Glenn beck goes deep into the wonderful wizard of oz. The wonderful wizard of oz the wonderful wizard of oz analysis t he wonderful wizard of oz is often read as an allegory for 1900s american economic policy, which upheld the gold standard, a policy. Oct 26, 2018 congress statutorily fixed the exchange rate between silver and gold in 1834 at sixteen ounces of silver to one ounce of gold. They travel along the yellow brick road the gold standard to see the.
Establishment politicians, a charlatan who tricks people into believing he wields immense power. Monetary policy was a huge political issue at the time, with big businessmen generally supporting tight money and the gold standard while reformers favored an enlargement of the money supply through the coinage of silver or the issuance of paper money. Between the time baum conceived of and executed the wizard of oz, the economic conditions that made the silver issue so urgent grew better and the spanishamerican war diverted public attention to more dramatic issues littlefield, 49. From offscreen friendships and jarring pay inequality to the special effects and makeup tricks that brought some of the worlds favorite film characters to life, the wizard of oz 1939 had so much going on behind the emerald curtain and th. Though the wonderful wizard of oz was written over 100 years ago, the themes will be recogizable to those with an interest in golden matters. This symbolizes that the silver standard that the farmers wanted. A monetary reformers brief symbol glossary by patrick s.
Boots no 7s wizard of oz collection just won christmas. Dorothy the small and meek symbolized the innocent and powerless american people led astray and seeking the way home. I started this costume by making a skirt with a gathered waistband. When the wizard of oz opened in theaters in 1939, audiences were treated to a bigscreen experience like no other.
The heart of the book is an annotated version of the wizard of oz that highlights the possible political and monetary symbolism in. Frank baums classic childrens novel as an allegory of the gilded age. Hugh rockoff of rutgers university, the wizard of oz as a. According to this view, for instance, the yellow brick road represents the gold standard, and the silver shoes ruby slippers in the 1939 film version represent. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz. Wizard of oz and the gold standard general questions. The extraordinary story behind the extraordinary story of the wonderful wizard of oz, quentin p.
The oz factor is a sensation that ufo witnesses experience. Dec 10, 20 obviously oz is an abbreviation for ounce. Thus interpreted, the wizard of oz becomes a powerful pedagogic device. This set the legal price of silver in terms of gold at roughly 16. More than just a childrens story by lauren houlberg the wizard of oz is a classic, a legend, and a childrens story that will never grow old. Federal reserve creates comic book for educators to program. The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory cameron school of. The wonderful wizard of oz illustrated first edition.
For many years, the wizard of oz retained its status as purely a. Jellocolored horses and political allegories aside, here are some incredible facts about one of the most epic. Heres the real, forgotten meaning of the wizard of oz. The story behind the wonderful wizard of oz a parable. The story behind the wonderful wizard of oz a parable about. The wonderful wizard of oz has been adapted to other media numerous times, most famously in the wizard of oz, the 1939 film starring judy garland, ray bolger, jack haley, and bert lahr. Frank baum published his famous novel, the wonderful wizard of oz. Frank baum wrote the wonderful wizard of oz over a century ago.
The political and economic symbols hidden inside the. Out of kansas, salman rushdie, the new yorker 1992. The complete collection of oz series illustrated the wizard of oz series by l. The wizard of oz was one of my favorite movies as a child.
Kansas aka the sunflower state, is a state within the united states of america. This theory corresponds better with the book, where oz is more about. What do we really know about glinda the good witch. The top is made from a fitted bodice and very puff.
To the right this is an image of the silver standard. Is there a secret money lesson hidden in the wizard of oz. The following is a compilation of several views of the monetary reform symbolism used by l. The emerald city represented greenbacks paper money, backed by a great deal of illusion of power the wizard. The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory cameron school. Jan 12, 2021 according to littlefield, the wizard of oz argued for the importance of abandoning a single gold standard and adopting a bimetallist standard for american currency that included silver in addition to gold. Baums first book of childrens stories was published in 1897. Glenn beck talked about hugh rockoffs allegory of the the wonderful wizard of oz. The gold standard and the wizard of oz wall street oasis. Hugh rockoff suggested in 1990 that the novel was an allegory about the demonetization of silver in 1873, whereby the cyclone that carried dorothy to the land of oz represents the economic and political upheaval, the yellow brick road stands for the gold standard, and the silver shoes dorothy inherits from the wicked witch of the east represents the prosilver movement. Toto has blood in his eyes and hes going to wreak some fucking havoc on oz. The cowardly lion was looking for courage, but he discovered that when he looked within, that courage was already there. Advertisement in ufo reality 1983 british ufologist jenny randles noted that some ufo witnesses exper. To deal with her and to get back to kansas normality, the good witch of the north, representing the electorate of the north this is less than 40 years after the civil war, tells dorothy to seek out the wizard of oz oz being short for ounce, the means of weighing both gold and silver.
