Wizard Of Oz Research Paper

The Wizard of Oz is a story of a young girl named Dorothy, who gets carried away in a tornado away from her Kansas home to a new place nothing like she’s ever seen. Her house has killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and she is welcomed to the magical and colorful new land by the Munchkins. She meets the Good Witch of the North, who tells her the only way she can return home is if she goes to Emerald City to seek help from the Wizard of Oz. Along her journey, Dorothy and her dog Toto meet the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion and they begin their travel to the Emerald City in search of the great Wizard of Oz. The purpose of the visiting the wizard is that he is the only one able to grant the Scarecrow a brain, the Tin man a heart,

the Cowardly Lion courage, and Dorothy a way home.The story of the Wizard of Oz presents a journey of a young girl who experiences obstacles, but in doing so, realizes her own place of belonging. The Wizard of Oz presents a feel good American fairy tale that represents the change that America was experiencing and a new shift in economy and culture.
When L.

Frank Baum wrote his tale, he was responding to the current conditions of America, specifically the severe depression that struck America in 1893 and the shift from a rural to an industrial society. During this period, the Populist movement began to grow as a reaction to the changes due to industrialization. Many people moved from the country to the city, in search of new opportunities and transformation. During this point in history, there was also a rise in consumer economy, and things that were readily available to purchase became important to people (Mary Corey, Wizard of Oz, 4/14/2016). When the economy changed, there was a change in culture and popular culture began to become associated with advertising and consumerism. The turn of the century was a major decade of progression for America. American people were very hungry for new and beautiful advances and it was a time of invention and

wonder.
Oz represents an American utopia and the Emerald City of Oz is the capital, which represents money, prosperity, and city life. It reflects the belief of American values of freedom, self reliance, and independence. Oz represents how people make an adjustment to a new life and it helps to alleviate their guilt for wanting change. (Mary Corey, Wizard of Oz, 4/14/2016). Finding a place that you can truly call home is one thing that every American desires, whether it is where you are or somewhere new. Since the country was going through a depression, Baum wanted to present a story that could serve as a way for every American citizen to escape hardship and realize that it is possible fulfill your fantasies and find the American Dream.
Dorothy’s living in a place that doesn’t feel like home, and she yearns to escape to a dream-like place “over the rainbow”, where her feelings of isolation will give her a sense of belonging. It takes a magical journey through Oz to help her transform from an alienated young girl into a heroic young woman who feels that the farm in Kansas is her true home. The story depicts a world in which powerful women exist and where determined girls can accomplish anything they put their mind to. Baum shows that there is a place for women in both domestic sphere and in the world outside the home. Dorothy is loyal, independent and determined, and these qualities enable her to get back home. Rather than give up and stay somewhere unknown, she refuses to give up on the idea that there is a way for her to back to Kansas and be where he heart desires.
In the end of the book, Dorothy returns back to Kansas.

It is depicted as a gray and dull, representing the world of reality. On the other hand, Oz is full of color and is vibrant, representing the world of fantasy and imagination. If this is the case, why would Dorothy want to return to a dull and boring reality. She travels all the way to see the Wizard of Oz, only to realize that home is the only place she wants to be. Baum stresses this idea with Dorothy proclaiming, “there’s no place like home” (Baum 21), which she repeats several times. Dorothy wants to go back to Kansas because it is home and she ties there. Readers of the book identify with Dorothy and some of them can relate with wanting to go back home, while others don't go home, but they want to know that they can (Mary Corey, Wizard of Oz, 4/14/2016). Dorothy has been on a thrilling adventure, and discovered her own power, however, her main goal throughout her journey has been to return home. While Oz may be rich and appealing, it is simply not home and not where Dorothy’s heart and mind desires to

be.