The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of OZ is a beloved piece of literature that was turned into a popular movie. Here we look at some of the characters that are prominant in the book.

Originally published in 1900 The Wizard of Oz has become a standard of American pop culture and an excellent example of modern folklore. However, most of us are introduced to this work through the classic film. Though the movie is very good and for the most part stays true to the book there are some extra details in the book that can not be found in the movie. Any movie trivia buff knows that the actual shoes that made the wicked witch of the west want to track down Dorothy were silver not ruby the reason being silver wouldn’t show up as well in the new filming technology known as Technicolor. However what about the field mice, the winged monkeys and of the actual role of Glinda?

While on their journey the group of travelers encounter a mouse that is going to be eaten by a cat. They save the mouse and find that she is the Queen of the field mice. In return for them saving her, she pledges to help Dorothy and her friends whenever they should need it. This comes in handy when they are crossing a dangerous poppy field, where a traveler can fall asleep and never wake up again. It is the field mice that help the travelers out of their jam. The Tin Woodsman with the help of the Scarecrow are able to carry Dorothy and Toto to safety but are unable to help the Cowardly Lion because he is too heavy. Remembering the promise from the Queen of the field mice they call to her for help. The field mice then help by rolling the Cowardly Lion out of the field to safety.

The group of travelers finally meet the Wizard of Oz but before he can grant them their requests they must kill the Wicked Witch of the West. The travelers quickly set about on this journey, traveling through dark woods and over rough mountains until the Witch spies them in her territory. She sends her winged monkeys to meet them that she controls through the use of a golden cap which binds the monkeys to the servitude of whomever wears it for three wishes. After killing the witch Dorothy takes with her the cap and the broom. Through the help of the winged monkeys the travelers are not only able to make it back to the emerald city very fast but are also helped out of tight jams such as making it past some armless Quadlings who will not allow the group to cross the boarder into their land.

A familiar character in much of the Oz folklore is Glinda the good witch who is actually from the south not the north. In the book she doesn’t play a major role in the story until the end. The Wizard is found to be a fraud and leaves, failing to get Dorothy home though he has seemingly granted the requests of the other travelers. The last hope for Dorothy to get home is to see the good witch Glinda in the south which is the land of the Quadlings. Here Glinda grants Dorothy’s wish by telling her how to use the shoes. She also uses the cap to get Dorothy’s three friends back to where they want to be and then gives the cap back to the King of the flying monkeys freeing them from its curse. In the end, like the movie, Dorothy makes it home to her family but says “I’m so glad to be home again!”