Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Wizard of Oz-Political Interpretation

Tonight on TCM, (Turner Classic Movies) my son watched the production of the Wizard of Oz. (1939)

I told him that some people interpret the movie in a political way and that it may be a predictor of the future. As in the young, represented by Dorothy, will have their reality suddenly changed (the tornado) and need to navigate the future.

DS told me that he didn't believe this was a predictor of the future, but rather a narrative of the past. He said that it shows how things went in the Great Depression. That the young needed to realize that things were not as they had been (Kansas) and that they needed a brain (Straw Man) and heart (Tin Man) and courage (Lion) to get through to the other side.

I mentioned to him that some people have said that Dorothy's ruby slippers were originally written to be silver slippers on the "yellow brick road" (gold) to OZ...the true reality.

He's chewing on that and I thought it would be an interesting discussion here.

I read the book too long ago to remember the details (except that is seemed even odder than the movie, and other books involving a talking chicken were just as odd) but, I do recall that the slippers were changed to ruby to show better in the new color movie technology.

[quote=NotherBen I do recall that the slippers were changed to ruby to show better in the new color movie technology. [/quote]

I also heard the same about the showing off of the new tech in color.

Sorry my quote is so sloppy...my kitten is climbing the curtains.