The Wizard Of Oz Character Analysis - 1387 Words

Cheris Kramarae once said, â€Å"Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings.† According to Merriam-Webster, Feminism is defined as â€Å"the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities† The ideal female character is normally depicted as weak and vulnerable in comparison to men, but truly it is not the case. In L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, the main character, Dorothy, is portraying the role of an independent female as opposed to the typical damsel in distress. She unintentionally kills the Wicked Witch of the Eest and is praised as a heroine in the land of Oz. Dorothy is the complete opposite of the ideal female character. She is portrayed as self-reliant, strong and peaceful all throughout the story. In†¦show more content†¦When captured by the Wicked Witch of the West, she orders a pack of great wolves to tear her and her companions to pieces. The Wicked Witch of the West says, â€Å"one is of tin, one of straw; one is a girl and another a Lion. None of them is fit to work, so you may tear them into small pieces† (Baum 87). Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion are all depicted as weak and unable to work. However, this completely defies how Dorothy is portrayed as powerful and self-reliant throughout the story. The witch labels her as just a girl, when she really is much more. She is going on this journey enduring several obstacles and companions to finally get herself back home to Kansas. This shows her true dedication and care for not only herself, but others. Lastly, Dorothy shows her assertiveness and courageousness when she kills the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy cries, ‘You are a wicked creature’†¦This made Dorothy so very angry that she picked up the bucket of water†¦dashed it over the Witch, wetting her from head to foot†¦ The witch cries, ‘In a minute I shall melt away† (Baum 96). Dorothy defies all odds as she resc ues and saves herself, yet again. She shows her independence and courageousness as she kills the Wicked Witch of the West and frees the people again. She defies the ideal helpless damsel in distress and creates a strong independent female character that is the basis of this story. Without Dorothy as the heroine of this story, the land of Oz would be doomed. TheShow MoreRelatedWizard of Oz Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesTiffini Bates ENGL 387.010 Introduction to Film Analysis Final Exam The Wizard of Oz Film Form (Form and Narrative Form) The Wizard of Oz uses film form by using similarity and repetition. With Dorothy being the main character, she is always reappearing in the film. As well as all of the characters, The Tin Man, The Lion, and The Scarecrow, have similarities to Dorothy. Each of them need something, Dorothy needs to go back home, The Tin Man needs a brain, The Scarecrow needs a heart, andRead MoreWizard of Oz Narrative Report1711 Words   |  7 Pages in essence the film in its entirety including nondiegetic images. In The Wizard of Oz, the plot begins with Dorothy (Judy Garland), a young farm girl from Kansas who dreams of escaping to ‘somewhere over the rainbow’ without troubles and torment for her dog Toto from a horrible neighbour Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton). During a tornado she is hit on the head and is transported to the World of Oz where she meets characters transformed from her Kansas life at home, meeting three companions who areRead MoreFeminism in The Wizard of Oz4177 Words   |  17 Pagesï » ¿The Wizard of Oz Film and Book Background The Wizard of Oz is a book by L. Frank Baum written in 1900 and adapted into a musical fantasy in 1939. 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Starring the young vivacious, Judy Garland, who plays the role of Dorothy; a girl who desired to leave home; however, is desperate to return when she realizes what home actually meansRead MoreArchetypes : The Wizard Of Oz1567 Words   |  7 PagesThe Wizard of Oz, is a classic fantasy that takes us to a world of fairies, dreams and childhood memories. The symbols, characters and use of situational archetypes offer the reader an understanding of Archetypal theory. Archetypes are used to impact the understandings of myths, legends and fairytales as it allows the audience to make connections and link other stories together. Furthermore, it helps in deeper analyzation, interpretation and connections in literature and show s the characters behaviorRead More The Usefulness of Structuralism as an Analytical Tool for Uncovering How Meaning is Generated in The Wizard of Oz1918 Words   |  8 Pagesnarrative contributes to it’s meaning. 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Many of the elements of the scene she is in contribute toRead MoreWizard Of Oz Analysis Essay1079 Words   |  5 PagesWizard of Oz Analysis Scene: This scene in the film comes just after the house has been picked up in the twister. Dorothys house has been lifted up into the sky and suddenly dropped back down to earth in the middle of the Land of Oz. In the scene itself, Dorothy leaves her home to see that she is Not in Kansas anymore, and finds the new and amazing world of the munchkin city in front of her. She also meets Gwendela the good witch as her journey in Oz begins. Shot 1: Wide shot. View behindRead MoreFantasy Rhetoric Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesFantasy Rhetoric: Summary and Analysis of Katherine Fowkes’s Fantasy Films A Rhetoric Analysis consists of a multitude of attributes some larger than others and some not specifically require. Among those are certain attributes that are what provides the foundation of any Rhetoric work, Logos, Pathos, and Ethos or persuasive appeal. My job is to show you the other attributes consisting of the context of the argument, the authors’ attitude, and the tone of the overall work. So first I will haveRead MoreEssay on Analysis From Feminist/Gender Critic Of Book Wicked1926 Words   |  8 PagesPicture a child sitting in front of a television watching the Wizard of Oz. To them, it is an assortment of magical beings, a land filled with wonderful places, with varieties of different colors. They do not picture it as something with far more meaning than just a plain fairytale. On the other hand, gender/feminist critics have been able to analyze the Wizard of Oz as well as Wicked, in order to find a more elaborate meaning behind the story itself. They have dis cussed what lies behind the