The Wizard of Oz as Political Allegory

Background:

The depression of the 1890s was the worst in U.S. history up to that time.

Farm prices sunk to new lows.

Unemployment caused havoc, desperation and union militancy among the urban working class.

The Coinage of Silver

The allegory starts with the name of Oz –Oz is the abbreviation for ounce which is the standard measure for gold & silver.

The characters and who they represent

DOROTHY

EVERYMAN

LEVEL-HEADED, HUMAN, GOOD

THINKS OF OTHERS

TOTO – MORE THAN A DOG

“TEETOTALER” –WAS A SLANG TERM FOR A PRUDE.

TOTO IS A PLAY ON THE TERM – FOR THE WESTERNERS WHO CHOSE NOT TO DRINK.

FARM – described as dreary

DEADLY ENVIRONMENT

IMPERSONAL NATURE

BLEAK, LONELY, ISOLATED

TORNADO

POPULISM ROARING IN FROM WEST

MUNCHKINS

SLAVERY- HELD CAPTIVE BY THE WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST

GENERAL PUBLIC: CHILDLIKE, NAÏVE

REPRESENTS THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE

Wicked Witch of the East

REPRESENTS THE BANKERS AND CAPITALISTS (FACTORY OWNERS) WHO OPPRESS THE “LITTLE PEOPLE”

In the book, Dorothy’s shoes are silver.

FARMERS DEMAND GOVERNMENT COIN SILVER MONEY TO INFLATE CURRENCY & RAISE FARM PRICES

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

In the book, Dorothy travels in her ideal silver shoes across the world covered by the yellow-brick (gold-dominated) world.

SCARECROW – NO BRAIN

FARMERS

IGNORANT

IRRATIONAL

CONFUSED

TIN WOODSMAN–NO HEART

LABOR BECOMING MACHINES

LOST MOST HUMAN SENTIMENT: LOVE

RUSTED SOLID –CLOSING OF FACTORIES IN THE 1893 DEPRESSION

COWARDLY LION

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN

“MORE BARK THAN BITE”

EMERALD CITY

WASHINGTON, DC

GREEN IN COLOR –SHOWS HOW GOVERNMENT IS CONTROLLED BY THE RICH

WIZARD OF OZ

PRESIDENT McKINLEY

SHIFTS APPEARANCE TO FIT AUDIENCE

ALL STYLE – NO SUBSTANCE

REPRESENTS RICH PEOPLE

WICKED WITCH OF WEST

RAILROAD BARONS

BAD FORCES OF NATURE

WINGED MONKEYS

INDIANS

GOOD OR BAD DEPENDS UPON WHOSE INFLUENCE

The End of the Book – The PopulistDream that Never Happened

SCARECROW RULES OZ AND THE WOODSMAN RULES THE EAST

REPRESENTS THE DREAM THAT NEVER HAPPENED-THAT FACTORY WORKERS AND FARMERS COULD UNITE AND TAKE POWER IN THE GOVERNMENT

END OF THE DREAM

LION RETREATS TO FOREST –BRYAN LEFT POLITICS

DOROTHY’S SILVER SHOES FALL OFF – THE END OF SILVER COINAGE ISSUE