So dorothy journies clad in silver shoes on the yellow brick gold road, to the land of oz ounce, of gold or silver. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american history. Morgan, the emerald city of oz greenback money, even dorothys silver slippers changed to ruby slippers for the movie version were symbols of the beliefs of baum and bryan that adding silver coinage to gold would provide much needed money to a depressionstrapped, 1890s america. The gold standard effectively ended in 1971, when us president richard m. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. Mar 07, 20 they travel along the yellow brick road the gold standard to see the wizard, who could represent president grover cleveland or william mckinley. The heart of the book is an annotated version of the wizard of oz that highlights the possible political and monetary symbolism in the book by relating characters, settings, and. According to the textbook, the wonderful wizard of oz is alleged to be a story about a. Few students of money and banking or economic history will forget the battle between the advocates of free silver and the defenders of the gold standard when it is explained through the wizard of oz.
The gold standard was perceived as insufficient and was already almost cornered by jim fisk and jay gould. The wizard of oz, bimetallism, and the cross of gold. The most pertinent difference between the book and the film is, in the book, the slippersshoes dorothy gets from the wicked witch of the east are silver, not ruby. The wizard of oz and the gold standard lecture james. Oh, my, and theres no place like home, are ones that will always pop into our heads when someone. These behindthecurtain facts will change how you see the wizard of oz. Sep 30, 20 finally, the 1960s interpretation of the wonderful wizard of oz as a parable on populism posits that oz was taken from the standard abbreviation for ounce, in accordance with the gold. Oct 16, 2009 gold, silver and the wonderful wizard of oz. Frank baums classic childrens novel as an allegory of the gilded age political economy and a comment on the gold standard. The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory rutgers economics. Put your knowledge of this film classic to the test and quickly. Wizard of oz pins kansapedia kansas historical society.
Wizard of oz book vintage childrens story 1970 carol joan drexler paperback wizard of oz l. Here are the best early deals to shop now sections show more follow today technicolor and. The historians wizard of oz synthesizes four decades of scholarly interpretations of l. The wizard of oz, bimetallism, and the cross of gold ar15. One wellknown theory holds the entire novel is a comment on turn of thecentury monetary policy, where the yellow brick road symbolizes the conservative gold standard, and the silver slippers represent the populists desire to open up the economy through a more liberal silver standard. Oz corresponds to standard measure of gold ounce oz. Frank baums book was penned in 1900 following unrest in the agriculture arena read. Jellocolored horses and political allegories aside, here are some incredible facts about one of the most epic films of all time. Rockefeller and the wicked witch of the east ny banker j. And this book also included a separate teachers guide for educators to better understand the allegorical themes within the book. The books and movie have been exceptionally popular. The wizard of oz coloring book for children 6x9 coloring book activity book by sheba blake. This symbolizes the wealth possible with the addition of silver to the gold standard. Until this version, the book had inspired a number of now less well known stage and screen adaptations, including a profitable 1902 broadway musical and three.
Several images in the book were popular in editorial cartoons of the 1890s. In his reading of the wizard of oz, littlefield believed that dorothy was a standin for the average american, and that the magic silver shoes represented the late 1890s free silver movement. Gold, silver and the wonderful wizard of oz the daily. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american. After the civil war, however, the ratio of silver prices to gold prices consistently exceeded that standard, with the ratio reaching 32. Here, he reveals his opinion that although the gold standard had holes and obstacles, it could still last through the long. I bought trim and ribbon and sewed it along the bottom of the skirt. The wizard of oz and the gold standard lecture james lehr. Mar 17, 2009 soon after publication, baum adapted his book into a stage musical for adults which opened in 1902. One wellknown theory holds the entire novel is a comment on turnofthecentury monetary policy, where the yellow brick road symbolizes the conservative gold standard, and the silver slippers represent the populists. Pledging support for american workers, he sought high tariffs to make foreign manufactured goods unattractive and he supported the gold standard. Ranjit dighe, who wrote the historians wizard of oz, says it poked fun at theodore roosevelt and the populists, but baum was playing for laughs, like jay leno. In the century following the publication of the wizard of oz, scholars and critics have assigned all sorts of symbolic and allegorical meanings to various elements of the novel. The emerald city of oz and glinda of oz penguin classics deluxe edition by l.
