Secrets of the Wizard of Oz

Summary

March 17, 2009: The article details the possible allegorical meanings behind L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz. According to some scholars, the story is also a hidden metaphor for the debate in the late 19th century when it was argued during the economic depression at the time whether the United States should move away from the gold standard and back the dollar with silver instead. The article also details which character or element in the story stands for what real life element. The theory discussed in the article was first put forward by high school teacher Henry Littlefield.

Highlights from Littlefield's theory on metaphorical meanings of The Wizard of Oz:

• Dorothy = embodies the "Everyman American Spirit"
• Tin Woodsman = Industrial workers
• Scarecrow = Farmers
• Cowardly Lion = William Jennings Bryan
• Wicked Witch = Mark Hanna, industrialist and campaign manager to President William McKinley.
• The Wizard = US Presidents of the late 19th Century
• Emerald City = Washington, D.C.
• Yellow Brick Road = the gold standard
• Winged Monkeys = Native Americans or Chinese Railroad Workers, in either case exploited by the West.

Source

Bibliography

1. Original article

Game and Story Use

• Stories for children - including but not limited to "The Wizard of Oz" may have more than one layer of hidden meaning in them. For GMs with a taste for the perverse, the heroes of one's childhood could have all sorts of hidden occult meanings - which could be used by occultists in search of arcane secrets, or be invoked for boosts of power.
• Such allegorical themes and elements can also be used by GMs to create setting elements, NPCs, and villains - which might resonate more strongly in the imagination of the players.
  • This was examined in depth for the horror genre in GURPS Horror.