His land of oz series consisted of fourteen books, starting with the wonderful wizard of oz 1900 and concluding with glinda of oz 1920. In 1900 baum published his most famous work, the wonderful wizard of oz. Frank baum has been an american icon, beloved since it was first published in 1900. Shes a happy, laughing child, but her guardians are both careworn, hard workers who get little pleasure from life. The wonderful wizard of oz plot summary course hero. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic. The kansas prairie landscape is barren and gray, and so are dorothys uncle and aunt. The wonderful wizard of oz is too long to be a parable and not quite didactic enough to be an allegory. We have to keep in mind that even though it has been more than hundred years since this book was published it still carries the name of a modern fairytale. The wizard is actually from omaha where he was working with a carnival when his balloon was blown away to oz. Banks of gorgeous flowers the wonderful wizard of oz 21. The wonderful wizard of oz deserves its praise because of its creative magical setting and a plot that urges children to explore their own imagination, but the original version of the novel might appear frightening and even downright brutal. Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, chapter 10 summary. Denslow, and published at the turn of the 20th century in the year 1900.
Denslow, is without a doubt one of the most beloved childrens books of all time. The story starts in kansas, with a girl called dorothy, that is taken away by a cyclone to the land of oz, a land that feels familiar because its magic is feed by the popular folklore from the u. The wizard of oz it is and remains, and weve all heard the title so often that we never really stop to think about what it might mean. Frank baum the wonderful wizard of oz is an american childrens novel written by author l. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz. What do you think makes this tale so appealing, so timeless, and so easily adapted to other media. The wonderful wizard of oz study guide contains a biography of l. Dorothy was a talkative child as she had a pet dog, toto, whose eye twinkled upon the world of dorothy. In this setting worksheet, students read an excerpt from the wonderful wizard of oz that describes the land of the munchkins, then answer questions about the sensory details from the passage. It continues to be a favorite, and the story has been translated to the stage and film numerous times.
Differences between the wizard of oz book vs movie page 1. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the wonderful wizard of oz. The story begins and ends in kansas which is a real place. She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. Baums the wonderful wizard of oz has been captivating readers since its original publication in 1900. Frank baum, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Many people are not aware that the wonderful wizard of oz is suspected to have referenced several political issues of the late 1800s. The wonderful wizard of oz, commonly known as the wizard of oz, is the first book in the famous oz series by author l. The wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. Frank baum, is a book that has transcended its time and place more than a century after its publication, it remains a seminal piece of popular culture helped, of course, by the iconic 1939 film adaptation starring judy garland. Or at least she was, until her house is swept up in a cyclone and sent hurtling through the air. Kansas was the setting for the earthly sequences in the. After overcoming many challenges, they arrive in the land of oz, the wizard tells them they must kill the wicked witch of the east to have their wishes granted.
It has since seen several reprints, most often under the title the wizard of oz, which is the title of the popular 1902 broadway musical adaptation as well as the iconic 1939 liveaction. Baum wrote many different oz books, but none of them were like the wonderful wizard of oz. The cyclone had set the house down very gentlyfor a cyclonein the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. The wonderful wizard of oz is a book about a girl named dorothy who got traveled to the land of oz with her dog toto through a tornado. It is also widley considered to be one of the very first official american fairytales and fables. The wonderful wizard of oz was first published in 1900 and met with both commercial and critical success. Its movie adaptation, one of the first in color, premiered in 1939 starring judy garland, margaret hamilton ray bolger and jack haley. Speculation of the parallels between the characters in the book and history of the united states began with a history teacher by the name of henry littlefield. When and where was the wonderful wizard of oz set answers. Dorothy lived with her hardworking but dour uncle henry and aunt em on the bleak kansas prairie. Dorothy is a young lady who lives with her auntie em and uncle henry on a kansas farm.
Main character dorothy is the protagonist in the story, the wizard of oz. The book on which its based is officially named the wonderful wizard of oz, but hollywood dropped the wonderful as superfluous. Political interpretations of the wonderful wizard of oz include treatments of the modern fairy tale written by l. Suggested essay topics and project ideas for the wonderful wizard of oz. Penguin group dorothy was a simple and optimistic girl living with her adoptive parents. One day a dangerous cyclone swept across the prairie.
At the time of his death in 1919, baum had written no less than thirteen sequels to his first oz book, and several other childrens books under various pseudonyms. This study guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the wonderful wizard of oz. The main characters in the wonderful wizard of oz are dorothy gale, the wicked witches of the east and west, the. Baum puts time and devotion into the details of the land of oz. The wonderful wizard of oz illustrated first edition. This worksheet is perfect practice for kids to learn how to identify important details from a story. The wonderful wizard of oz university of south florida. Oz the majority of the story happens in oz, a fictitious place that exists on earth but is cut off from every other part of the world so that only chance brings dorothy and the wizard to this land. She was an energetic and joyful little girl who delighted in her small dog, toto. Frank baums life, the origins of oz documentary, and the film, the wizard of oz, it was often noted that baums life shared major similarities between the book and film. The story takes place in kansas at the very beginning, and throughout in the wonderful land of oz. Robert sabuda has created a resplendent popup version of the wonderful wizard of oz to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the original publication.
She is an orphan cared for by her uncle henry, her aunt em, and her little dog toto. Still, the main characters dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, and the lion embody traditional american values. One is a small town in kansas, where dorothy lives with her aunt and uncle. Works by l frank baum, john r neill, and w w denslow, plus roycrofter books, childrens books and historical ephemera. The wonderful wizard of oz dorothy gale is a farm girl whos living a quiet life in kansas with her uncle henry and aunt em, her miserable, but loving, relatives. The wonderful wizard of oz essay topics pick one of the following and write a 5paragraph compare or contrast essay. The council with the munchkins of the wonderful wizard of oz by l. Baum found carrolls plots incoherent, but he identified the books source of popularity as alice herself, a child with whom the child readers could identify.
The wonderful wizard of oz is a childrens book written by l. The wonderful wizard of oz chapter 1 summary course hero. At the beginning of the story dorothys home is carried away by a tornado. Populism and the world of oz national museum of american. The wonderful wizard of oz chapter 10 summary course hero.
There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Frank baum and first published in 1900 as an allegory or metaphor for the political, economic, and social events of america in the 1890s. In his reading of the wizard of oz, littlefield believed that dorothy was a standin for the average american, and that the magic silver shoes represented the late 1890s free silver movement. It was immediately an american classic and has been in. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature.
Summary after being caught in a tornado,dorothy and. The wonderful wizard of oz is a beautiful story and the author himself defined it as a modern fairytale. In the book and the play the shoes are silver, not ruby as they were famously depicted in the 1939 film. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened. The wonderful wizard of oz feels like your first voyage, you only have a few personal items and the world is for your eyes a newborn.
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