The city of oz earns its name from the abbreviation of ounces oz in which gold and silver are measured. See the complete oz series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. Hugh rockoff of rutgers university, the wizard of oz as. Gold, silver and the wonderful wizard of oz daily reckoning. Frank baums first oz book titled the wonderful wizard of oz, published in 1900. The wizard of oz is a representation of politics, religion, feminism the list goes on. Morgan, the emerald city of oz greenback money, even dorothys silver slippers changed to ruby slippers for the movie version were symbols of the beliefs of baum and bryan that adding silver. America, where the gold oz standard held sway, but where the use of the silver oz slippers could free the slaves. The wizard of oz was about the gold standard the reformed. The gold standard of the time was represented by the yellow brick road. The oz book series by multiple authors includes books the wonderful wizard of oz, the marvelous land of oz, ozma of oz, and several more.
During the 1950s, a few experts even feared that the wonderful wizard of oz was an allegory of a communist utopia. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Apr 22, 2015 the gold standard act was passed in 1900, the year that baums book came out, so that lends some support to the economic theory about the message hidden in his book. President cleveland bowed to eastern bankers by repealing the silver purchase act. The political and economic symbols hidden inside the wizard of oz. Dorothy, the main character in the novel, is said to represent the average american. Nixon severed the connection between a countrys currency and real commodities such as precious. His opponent, william jennings bryan who littlefield suggested was represented by the cowardly lion in the wizard of oz was famous for his cross of gold speech. Frank baum published the wonderful wizard of oz and became the father of the american fairy tale. To begin, draw out and enlarge the pattern pieces to your desired size. According to this view, for instance, the yellow brick road represents the gold standard, and the silver shoes ruby slippers in the 1939 film version represent the silverite sixteen to one silver ratio dancing down the road. Turns out the book and movie may be an economic fairy tale about america in the late 1800s and gold. It also is the first setting the story takes place in l.
They travel along the yellow brick road the gold standard to see the wizard, who could represent president grover cleveland or william mckinley. Quotes from the story such as toto, i have a feeling were not in kansas anymore, lions, and tigers, and bears. To the left this is an image of the ruby slippers right after glinda gives them to dorothy. This paper also serves a more conventional purpose.
The wizard of oz as a monetary allegory, hugh rockoff, journal of political econonmy 1990 money and politics in the land of oz. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz wikipedia. Ironically as bix weir has uncovered over time through his exhaustive research, the moral of the story in the road to roota was in finding the path for a return of the nations monetary system back to a gold standard. While many today consider gold an instrument of financial and personal freedom, in baums tale, it is painted as a villain the tool of oppression. The wizard of oz was about the gold standard the reformed broker. Aug 18, 2020 the yellow brick road represented the classic gold standard, with oz short for ounce which is how gold and silver are priced. In the book and the play the shoes are silver, not ruby as they were famously depicted in the 1939 film. See tons of rare photos of the set, cast, and promotion of the iconic mgm film, the wizard of oz. The silver shoes that dorothy wore represent the attempts by william jennings bryan and others to go back to the time.
Frank baums 1900 novel, the wonderful wizard of oz, and how it might be an allegory on monetary policy. The wonderful wizard of oz 1900 the wizard of oz dorothys farmhouse in the kansas cyclone. Tornadoes were often used to illustrate political revolution. Glenn beck goes deep into the wonderful wizard of oz, book. Frank baum and originally published in 1900, may have been inspired by the reallife economic struggles during the gold standard. The wizard of oz as an allegory for the 1896 presidential. But the truth is, when you peel back the curtain, there is no power. The yellow brick road gold standard,the wicked witch of the west cleveland banker j. In the late 1890s, a major issue was the currency of the united states.
Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, however, is not only a childs tale but also a. Plus, six other new beauty launches out this week beauty plus, six other new beauty launches out this week with november trudging along and december firmly in our sights, christmas is on everyones minds right now. Discover the world of oz and funny facts about the wizard of oz. Okay, in the 1890s, america was going through some stuff. Frank baum picture book school edition heidikindfinds 5 out of 5 stars 1,000. In the story, a tornado takes dorothy from the dreary, barren land of kansas to the beautiful and abundant oz.
1046 1593 1000 459 985 766 1420 1385 1120 659 168 1618 1302 1467 424 13 1737 521 994 420