When first watching The Wizard of Oz, we see Dorothy, a teenage girl who, after getting caught in a tornado, goes to the world of Oz. There, she meets a Scarecrow in search for a brain, a Tin man in search for a heart, and a Lion in search of courage. They unite in their journey to find the Wizard of Oz- the one who can grant them their wishes, and take Dorothy back home. Along the way, Dorothy grows within herself, as well as comes to find out that she did not need the wizard to return home. It was in her power all along. It is easy to get caught up in the mystical world that is Oz, and the fantastic journey that Dorothy takes with her new found friends. However, looking beyond the plot, there are many items that point towards the idea that despite the friends Dorothy had made (meaning the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin-man), and the experiences she gained in the magical world of Oz, the circumstances that led her to her journey were all negative ones. We also see how the era in which this movie came out had a role in what influenced the happenings of the characters.
First, we look into the time period set in this movie. The Wizard of Oz revolved around the Inter-War Peroid. This was a time between 1919-1939- meaning it was Post World War I and leading into World War II. During this time, the United States was facing a Great Depression. This is seen very clearly by the state in which Dorothy lives with her family. Here, we see a farm house. Typical of Kansan, where Dorothy is from. However, If you look close, the land is barren. This is crucial in understanding how little the country had in this point in time. Not only was it an economic depression, but a environmental one. This left little to work with and many families suffering.
This also applies to the actual state that Dorothy’s family is in. Looking into further detail, Dorothy lives with her Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. Neither of which are her parents. Background research leads to say that Dorothy is orphaned. There is no mention to what happened, however, the fact that she is also parent-less shows the type of state that the country was left in after the war. This probably also explains the attachment that Dorothy has with her dog Toto and the sadness she experiences when she has to say goodbye to her new friends in the land of Oz. The lack of parents is substituted by the presence of other adult figures in her life: Hunk, Hickory, and Zeke. Which we can also associate as the Scarecrow, Tin man, and Lion in Oz.
Not only are these Dorothy’s friends in Kansas, and the ones who looked out for her within her every day life, but they embody the ideals that Dorothy wishes to find within herself: Intelligence, heart, and courage. Not only that, they are qualities that the nation itself needed during this time period. Intelligence to know how to deal with what the economy was doing, heart to care for one another and the states that other nations were in, and courage to deal with the issues, and push through to a better future.
These were ideals needed to get through Dorothy’s journey, but they were also things that the United States had to consider during the in traumatizing days of the Great depression. In addition to the common themes, the musical piece most recognized from this film was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Not only was Dorothy wishing to gain relief from her current state, she also began an anthem for a country lost in debt and poverty. This film allowed audiences to escape into a fantastic world where the negative aspects of reality were hidden behind a wall of color and magic. Just like we see in the end with the Wizard himself.
Writing about (the) Movies 