Since it was first published in 1900, Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz has been invariably popular. Generations of children have been enthralled by the adventures of a Kansas girl Dorothy. Carried off by a cyclone to a magic land of Oz, she met all sorts of creatures, made several friends, overcame numerous difficulties and finally returned back to her farm aunt and uncle’s farm. To an adult reader she seems quite an ordinary child – far from heroic. Yet she was the protagonist of several more books of the Oz series, and that is something – just like being elected mayor of the city again and again. What is the secret of Dorothy’s appeal to millions of readers? Paradoxically, it is probably because she is so ordinary, so like any of the young readers, following eagerly her adventures. A typical modern hero, with all her non-heroism, she is endowed with several traits which help her out in every difficult situation. An ordinary child in extraordinary circumstances (more than that, over them) – that plot has attracted dozens of children’s authors (Edith Nesbit, Lewis Carroll, James Barry, C.S.Lewis to name but a few classics). Reading their books, a child learns to believe in himself. In real life he is always ‘less’ – less mature, less strong, less intelligent than adults around him. The books reveals to him that he does possess inner resources which will enable him to win – moreover, to win in circumstances where most of his adult acquaintances are bound to give in. Taking Wonderful Wizard of Oz as an example, what qualities do these books teach a child to value and develop.
In the very first chapter the reader cannot fail to recognize Dorothy’s courage. In fact, her adventure starts because she rushed to get Toto, her pet dog, from under the bed and so was too late to hide in the cellar – the cyclone caught the little house and lifted it into the air. She saved him again when he was about to fall out from the trap door. Protecting him from numerous dangers, she goes as far as fighting the Lion (the Cowardly Lion, granted, but did she know about it?): “Dorothy, fearing Toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the Lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out: “Don't you dare to bite Toto!” On reaching the Emerald City she is admitted to the presence of Oz the Terrible, who meets her in the guise of a huge living head. A weird experience – but Dorothy recovers her composure as soon as she is aware of the fact that “it was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come from the big Head”.
Yet there is nothing bullyish in her courage: she is a staunch supporter of non-violence. “"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” – the Wizard introduces himself. – “"I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek,” – replies the girl, imitating him and unconsciously emphasizing one of her most central qualities. She is meek, and her meekness helps her where her courage cannot. When Oz orders her to kill the Wicked Witch of the West, she starts off on her mission unwillingly, hoping that somehow the problem might be solved without her taking an active part in it: “I suppose we must try it; but I am sure I do not want to kill anybody, even to see Aunt Em again”. The author respects her peaceableness, and the girl annihilates the wicked witch without actually wishing - and knowing how - to harm her.
She works meekly for her, putting up with threats, bullying and bluff. What makes her angry is the old woman’s trickery and treachery, when she uses her magic to make Dorothy stumble to get the coveted silver shoes. That was unfair, especially the magic part – the author stresses this through repetition. “She placed a bar of iron in the middle of the kitchen floor, and then by her magic arts made the iron invisible to human eyes. So that when Dorothy walked across the floor she stumbled over the bar, not being able to see it, and fell at full length (italics mine)”. Like every child, Dorothy hates unfair play. Only the violation of basic rules of behavior provoke her into an act of violence (and a very meek one): “It is now my shoe, and not yours,” teases the witch. "You have no right to take my shoe from me," retorts the girl. - "I shall keep it, just the same," replies the wicked old woman and Dorothy throws some water on her, which causes the witch, to Dorothy’s great surprise, shrink and melt. Besides, she gets angry with the Lion attacking Toto and Oz pretending to be a wizard. As in the case with the Witch, moral law is broken: the strong must protect the weak, and promises must be kept – no cheating. Apart from this clash and her unwilling killing the Wicked Witch of the East, Dorothy is kind, friendly and compassionate. She is “truly sorry” for the Scarecrow when he tells her about his problem. She is moved by the sad state of the Tin Woodman: “anxiously,” “softly”, “gently” are the adverbs the author describes her actions with.
Still, these qualities would not help her to return safely to her native Kansas without her intelligence. She is not educated or well-read or intelligent in any other adult way. She possesses a practical kind of intelligence. Having just arrived in the magic land of Oz, killing a wicked sourceress and learning from a good one that getting back to Kansas is next to impossible, she notices how old her shoes are and changes into the silver ones, and this commonsense act proves to save her many times, as the silver shoes are magic. The author stresses her ‘down-to-earthness’ many times throughout the book. She gets used to her extraordinary surroundings very soon. Leaving her house, “she closed the door, locked it, and put the key carefully in the pocket of her dress.” She eats hearty breakfasts, sleeps soundly, does not forget to put on an apron or brush her hair. The author seems to stress the importance of observing these and other simple rules in whatever situation. She is surprisingly level-headed and adaptable, taking for granted everything happening to her and adapting to all circumstances: “Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.” After a giddy flight on the Winged Monkeys, she says only “That was a good ride.”
This attitude seems to help her stay brave and kind whatever obstacles she has to overcome on her way back to Kansas. Wonderful Wizard of Oz, as most other children’s fiction, seems to stress the importance of staying true to one’s self – one’s good, kind, brave and honest self through all ups and downs of life. It pays, says the author. The main law of a children’s book is that “the Power of Good… is greater than the Power of Evil,” as the Winged Monkeys inform the Wicked Witch of the West. And it probably is so in real life – but not without our personal contribution to the Good.
