The Wizard of Oz – A Populist Allegory

Wizard of Oz Tornado/Cyclone Scene – Dorothy meets Glinda the good Witch (0:20) – Lullaby League & Lollipop Guild – “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” – Scarecrow – “If I only had a brain” – Dorothy meets the Tin Man – Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion – Poppy fields – Procession to Emerald City (0:52) – Emerald City song (“Merry Old Land of Oz”) – Winged Monkeys – Death of the Wicked Witch of the West – Wizard of Oz Revealed –

Gray Kansas setting Drab, colorless, dry western plains Agrarian malaise, crisis in agriculture Cyclone Twisting, disorienting, violent, displaces Dorothy and Toto Political Upheaval-political revolution that will transform the drab country into a land of color and unlimited prosperity; the free silver movement Glinda, Good Witch of the North (and South) Helpful to Dorothy, beautiful, kind Populism that can solve potentially everyone's problems - had a large following among citizens of the Northern Plains

Wicked Witch of the East Unseen; known to be evil and oppressive Eastern business and financial interests (industry, banks, railroads) Ruby Slippers Magical, powerful, can help Dorothy on her quest In the book, they are silver the silver component of a bimetallic standard Munchkins The little people; all dressed similarly in blue (in the book) ordinary citizens of the East The Lullaby League and the Lollipop Guild Unified groups of Munchkins divided by gender specific labor skills guilds/trade unions of skilled workers

Yellow Brick Road Long, winding, made of yellow bricks – path to Emerald City gold standard Scarecrow Tin Man Western farmers (take over Emerald City in the book) Rusted, helpless, missing a heart, needs oil to move Dehumanized industrial workers - limbs cut off due to witch of the east (loss of limbs in the factories) (take over West and spread industry in the book) Lack of brains; straw, not much substance; not valued but does have common sense

Cowardly Lion Poppy fields Causes some characters to fall asleep Vocal, loud - ultimately unable to frighten; needs courage to stand up to others (all roar, no bite) William Jennings Bryan (famous speeches but unable to get elected) Side issues that slow politicians down Procession to the Emerald City Traveling party marching to the Emerald City Populism going to Washington, gaining political power or possibly Coxey's Army (unemployed workers marching to Washington seeking relief)

Washington D.C. Winged MonkeysNative Americans Emerald City (and song) Capital city of Oz, things not as they appear; glorious place where all things are possible, but also very lazy Act under the control of Witch of the West, forced to either submit or be killed All-powerful, evil, scary, tries to stop Dorothy killed by water “malignant nature,” drought, the difficult physical environment in which farmers on the Great Plains lived Wicked Witch of the West (and her death)

Throne room Wizard of Oz Oval Office in the White House Smoke and mirrors, theatrics, slight of hand Place of meeting between the Wizard and the traveling party, closed off to others Not always visible, works behind the scenes, a charlatan (also, oz = ounce of gold) generally dishonest or shady politicians (Cleveland and McKinley) OR Mark Hanna (campaign manager for McKinley)

Toto Dorothy Dog / sidekick Innocent, young, simple, earnest Everyman (the American people), led astray and who seeks the way back home; Other idea: DOROTHY DORE– O –THEE ROOSEVELT Prohibitionist party (also called Teetotalers) that was a small part of the movement