Analysis Of The Wizard Of Oz

It 's been said, you should never judge a book by its cover. Although, in the case of Frank Baum 's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, you shouldn 't judge a book by it 's target audience. In the introduction, Baum stated that his book was “...written solely to pleasure children of today”. (Baum 1900) This statement is the core of Quentin Taylor 's argument in his article, Money and Politics in the Land of Oz. In his article Taylor concludes, that when it comes to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, there is more to the story than meets the eye. Many of those who only watched the movie, remember Dorothy for her ruby-red slippers, defeating the wicked witch of the East, and reminding viewers that there is no place like home. Taylor offers an alternative approach to this cult classic. …show more content…
Within the first few paragraphs, Taylor provides supporting evidence from multiple authors reinforcing his thesis. These authors note that, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an indirect reference to the Populist movement that took place in the 1890 's. (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900) To me the focal point of this correlation is, “In the book version of Oz, Dorothy treads the Yellow Brick Road in silver shoes, not in ruby slippers. Silver shoes on a golden road. A key plank in the Populist platform...” (Taylor pg. 414) Although Taylor is able to offer the reader with exceptional evidence defending his thesis, he also educates the reader on those who refute this idea. Taylor acknowledges the skepticism of authors and family members (of Baum), who deny the claim that Oz is more than what Baum claims it to be. This provides Taylor with the opportunity to introduce his argument, in which he believes that the Oz tale is neither Pro-Populist, Anti-Populist, or just a story for children, but a combination of all