Wizard Of Oz Essay, Research Paper

“All you have to do is knock the heels together three times?? Glinda the witch made this clear as she told Dorothy how her only way of escaping Oz and returning home was by the ruby slippers she was wearing. Kansas City was a place where Dorothy overcame many different obstacles that played in her mind and led her to fantasizing about a place ?somewhere over the rainbow way up high?. This utopia takes away all of life?s dilemmas and flawlessness and replaces your soul with many hopes, dreams and happiness galore. Meandering down the yellow brick road, Dorothy comes across three imaginary beings that help her along the way on her adventure of going back home. She is given intelligence for using her ruby slippers to keep evil powers away, sensitivity of the heart and courage to carry on and defeat the evil witch of the west.

“…I have no brains at all.”

The scarecrow was the first encounter that Dorothy made on her journey to see the wizard so that he could get her home. Although he said time after time that he did not have a brain and could not think for himself, the scarecrow did a very good job of aiding Dorothy to Emerald City. He thought up a way of tricking the trees so that Dorothy and he would have some apples to eat because they were starving. Scarecrow believed that the wonderful wizard of Oz would be able to give him a brain so he could use endlessly and be as smart like the others. The identity of the scarecrow is the character Hunk in Dorothy?s realistic life. It is shown that Dorothy keeps the people who are close to her in mind when she drifts off into Wonderland.

“Do you suppose Oz could give me a heart?”

The Tin Woodman was the second being that Dorothy confronts with. He believed that he didn?t have a ticker and felt that he lacked sensitivity, emotion and feeling. Throughout their quest, Tinman showed that he cared a lot for Dorothy and the others. His big heart that he thought he never had made Dorothy peaceful and comfortable from being in a strange place. Although it is obvious that Tinman had concern and thoughtfulness for everyone, he wanted to tag along and ask Oz for a heart. Hickory, the guy who felt like he was going to have a stroke when Dorothy fell into the pigs, was the Tin Woodman in her imagination.

“Do you think Oz could give me courage?”

The last good friend that Dorothy made in the enchanted forest was the Cowardly Lion. He had lots of courage in him but didn?t know when and how to use it. Lion?s heart was filled with love and seems as though he didn?t have the guts to kill a fly. He knew he lacked courage so he wanted to join Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tinman so he could ask Oz for some. He was shamefully unable to control fear and stayed away from danger or trouble. In Dorothy?s real world the Cowardly Lion is Zeke and he is the one who saved her when she fell into the pigs sty.

?There?s no place like home.? Dorothy?s dream adventure helped her to resolve the issues she faced in her waking reality because each character she came across made her realize that she should treat Aunty Em better and that being with people you care about is important. “Come with me… for if you do not, I will make an end of you…” Dorothy realized that she could stand up for herself and Toto against Almira Gulch who was the wicked witch in her imagination. You don?t need a wizard to get you back into reality from an imaginary world, (”I am Oz the great and terrible.”) you just have to free your mind from whatever is going on around you. Dorothy felt as if she went through many hardships to get home but it all made her think about how much she needed to learn about life and how its not just an imaginary world? It?s real. “I’m so glad to be home again.”

Bibliography

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