When L. Frank Baum wrote the Wizard of Oz in 1899, he created a pretty, smart, and energetic little girl for his marvelous story named Dorothy. Dorothy in his original book was about 8 years old. It is quite possible, since he had four sons, that Dorothy was the daughter he always wanted but never had. The Wizard of Oz became his artist canvas to create an archetypal little girl that was able to find her way around this strange Land of Oz, help others, melt the Wicked Witch of the West, and force the Wizard of Oz to admit his powerlessness. This amazing little girl transformed the Land of Oz through her positive attitude, fearlessness, integrity, and relentless desire to go back home.
In 1939, the film makers created Dorothy as a teenager with a marvelous singing voice and stage presence. Judy Garland was fantastic in the role and movie-goers will always think of Dorothy as depicted by Judy Garland singing, Somewhere over the Rainbow, on a dirt road in Kansas. As the story goes, some of the producers of the film wanted that song cut out of the film because they thought it distracted from the story. It is a good thing that they didn’t get their way because Somewhere over the Rainbow captivated film lovers all over the country as we were still climbing out of the devastation of the Great Depression. That song’s lyrics connected with people, hoping to find another place far, far away where their dreams would come true.
L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy was different from the Judy Garland version in many significant ways. As an 8 year old, she stood toe to toe with the Wicked Witch when she was captured by her and locked in the Witch’s castle. The Wicked Witch stole one of the Ruby Red Shoes and Dorothy demanded it back. The Wicked Witch refused. In her fury, Dorothy grabbed the closest resource to her, a bucket of water, and poured it on the witch. As you remember in the film version, the witch set Scarecrow on fire and Dorothy inadvertently poured the water on the witch while trying to save the Scarecrow. In Baum’s original tale, Dorothy confronted the witch head on and refused to back down, ultimately winning her freedom. After the Wicked Witch melted away, Dorothy left the castle and freed the Lion who was held chained in the Wicked Witch’s courtyard. She then summoned the Winged Monkeys to rescue the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman who were badly beaten. If you remember the film’s version of this scene, Dorothy frantically pounds on the door of the castle screaming for the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Woodman to free her. Instead, Baum had Dorothy free them. This is quite different scenes.
Throughout the story, there are 5 themes that are repeated again and again: remain positive and hopeful; use your brain and mind wisely; live with an open heart; muster your courage often; and draw upon the magic of your imagination again and again.
I believe that the Wizard of Oz is one of the greatest stories of personal transformation ever written. The 5 themes are timeless. Even today, 111 years after its first printing and 72 years after the film made its debut, these 5 themes are fundamental to our continued psychological health, creativity, spirituality, and well-being.
John A. Tamiazzo, PhD is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, Love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road, available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk, BarnesandNoble.com, and as an e-Kindle book at Amazon.
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