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The Power of Oz

© Erica Davis

Yesterday, as I was watching “The Wizard of Oz,” in Spanish, it seemed that I saw the movie with new eyes. I understood most of what they said, and what I couldn’t translate, I was able to remember from watching it before. I have seen the movie, like most of us, dozens of times since childhood. It has become a part of our culture. It is a classic story that every child has either read or seen at some point. This kind of endurance speaks volumes about the timelessness of the book.

It was written by Frank L. Baum and published in 1900. It took pieces of fairy tales and magic, like witches and far away lands, and combined them with an American theme like a Kansas setting a farm girl hero. The characters, like the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, all came from fairy tale roots. Talking trees, and a Wizard that controlled all of the land, were wonderful additions that added to the mystique. However, the great thing about “Wizard,” is the ability for the readers to identify with the characters. Each character, although having considerable strengths, was given at least one weakness. That weakness was something all children would be able to identify with. For some children who didn’t feel very smart, or were kind of clumsy might identify with Scarecrow. The Tin Man often to appealed to kids who were lonely. The Cowardly Lion obviously appealed to children with fears (of anything), and also to kids who felt insecure. Kids who feel like their parents don’t listen to them or that think about maybe running away, too, identify with Dorothy.

“The Wizard of Oz,” is an incredible learning tool for many young children, and so it is taught in many schools and continues to be used as a way of teaching them about dealing with life, through these characters. The obstacles that they face are also important. Dorothy finds herself far from home, in a strange land, and must make friends to survive. This can be reminiscent of a child going off to school for the first time, separated from their family and trying to meet new people. The Wicked Witch can be identified as a bully, or that mean kid who is always picking on them. The seemingly unending amount of tasks that they must do in order to get their rewards, i.e.: a heart, a brain, a home, the nerve; can be easily translated into children as the kinds of responsibilities you face as you grow up. A small example is homework, which they are introduced to and chores they are

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