothy leaves her home to see that she is "Not in Kansas anymore," and finds the new and amazing world of the munchkin city in front of her. She also meets Gwendela the good witch as her journey in Oz begins.
After reading the chapter, the opening scene is vastly different from the movie! In the movie, Dorothy ran away from home and was caught in the cyclone while looking for her aunt and uncle, not standing there in the doorway watching as it formed. Neither did she simply lie down during the storm. A piece of the window, if I am recalling correctly, broke off and hit her in the head, causing her to fall down and witness flying animals, as well as family members, outside her window. The Land of Oz and Dorothy 's time there, is all real in the book, not just an elaborate dream caused from unconsciousness. According to Baum, Oz is just an undiscovered continent that is hidden and surrounded by a harsh desert. One major difference is the shoe color. The ruby red slippers were referred to as being silver in this original excerpt from the story. Also after consulting with parts of the movie, I saw no reference of the Tin Man’s story. I surely don’t remember the story of a limb
What makes a film interesting? What makes it stand out from other films? What makes it unique? The visual design aspects of color and lighting in a film play a major role in giving the film meaning and depth. A lot of thought goes into what colors and lighting should be used that will help convey a mood and theme central to the film. You wouldn’t see dark colors and lighting used in a children cartoon, instead you see bright color and bright lighting. And vice versa; most horror films don’t focus on bright colors and bright lighting. In The Wizard of Oz (Dir. Victor Fleming, 1939) , the director uses bright colors and lighting to portray the moods of happiness, joy and innocence in Dorothy’s life. In contrast, dark colors and lighting that go hand in hand with the evil parts of Oz portray the
The year was 1960 when Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published. It was an immediate success even winning the Pulitzer Prize. The novel was the first published piece for Lee who was not widely known. The story itself was set in the American South during the Great Depression, which Lee was from and lived during that time. The story examined the angst of childhood, morals of society, racism, and the concept of perception.
Prejudice is defined as an opinion formed without taking the time and care to judge fairly. In the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, there are several themes presented like bravery, prejudice, and growing up. The main theme in this novel though is prejudice. In the book, it is not just a case of black and white but the entire novel is about prejudice in many forms including class gender and racial prejudice. Throughout the story, we see all these events in a young girl’s eyes named Scout.
In the words of Michael O’Shaughnessy, ‘narratives, or stories, are a basic way of making sense of our experience’ (1999: 266). As a society and a culture, we use stories to comprehend and share our experiences, typically by constructing them with a beginning, middle and an end. In fact, the order that a narrative is structured will directly impact the way it is understood, particularly across cultures. This idea originated through Claude Lévi-Strauss’s concept of structuralism in anthropology which ‘is concerned with uncovering the common structural principles underlying specific and historically variable cultures and myth’ in pre-industrial societies (Strinati 2003: 85). In terms of media studies, structuralism’s inherent objective is to dig beneath the surface of a media text to identify how the structure of a narrative contributes to it’s meaning. Structuralism encompasses a large range of analytical tools, however, this essay will examine Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Claude Lévi-Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions. Through analysis of Victor Fleming’s film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), it will be shown that although the monomyth and binary oppositions are useful tools with which to unveil how meaning is generated in this text, structuralism can undermine the audience’s ability to engage with their own interpretations of the film.
At first glance, what makes a fairy tale a fairy tale may seem obvious—some kind of magic, hidden symbols, repetition, and of course it’s evident it’s fiction—but fables are more than that. As Arthur Schelesinger puts it, it’s about “[expanding] imagination” and gaining understanding of mysterious places (618). While doing this, it also helps children to escape this world, yet teach a lesson that the reader may not be conscious of. A wonderful story that achieves all of this is Cinderella, but not the traditional tale many American’s have heard. Oochigeaskw, or The Rough-Faced Girl, and Ashputtle would be fitting for a seven-year-old because they get the gears of the mind turning, allowing for an escape on the surface, with an underlying enlightenment for children of the ways of the world.
Love and Life are the Best Teachers “The one thing that doesn’t abide by a majority rule is a person’s conscience.” Dalton Hare To Kill a Mockingbird The great literary classic, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about the ageing and maturing of two children in the old town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Basing this novel off of her own childhood Lee was able to bring the reader deep into the book with her detailed descriptions and realistic plot.
The Wizard of Oz is a fiction story written by L. Frank Baum. The story has two main settings. The first setting is, Dorothy’s home, the Kansas prairies. The prairies are described as dry and gray. The second setting is the land of Oz. Oz is opposed from Kansas, it is colorful, bright, and full of joy. The Wizard of Oz has a grate theme or message behind the story. The message is that we all have good qualities in us, but it is up to us to use them.
The Wizard of Oz is a film created by MGM Studios in 1939, directed by Victor Fleming and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, Frank Morgan as the Wizard and Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West. The Wizard of Oz is commonly known as the classic film of American cinema and is loved by many people. It can be classified as a Family, Fantasy, Musical film due to the touching messages told throughout the film, the magical special effects featuredn and the beautiful musical numbers highlighted in the film.
A mockingbird is a harmless songbird that is known for mimicking the calls and sounds of other birds. Since mockingbirds don’t intentionally harm others, its behavior simply represents innocence and peace. These birds also teach humans an important life lesson—to listen first before responding. For instance, To Kill a Mockingbird, a fiction novel by Harper Lee, tells the story of three children—Scout Finch, Jem Finch, and Charles “Dill” Baker Harris—and their adventures around Maycomb County. Throughout their journey, these children experience times of unfairness where individuals were innocently accused of certain actions, tying into the symbolic meaning of the mockingbird. The novel’s title, To Kill a Mockingbird, provides significance towards not drawing conclusions immediately and not blaming individuals, like Tom Robinson and Arthur “Boo” Radley, who don’t have a voice in society.