Changes

==Plot line==

==Plot line==

[[Image:DOROTHY1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Denslow's drawing of Dorothy's introduction to the Scarecrow, from the 1st edition of book, 1900]]

[[Image:DOROTHY1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Denslow's drawing of Dorothy's introduction to the Scarecrow, from the 1st edition of book, 1900]]

The book opens not in an imaginary far-off place but in real life [[Kansas]], which in the 1890s was well-known for the hardships of rural life, and for destructive tornadoes (also called cyclones).  The [[Panic of 1893]] caused widespread distress in rural America. In 1896 and again in 1900 the agrarian wing of the [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] had seized control and nominated the firebrand orator [[William Jennings Bryan]], from Omaha, who crusaded across the land promising his panacea of "free silver" (whereby the government would turn cheap silver into real dollars farmers could use to pay their debts). His supporters truly believed it would transform America in a veritable utopia.  Baum and Denslow, Republicans, rejected this notion and use the book to poke fun at Bryan (who is depicted as the Cowardly Lion).  

The book opens not in an imaginary far-off place but in real life [[Kansas]], which in the 1890s was well known for the hardships of rural life, and for destructive tornadoes (also called cyclones).  The [[Panic of 1893]] caused widespread distress in rural America. In 1896 and again in 1900 the agrarian wing of the [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] had seized control and nominated the firebrand orator [[William Jennings Bryan]], from Omaha, who crusaded across the land promising his panacea of "free silver" (whereby the government would turn cheap silver into real dollars farmers could use to pay their debts). His supporters truly believed it would transform America in a veritable utopia.  Baum and Denslow, Republicans, rejected this notion and use the book to poke fun at Bryan (who is depicted as the Cowardly Lion).  

The silverite revolution—a cyclone—sweeps away Dorothy and Toto to a colorful land of unlimited resources that nevertheless has serious political problems.  This utopia is ruled in part by wicked witches. Dorothy's cyclone/revolution destroys the Wicked Witch of the East, slave-driver over the little people (Munchkins), who now celebrate their liberation.  The Witch had controlled the powerful silver slippers (which were changed to ruby in the 1939 film).  

The silverite revolution—a cyclone—sweeps away Dorothy and Toto to a colorful land of unlimited resources that nevertheless has serious political problems.  This utopia is ruled in part by wicked witches. Dorothy's cyclone/revolution destroys the Wicked Witch of the East, slave-driver over the little people (Munchkins), who now celebrate their liberation.  The Witch had controlled the powerful silver slippers (which were changed to ruby in the 1939 film).  

The Wicked Witch of the West represents the trusts, who took control of small businessmen and made them cogs in their empire, just as the Witch does with the heroes, using the Flying Monkeys as her tools.  The trust issue was in the headlines, with a popular solution—one actually used in 1911 against [[Standard Oil]] to dissolve them. Dorothy heaves a bucket of water and dissolves the Wicked Witch.

The Wicked Witch of the West represents the trusts, who took control of small businessmen and made them cogs in their empire, just as the Witch does with the heroes, using the Flying Monkeys as her tools.  The trust issue was in the headlines, with a popular solution—one actually used in 1911 against [[Standard Oil]] to dissolve them. Dorothy heaves a bucket of water and dissolves the Wicked Witch.

The heroes return to Oz to claim their reward, and expose the Wizard for a media-manipulating fraud. He has no real power and must leave Oz the way he came, on a hot air balloon. (Politicians were synonymous with metaphors like "hot air" and "full of gas.") But he is a shrewd psychologist, and realizes the heroes already possess what they think they lack, they just lack self confidence.  He fills the Scarecrow's head with bran for a brain; implants a heart-shaped silk cushion inside the Tin Woodman (who now realizes his compassionate nature); he makes the Lion drink a dish of "courage" and he becomes king of the beasts again.  He promises to take Dorothy back to Omaha, his hometown, but that plan misfires. The Good Witch of the South (the southern) vote appears. (In 1896 the South voted solidly for Bryan and free silver.) She is smarter than her sister the Good Witch of the North, and tells Dorothy to click her silver slippers three times—that believing will make it come true, and Dorothy arrives home again.  It is a classic adventure story of travel to distant lands, and a story of running away from home and returning, a favorite theme for children.

The heroes return to Oz to claim their reward, and expose the Wizard for a media-manipulating fraud. He has no real power and must leave Oz the way he came, on a hot air balloon. (Politicians were synonymous with metaphors like "hot air" and "full of gas.") But he is a shrewd psychologist, and realizes the heroes already possess what they think they lack, they just lack self-confidence.  He fills the Scarecrow's head with bran for a brain; implants a heart-shaped silk cushion inside the Tin Woodman (who now realizes his compassionate nature); he makes the Lion drink a dish of "courage" and he becomes king of the beasts again.  He promises to take Dorothy back to Omaha, his hometown, but that plan misfires. The Good Witch of the South (the southern) vote appears. (In 1896 the South voted solidly for Bryan and free silver.) She is smarter than her sister the Good Witch of the North, and tells Dorothy to click her silver slippers three times—that believing will make it come true, and Dorothy arrives home again.  It is a classic adventure story of travel to distant lands, and a story of running away from home and returning, a favorite theme for children.

==Sources==

==Sources==

* Rockoff, Hugh. "The 'Wizard of Oz' as a Monetary Allegory," ''Journal of Political Economy'' 98 (1990): 739-60, the source most often used by economists [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-3808%28199008%2998%3A4%3C739%3AT%22OOAA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5  online at JSTOR]; [http://ideas.repec.org/a/ucp/jpolec/v98y1990i4p739-60.html another online edition]

* Rockoff, Hugh. "The 'Wizard of Oz' as a Monetary Allegory," ''Journal of Political Economy'' 98 (1990): 739-60, the source most often used by economists [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-3808%28199008%2998%3A4%3C739%3AT%22OOAA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5  online at JSTOR]; [http://ideas.repec.org/a/ucp/jpolec/v98y1990i4p739-60.html another online edition]

* Rogers, Katharine M. ''L. Frank Baum: Creator of Oz: A Biography'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/L-Frank-Baum-Creator-Biography/dp/031230174X/ref=sid_dp_dp excerpt and text search]

* Rogers, Katharine M. ''L. Frank Baum: Creator of Oz: A Biography'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/L-Frank-Baum-Creator-Biography/dp/031230174X/ref=sid_dp_dp excerpt and text search]

* Sherman, Fraser A. ''The Wizard of Oz Catalog: L. Frank Baum's Novel, Its Sequels and Their Adaptations for Stage, Television, Movies, Radio, Music Videos, Comic Books, Commercials and More'' 2005)  

* Sherman, Fraser A. ''The Wizard of Oz Catalog: L. Frank Baum's Novel, Its Sequels and Their Adaptations for Stage, Television, Movies, Radio, Music Videos, Comic Books, Commercials and More'' (2005)  

* Swartz, Mark Evan. ''Oz Before the Rainbow: L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" on Stage and Screen to 1939'' (2000).

* Swartz, Mark Evan. ''Oz Before the Rainbow: L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" on Stage and Screen to 1939'' (2000).

* Quentin P. Taylor, "Money and Politics in the Land of Oz," (Dec 2004) [http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=40&articleID=504 Independent]

* Quentin P. Taylor, "Money and Politics in the Land of Oz," (Dec 2004) [http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?issueID=40&articleID=504 Independent]