The Wonderful Wizard of Feminism. a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Almost any story can hold a secret meaning:

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1 Wilcox 1 Isabelle Wilcox Literature, Film & Media Musser November 5, 2014 The Wonderful Wizard of Feminism al le go ry noun \ˈa-lə-ˌgȯr-ē\: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Almost any story can hold a secret meaning: children s books, YA novels, thrillers, romance novels, anything. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is one of many to be accused of being an allegory. It is most famously known as a political allegory for the Populist Movement, but people have found more hidden messages in it: atheist allegory, religious allegory, and feminist allegory. Feminists are those that fight for the empowerment of women, so they would play on the fact that all of the powerful witches in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are women, that all the men in the story are not whole beings, and that the only powerful man in the story, Oz, ended up being a fluke. Feminism in this children s book may not be a first thought, but it is apparent. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum acts as an allegory for feminism, the message hidden in the characters and is backed up by the authors personal history. The most obvious way The Wonderful Wizard of Oz acts as a feminist allegory is that all the people with real power are women. The Wicked Witch of the East, the Wicked Witch of the West, the Good Witch of the North, and the Good Witch of the South are all women, and they are the main source of power and leadership in their specific sectors of the Land of Oz. The

2 Wilcox 2 Wicked Witch of the East held the munchkins under her control, until Dorothy s house fell on her and ended her reign, You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage (Baum11). The Wicked Witch of the West, also held people under her reign until Dorothy killed her as well, I have been wicked in my day, but I never thought a little girl like would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds (93). The Good Witch of the North was loved, and respected by all of the people, giving her power. If a person were to be kissed by this witch a mark would appear on their forehead and that would keep danger away, the way it kept danger from Dorothy and in turn, her companions. Last of the witches, the Good Witch of the South ruled her part of the land successfully with respect. And of course, Dorothy; she started out on a scary mission in an alien world that she knew close to nothing about, with no one with her but her dog proving bravery. Along the way, thanks to her good heart, she acquired three companions with ailments that put them on the same journey as Dorothy. Dorothy s first companion was the Scarecrow, who she met when resting near a corn field. He was perched on a pole, and needed Dorothy, a woman, to help get him down, this pole is stuck up my back. If you will please take away the pole I shall be greatly obliged to you (Baum 22). After he and Dorothy get talking, he admits that he does not have any brains he asks if the Wizard of Oz could give him brains and joins Dorothy on her journey. The next companion they meet going through the woods it is a tin man. He is stuck because his joints rusted when he got caught outside during the rain. Dorothy, a woman, saved him by oiling his joints, letting him move. Once he, Dorothy and the Scarecrow get talking, he tells them he does not have a heart he joins them on their journey, hoping the Wizard will grant his wish for a heart. As the trio keeps going, they are attacked by a lion. After Dorothy, a woman,

3 Wilcox 3 reprimands said lion for trying to attack her dog, Toto, the Lion admits that he is a coward, and that he has no courage. He is told that the Wizard of Oz might be able to give him courage so he joins them on their journey. The quartet plus Toto continue to make their way to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard and ask for what they need: for Dorothy - a way home, for the Scarecrow a brain, for the Tin Man a heart, for the Lion courage. All of the men need something to make them whole men again, where as Dorothy, the woman, only needs a hand getting back to Kansas. They made their way to the Wizard and each of them met with him separately and each time, the Wizard appeared different to each of them. He told them he would grant their wishes if they killed the Wicked Witch of the West. So the quartet plus Toto went on their second adventure were captured by the Wicked Witch and taken to her castle. Dorothy seized an opportunity to distract the witch and threw water at her, which ended up melting and killing the witch. Dorothy, a woman, killed both the Wicked Witches who were extremely powerful rulers, also women. Having completed the Wizard of Oz s requirement they returned to Emerald City to get their wishes granted. When the Wizard wouldn t grant their wishes, they exposed him as being a normal human man, not a wizard at all. The only man in the Land of Oz with any real control was a fraud and so was his power. The feminist allegory theory is well backed up by the fact that L. Frank Baum was closely associated with feminists. His mother-in-law was suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage, whom he was very close with. L. Frank Baum was also a secretary at his town s woman s suffrage club, and was a part of a newspaper whose main idea was women s suffrage. Adding in the factor of the women being the only people with real power - Dorothy, the witches - and that all the men in the novel are lacking something a brain, a heart, courage, power with L. Frank Baum s personal history the feminist allegory theory is very plausible.

4 Wilcox 4 The message of feminism in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum hides within the characters and is well backed up by the author s personal history.

5 Wilcox 5 Work Cited "Allegory." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 05 Nov Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. N.p.: Simon & Brown, Print. Ebiri, Bilge. "7 Theories of What The Wizard of Oz Is Really About." Vulture. N.p., 7 Mar Web. 05 Nov

WIZARD OF OZ. I m the Munchkin mayor. We d like to thank you for killing the Wicked Witch.

WIZARD OF OZ. I m the Munchkin mayor. We d like to thank you for killing the Wicked Witch. WIZARD OF OZ Once there was a girl named Dorothy. She lived with her parents in the heart of the great Kansas prairies. One day Dorothy and her dog, Toto, were playing inside the house. Suddenly, there