First of all, L. Frank Baum was obsessed with color throughout his novels. One of his most famous works - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - is often known for its vibrant color. It plays an important role in symbolizing various characters and settings. He makes it known that there is purpose to his colors. …show more content…
Frank Baum uses these colors symbolize something greater. Many of his colors have several uses in the book. Though each symbolize a greater meaning. The yellow brick road (arguably the most iconic object in the lore of Oz) symbolizes something many people who were born after the novel was written may not catch. It symbolizes the gold standard. During the time the novel was written, monetary policy was a huge issue. Large businessmen often favored the gold standard. The gold road (yellow brick road) lead to power. Yellow comes up again when the great big yellow cat attacks the queen of the field mice; this yet again is reference to gold, representing the ravenous power of gold. White is only to be worn by that of the Good Witch. White representing purity but also the white stripes of the United States’ flag. Her “rich red” hair symbolizes the red stripes; her blues eyes symbolizes the blue background to the white stars. Another color that pops up has been mentioned before, gray. Gray dreary and dull, often being used to describe the surrounding land of Dorothy’s Kansas home. Gray is the color of the cyclone that tears her home apart. Gray the color of silver symbolizes just that, silver. Poor farmers (like Dorothy’s family) wanted the dollar to be backed by fixed amounts of gold and silver due to their suffering of debt and effects of federal