The Wizord Of Oz Symbolizing The Gilded Age Essay, Research Paper

The story ( The Wonder World of OZ ) written by Frank Baum is filled with symbolism. Symbolism a style of writing using symbols and indirect suggestion to express ideas, emotions, people etc. The story gives a lot of symbols relating to the gilded age in American history which took place from 1880? 1900. The main symbols are: Dorothy, the Land of Oz, lion, Emerald City, flying monkeys.

The first person the story talks about in the story is Dorothy. She?s a girl that comes form Kansas and was carried by a tornado. In the story when the reader first meet Dorothy he finds out that she is very curios, and straight forward. Dorothy in the story represents the average farmers in Kansas. On the other hand the tornado represents the change that has come up on farmers " The Industrial Age." Therefore the story creates a comparison between Dorothy and her new challenge getting back home and the farmer?s industrialization problem and fall of crop prices.

The Land of Oz was a whole new area, which acted like a whole new country. I had it?s own system. Dorothy was scared of it she didn?t know the laws and how the people acted. To me I think The Land of Oz symbolizes the Western US. That is because the Western US?s lacking of power and it has no voice, they only follow the east. The Land of Oz is closely related to the Western US due to the fact that they are only under the wizard?s rule and that the people have no voice. The munchkins organize themselves in order for them to get rid of the witch. And so did the westerners they created Alliances so they can get rid of problems much faster and much easier.

The loin in the story has no courage and is seeking courage form the wizard in order for him to be the king of the jungle. He tries to scare people or even hurt them but he cant. The lion creates a direct comparison with William J. Bryant. This is because when William Bryant tried to solve the problem that was going on in the US Treasury by improving the treasury with free gold. Both the lion succeeds in protecting his forest and so does Bryant by receiving a higher rank in office, and becoming more popular.

Another straight comparison is Emerald City. Emerald City and Washington DC are pretty much alike. They are both the head of government, they both control all the areas in the land. Washington DC makes up all the laws and the rules to make the country better, and so is Emerald City helps control the land and to keep it away form harm in it?s own way. An example is when the wizard send Dorothy and all her friends to destroy the Witch of the West.

The flying monkey are in a direct comparison with the Native Americans "Once?we were a free people, living happily in a great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruits, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody "Master." " this shows how the Native American where free to do what they want to do in the land. And that they were under their own supervision but know they have to live in concentration camps under supervision. The land that they once owned is know owned by the government.

The story the wonderful World of OZ, contains many different good symbols which criticizes history and different people that took place in the Gilded Age 1880 – 1900.