Though I hadn’t read the book as a kid, to me the movie The Wizard of Oz seemed to be nothing more than a simple fairy tale about a girl who travels to a faraway land and meets a number of characters, ultimately learning the lesson that home is the best place to be. But now, having learned a great deal more about American history, it seems obvious that not just this story, but the majority of stories, are reflections of their time periods. I am always really fascinated to find out when the stories I grew up watching or reading have a deeper, hidden meaning, so I was excited to know The Wizard of Oz does too.

Many children’s books, both old and contemporary, are riddled with political undertones. Though some messages are more subtle than others, it is pretty evident that The Wizard of Oz is a clear reflection of the state of America’s political system at the time it was written.

Nearly every character and theme can relate directly toward the Populist movement and its players the years leading up to the publishing of the book. In his essay, Henry Littlefield argues that each beloved character and theme from the story can be linked to the environment of the late 1800 and early 1900s in America.  The scarecrow represents the farmer, fighting for the introduction of silver into the economy to boost the dollar, and the Wizard represents politicians themselves and their trickery. I find it hard for the points Littlefield makes to be no more than coincidence when everything from the silver shoes to the twister seemingly finding a tie to something in the real world.

In 1900, when the book was first published, the political and economic state of the U.S. wasn’t that bright. Money and jobs were scarce, and like we’ve seen at other points in history when times are tough, people turn to politicians to resolve the problems but are often disappointed when they realize the politicians have their own interests in mind, not those of the people. In this political cartoon originally published on Bizzaro Comics, Dorothy asks the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man that they must be politicians since the things they “need” are a heart, brain, and courage. While not the original intent of the characters, the images of Dorothy and her crew have been utilized in new ways to reflect many different eras of political distress.

In this more recent cartoon from Righttoons.com, big business is still depicted as sneaky and conniving and having an upper hand in the political scene over the people, just as it was depicted in in the time of The Wizard of Oz. Though it cannot be known for sure if this is the true intent of the story, it shouldn’t really matter. This story and many others have been used to better explain political affairs that may otherwise be confusing. To me, allegories are more than comical comparisons, they can be an important tool into seeing a part of society that needs to uncovered.

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