L. Frank Baum, author of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was a midwestern journalist. When he sat down to write a story for children, he made the characters represent protagonists in the major political battle of his time. Here is how economic historian Hugh Rockoff, writing in the Journal of Political Economy in 1990, interprets the story: DOROTHY: Traditional American values TOTO: Prohibitionist party, also called the Teetotalers SCARECROW: Farmers TIN WOODSMAN: Industrial workers COWARDLY LION: William Jennings Bryan MUNCHKINS: Citizens of the East WICKED WITCH OF THE EAST: Grover Cleveland WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST: William McKinley WIZARD: Marcus Alonzo Hanna, chairman of the Republican Party OZ: Abbreviation for ounce of gold YELLOW BRICK ROAD: Gold standard An early debate over monetary policy In the end of Baum’s story, Dorothy does find her way home, but it is not by just following the yellow brick road. After a long and perilous journey, she learns that the wizard is incapable of helping her or her friends. Instead, Dorothy finally discovers the magical power of her silver slippers. (When the book was made into a movie in 1939, Dorothy’s slippers were changed from silver to ruby. The Hollywood filmmakers were more interested in showing off the new technology of Technicolor than in telling a story about 19th-century monetary policy.)
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 17:45:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015