The Wizard of Oz A Populist Allegory? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz • Published in 1900 by L. Frank Baum • In 1964 high school teacher Henry Littlefield wrote that the Wizard of Oz was a parable about Populism What Gives a Dollar Value? • Specie-That which backs the value of money. Prior To 1890s? Gold What did Populists Want? Bimetallism-Gold/Silver What is the “Specie” of Today’s Money? Trust Fiat Money th 19 Century Monetary Fight • East Coast Bankers (Rich) – Creditors (They have provided loans to farmers for land, seed, machinery, etc.) – Back the Gold Standard – Want the amount of currency in U.S. to stay fixed or low growth. • Plains Farmers (Poor) – Debtors (They have taken out loans that they must pay back) – Back the Free Coinage of Silver – Want the amount of currency in the U.S. to expand “The Cross of Gold” • William Jennings Bryan (1896 Democratic Candidate for President) • “You Shall Not Crucify Mankind Upon a Cross of Gold!” Dorothy and Toto Wicked Witch of the East Munchkins Munchkins Wicked Witch of the West Wicked Witch of West Good Witch of The North Good Witch of the North Yellow Brick Road Yellow Brick Road Scarecrow Scarecrow Tin Man Tin Man Cowardly Lion Cowardly Lion Winged Monkeys "Once we were a free people, living happily in the forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master...This was many ears ago before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land." Winged Monkeys Yellow Winkies Yellow Winkies Emerald City Emerald City . The Wizard Wizard of Oz “I’m Melting!” I’m Melting “Ruby” Slippers In the book they were Silver So they represent? Littlefield What did the characters represent? Dorothy Represents • The American People at their best • "Dorothy is Baum's Miss Everyman. She is one of us, levelheaded and human, and she has a real problem." Toto Represents The Teetotalers who were important allies of the Populists Wicked Witch of the East Represents the Bankers of East and the Industrialists who wanted to stay on the Gold only Standard. Some also say the Wicked Witch of the East represented Grover Cleveland. As President he resisted the Silver Standard Munchkins Represent the common people. In particular the Lollipop Guild represents Child Labor Wicked Witch of West Cruelty of nature, west was suffering a drought Good Witch of the North Represents the Workers of the North Yellow Brick Road Represents the Gold Standard Scarecrow Western Farmers Tin Man Dehumanized Industrial Workers Cowardly Lion William Jennings Bryan Winged Monkeys Native Americans Yellow Winkies Represent the people the U.S. ruled over because of Imperialistic gains Emerald City Washington D.C. Wizard of Oz Mark Hanna-Republican Party Boss/McKinley I’m Melting Rain finally came to relieve the West “Ruby” Slippers In the book they were Silver So they represent? Silver Standard