In the last few classes, we learned much about the Western Movement, and all other affiliations. What sparked my interest was about how the move, “The Wizard of Oz” connected to the Western Movement. At first, I was skeptical about it, but after some explaining, it all made sense to me. The movie related to the real life event a lot. Not even did the characters have a relation, but the whole plot. There was also correlation of the different witches and the real North, West, and East in the US.
Dorothy was a young girl in the farmland who face problems staying in the farmland, deciding to try to run away. She decides to come back, but during rough weather, she is put to sleep, appearing in a different place. When she shows up, she gets ruby slippers, and is told to venture to emerald city to get all her answers solved. When getting there, she really doesn’t get any help, and in the end uses the slippers to get back home. She represented young women at farms venturing to the East for better jobs. In reality, there is much competition and low wages, showing that the East isn’t what it’s turned out to be. The slippers represented the silver, when the US switched to only a gold standard; people thought that adding a bimetallic standard would solve the economic process.
In the beginning of the movie, where Dorothy was stuck in what would seem a world of struggles, it related to the heavy stress farmers had to endure during the time they had to farm for five years to be able to own the land. Also when she tries to escape for a better life; that much related to the farmers moving to the urban society searching for a better life.
The Wicked Witch of the East symbolized industrialization corporations and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890, making it somewhat superior to the people. She ended up being killed by Dorothy while harassing the munchkins. The Wicked Witch of the West represented the harshness of the West to people living there. She is killed by water, which in reality helped farmers keep their crops alive during that time. The Wicked Witch of the North represented liberalism and all the good ideas of the northern society; shown by helping Dorothy on her voyage home.
The relation between the movie and the Western Movement were huge, all the way from Dorothy herself, to the Wicked Witches. This is an example of how people criticized the way of society at the time, as there were actually many problems.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Finding out that the Wizard of Oz was not just a kids movie blew me away. I seriously had no idea that any part of that movie stood for something else, and when I found out I went home in some shock. I think it was ingenious of Baum to think up of that; he really knew what he was doing. To be honest, I'd like to see more movies that actually stand for something else. Because now I appreciate The Wizard of Oz more than I had before.
I love love love your blog ben, i was hoping someone would write about The Movie. I watched the wizard of oz a couple weeks ago in Films class and someone told me it had something to do with the Great Depression. I was like ok sure, reading that paper that gmoney gave us and the notes blew my mind. I was like NO WAY! I thought that it was completely brilliant that he could write something with so much hidden meaning. It amazes me, I wish everyone knew about the connections and i totally believe that it is not just a coincidence. When my kids watch this movie, they will no that it stood for populism.
Your blog was awesome. I think it was very nice how you talked about the wizard of oz. That is a very great movie. I never thought i would see it the way Mrs. G made us see it. Im glad you bloged on this because i dont think any body else would have.
when ms garber told us about how we were going to watch the wizard of oz im like oh man, but later she said the movie was like a metapor to populist. i never knew that until now that alot of similar things in the movie could be so similar to poltics and i was suprised about that and anyways great blog
I just posted a blog about the same thing! I like reading yours and getting information that i missed. How they were alike and different. I enjoyed reading about all the metaphores behind the movie.
You did a really good job showing how The Wizard of Oz represents populism. It's incredible how Baum was able to publish a book with so many cryptic symbols. I bet a lot of people are still unaware of the connections between The Wizard of Oz and historical events. I like how you mentioned urbanization and how many farmers ventured to the city in hopes of a better life. In reality, though, cities offered many low wages and large competition.
The thing about The Wizard of Oz being more than just a kids movie is kinda weird to me. Watching this when I was a kind I didn't have any views of this having a different meaning behind it and I'm pretty sure not many other people did either. I think that researchers and whoever just bring it up to find something to talk about. But I do see connections with the characters and what they are supposed to represent.
I recently blogged about this topic myself, and I think you did a wonderful job of explaining the metaphor involiving the wizard of oz and the great depression. I guess in a way it actually makes the wizard of oz worth watching, because before i knew all of this about it, I just thought it was better off left in the trash
wow your blog was nice to read. i like that your topic was about the movie. i agree with you i was skeptical about it at first to until mrs. garber started explaining it. after she explained the movie most people look at the movie different. i was thinking that the movie actually fits with real life.
Post a Comment