Wizard of Oz Analogy

If comparing the movie to current politics, much can be tied to the wicked witch. The witch has many of the flying monkeys which abide to all of her commands. Using this, the monkeys represent the US Congress in which senators and state representatives do what the president says. This further makes the house of congress seem like puppets on the larger scale. The monkeys also did not like the witch and they were excited when Dorothy melted her. This is analogous for the way the US is never pleased with the Government. The Witch did not defend herself substantially, allowing Dorothy to kill her easily, which could be symbolic of the way that the US government doesn’t have a strong handle on all of the issues in the US.

During the Gilded age, urbanization and poverty struck many of the newly industrialized and booming cities. This is parallel to Dorothy’s life at the beginning of the movie when it is still in black and white and she’s singing “somewhere over the rainbow” which could be her hoping of a better life and the “American dream” like most of those who came to the united states also hoping for a better life. In the beginning of the movie, the Dorothy has to walk on the Yellow Brick Road to get to the Emerald City. This is similar to the Silver and Gold standard in the Gilded age. The Silver standard versus Gold standard was widely debated along with the greenback dollar which had no real wealth, just like the Emerald City. Along her journey, Dorothy first meets the Scarecrow who wishes he had a brain. Throughout his journey through Oz, he uses common sense and flexibility which makes him similar to the Farmers of the Populist party who were unhappy with their situation, but weren’t fully informed of the true causes of their economic struggles. Next was the Tin woodsman, who wanted a heart. It appears as if he wants a heart because he’s no longer able to feel for people. This is similar to the ways in which the factory workers were dehumanized and turned