The Secret Political Symbolism in The Wizard of Oz

[Kath]

Interesting article on The Wizard of Oz and the political climate in the 1890s.

The Secret Political Symbolism You Never Knew Was Hidden Within The Wizard Of Oz

Historians have found a number of symbols in The Wizard of Oz, and they all point to one thing: American politics in the 1890s, when Baum was writing the book. The Wizard of Oz symbolism goes incredibly deep, from the main characters to the cyclone, those famous slippers, and even Toto. And the central message in the book is all about the rise of Populism and the debate over gold versus silver. Late 19th-century Populists were primarily rural farmers and workers who rallied to demand an increase in releasing an unlimited coinage of silver to circulate more currency as well as income tax reforms, direct election of US senators, and other ways of giving farmers and industrial workers a better playing field in the economy while strengthen political democracy.

[SilverEagle]

Yep, I knew about this years ago. The only reason the slippers were not silver in the movie was because Technicolor wanted to show off vibrant colors in the film. That's why the went with the ruby slippers. Very interesting part of history that most people don't even know.

Very cool topic Kath. Well done!

[Kath]

Yeah, the contrast between yellow brick road (gold) and the slippers (silver,) I think is what convinced me that this theory has merit.

[Fife]

The floating head had a Cross of Gold speech that got cut.

[Okeefenokee]

Fake news.

This was never a secret.

We were taught the allegorical meaning of WoO in second grade.

[Speaker to Animals]

Yeah, they taught that to us in elementary school as well. It's about industrial north, agricultural south, and degenerate west.

[Kath]

Wow - 1890's politics in the 2nd grade? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, new to me. Carry on.

[Okeefenokee]

Genevieve Carlton
Seattle - United States 14 Followers twitter
Genevieve Carlton loves pizza. She has a PhD in History and collects strange, mysterious, and hilarious stories from the past. One time, she fell into the River of No Return, but she returned. Genevieve writes historical fiction under the pen name Sylvia Prince, and her latest book, Salem Mean Girls, retells the Salem witch trials in the style of the movie Mean Girls.

[Okeefenokee]

Wow - 1890's politics in the 2nd grade? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, new to me. Carry on.

I guess we just have better schools.

[Speaker to Animals]

Wow - 1890's politics in the 2nd grade? Hmmmmm.

Anyway, new to me. Carry on.

Actually, yes. I was joking before about degeneracy in the west, and I didn't remember the details, but they did explain the political meanings behind all the features in the movie. I didn't know about the ruby slippers originally being silver, though. That's actually interesting.

This was hardly a secret. This type of writing genre has been perennially in vogue since Gullliver's Travels. Or, did your teachers not explain all the allegories behind those stories as well??