Unveiling Oz: Discovering Hidden Messages in the Emerald City
Prepare yourself, because interpretations are about to come at you like monkeys on a bender.
Wondering about the true meaning of the Wizard of Oz? Get ready, because interpretations are about to fly at you like monkeys on a bender.
From feminist allegories to Christian parables, Jungian escapades, and even obscure theories that would make a pub philosopher sound like a sage, we’ve got it all.
Let’s dive into one interpretation that might pique your interest in 2024: the idea that it’s a clever critique of the gold-standard monetary policy of the past, a thought-provoking concept introduced by the insightful educator Henry Littlefield.
The Coinage Act of 1873
In 1873, the Coinage Act led to a political uproar surrounding the gold standard, demonetizing silver and sending the economy into chaos, leading to tough times in the 1890s.
Littlefield proposes that the Yellow Brick Road symbolizes the path of the gold standard.
As Dorothy, our average citizen, gets caught up in the economic turmoil, following the golden trail in her silver slippers—representing silver currency—to meet the great and powerful Oz, a stand-in for President William McKinley.
What About Her Companions?
Her companions, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, each play their symbolic roles.
The Tin Man, an empty vessel, mirrors the struggles of industrial workers. The Scarecrow, full of straw and lacking substance, represents Western farmers.
And the Cowardly Lion? He might represent William Jennings Bryan, a figure known for his boldness but criticized for lacking a backbone.
What about the Wicked Witch?
In this interpretation, the Wicked Witch of the East symbolizes bankers, while her drenched sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, stands for drought.
As Dorothy journeys to the Emerald Palace through seven passages and up three flights of stairs, it’s a subtle nod to the Coinage Act of 1873, a law that sparked class conflicts in America.
Oz stands for ounce, with the Emerald City symbolizing the greenback currency.
In another perspective presented by Ruth Kassinger, the Wizard represents bankers who cling to the gold standard and reject silver, while Dorothy’s silver slippers hold the key to her return to Kansas.
Could the Yellow Brick Road Lead to Enlightenment?
Christians see the Yellow Brick Road as a path to enlightenment, with symbols of sin and temptation along the way.
According to this view, the Emerald City represents heaven, and the Wicked Witch’s watery demise signifies baptism.
On the flip side, atheists view the story as a narrative where God, represented by the Wizard, is merely a mortal manipulating events behind the scenes.
The interpretations are as diverse and colorful as a tornado sweeping through Kansas.
A Suffragette Allegory?
In Oz, power is portrayed as feminine. Dorothy and the witches wield true power, while the male characters are portrayed as lacking in various ways.
These themes may have roots in L. Frank Baum’s relationship with his suffragist mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and his own involvement in the women’s suffrage movement.
Or you could view the characters in The Wizard of Oz as fitting neatly into C.G. Jung’s psychoanalytic theories.
No matter how you interpret it, the key message is crystal clear: there’s no place like home.
Or perhaps the biggest revelation is that even the most powerful figures can turn out to be mere illusions.
