When Lyman Frank Baum wrote and published his fairy tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, he might not have known this would be the start of several books about the marvellous world of OZ. However, the story about the little girl named Dorothy, who accidentally lands in Oz and tries to return to Kansas, is the most popular of the Oz books. Nevertheless, by focussing on the land of Oz and its analysis it is indispensable to concentrate on The Wonderful Land of Oz, The Emerald City of Oz and other books, as well.
L. Frank Baum always disclaimed that there is a deeper meaning behind The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and declared: “The story was written solely to pleasure children of today.” (Littlefield 1964: 58). Moreover, L. Frank Baum “never allowed the consistency of the allegory to take precedence over the theme of youthful entertainment” (Littlefield 1964: 58). Thus maybe, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is well known all over the world and in every age as one of the most famous American folklore.
Nonetheless, there are some allegories that can be seen and interpreted by reading the Oz books. At first, there is a political aspect including the time in which L. Frank Baum grew up, the places where he lived and the political view he had, even though he had never declared his political attitude. In addition, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz can be interpreted in an economic way, connected to L. Frank Baum's history, as well. Hugh Rockoff, Professor of Economics at Rutgers University, (1990: 739) claims that the book is “a sophisticated commentary on the political and economic debates of the Populist Era.” However, some people, for example Bradley A. Hansen, (2002: 257ff.) disagree with the position that there are any allegories in Baum's Oz books. Nevertheless, these interpretations are just a few options of analysing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz but they form the most important aspects to have a focus on.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Lyman Frank Baum
3 Political Circumstances and Allegories
3.1 William Jennings Bryan
3.2 Populism
3.3 Marxism
4 Economic Allegory
4.1 Economic Events
4.2 Economy in the Oz Books
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the potential political and economic allegories hidden within L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". It investigates whether the narrative reflects historical events, specifically the Populist movement, the gold standard debate, and Marxist ideals, while analyzing the symbolic significance of key characters and objects in the text.
- The biographical and political background of L. Frank Baum.
- Analysis of the Populist movement and the role of William Jennings Bryan.
- Marxist interpretations of the social structure in the Land of Oz.
- Economic symbolism regarding the gold and bimetallic standards.
- Critical examination of whether the novel constitutes a conscious political allegory.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 William Jennings Bryan
Since William Jennings Bryan had a huge part in the 1890s up to the 1910s, a short description is necessary. He was born 1860 in Illinois and, as already mentioned, a Democratic and Populist leader. Designated by his supporters as “a champion of liberal causes” (Encyclopaedia 2016: 1), he ran for president three times without any success. Nevertheless, he was influential in some reforms, which stood for the farmer's needs. During his career, Bryan was predominantly popular in the South and West of America, according to the farmer's movement. His most famous performance was the Cross of Gold speech 1894 in Chicago:
If they dare to come out in the open field and defend the gold standard as a good thing, we shall fight them to the uttermost, having behind us the producing masses of the nation and the world. Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. (Encyclopaedia 2016: 1)
Bryan belonged to those who were extremely against the gold standard and fought for free coinage of silver. He was a practising politician until his death in 1925.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the origin of L. Frank Baum's fairy tale and highlights the debate surrounding potential hidden allegorical meanings within the Oz books.
2 Lyman Frank Baum: This chapter outlines the life of the author and examines the conflicting scholarly opinions regarding his personal political attitudes and potential intentions when writing the Oz stories.
3 Political Circumstances and Allegories: This chapter investigates political figures, movements, and ideologies, specifically focusing on William Jennings Bryan, Populism, and Marxism, as potential inspirations for the narrative.
4 Economic Allegory: This chapter links the historical economic climate of the late 19th century, particularly the gold standard and deflation, to symbols used within the Oz books like the yellow brick road and silver shoes.
5 Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, noting that while many allegorical interpretations exist, a definitive political or economic intent by the author remains a subject of scholarly debate.
Keywords
L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Populism, William Jennings Bryan, Gold Standard, Silver Shoes, Economic Allegory, Marxism, American Politics, Literary Analysis, Symbolism, 1896 Election, Agrarian Reform, Fairy Tale, Political Satire
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines whether L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" serves as an allegory for the political and economic landscape of the late 19th-century United States.
Which thematic fields are primarily covered?
The analysis focuses on the Populist movement, the historical debate between the gold and bimetallic standards, and potential Marxist or socialist interpretations of the text.
What is the primary research question?
The central goal is to determine if the characters and events in Oz are intentional metaphors for historical figures like William Jennings Bryan, political groups, or economic policies of that era.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, drawing upon existing secondary literature, historical context of the 1890s, and symbolic interpretation of the novel's elements.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The body covers the author's biography, the role of William Jennings Bryan, the influence of Populism, Marxist reading of the text, and the symbolic meaning of objects like silver shoes and the yellow brick road.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Populism, Gold Standard, Economic Allegory, Marxism, and American political history.
How does the author interpret the symbol of the "Yellow Brick Road"?
The yellow brick road is interpreted as a symbol for the gold standard, which the author describes as a dangerous path leading to the Emerald City, which represents Washington D.C.
What does the "silver shoes" (or slippers) signify in an economic context?
The silver shoes represent the free coinage of silver, which the farmers of the Populist movement sought as a solution to their economic hardships and the deflationary effects of the gold standard.
Does the author conclude that the book is definitively a political allegory?
No, the author concludes that while many compelling arguments for allegorical readings exist, it is difficult to prove definitively that the book was written with such an explicit intention.
What is the significance of the "Emerald City"?
In the context of the economic allegory, the Emerald City is argued to represent Washington D.C., with its green color further alluding to the "greenbacks" of the American monetary system.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sontje Neldner (Autor:in), 2016, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a Political and Economic Allegory, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/903847
