Oz in Perspective

When moviegoers accompany Dorothy through the gates of the Emerald City, they may think they have discovered all there is to see of Oz—but as real friends of the Wizard know, more lies behind the curtain. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, on which the 1939 film was based, was only the first of 14 Oz books. Together these works constitute a series rich in allusions to a broad range of literary traditions, including fairy tale, myth, epic, the picaresque novel, and visions of utopia.
Reflecting on L. Frank Baum’s entire series of full-length Oz books, this study introduces readers to the great folklorist who created not only Dorothy and friends, but countless wonderful characters who still await discovery. Close analysis of each book invites readers to search Baum’s fascinating stories for meaning and mythical quality. Progressing chronologically through the canon, the author discusses literary devices and important thematic implications in each book, arguing that Baum wrote for the pleasure of both children and adults, both to provide entertainment and to teach moral lessons. Of particular significance is the argument, sustained over several chapters, that Baum modeled his Oz books on classic mythical patterns, rewriting Oz history in nearly every book to produce a different set of backgrounds and a different conception of utopia for his imaginary kingdom. This variety of backgrounds and archetypes gives Baum’s books a truly universal appeal. Examinations of his non-Oz books and his other Oz works, such as Little Wizard Stories of Oz and The Woggle-Bug Book, illuminate the discussion of the Oz novels.

Richard Tuerk is a professor emeritus of literature and languages at Texas A&M University-Commerce. He has written books about Henry David Thoreau and L. Frank Baum.

Richard Tuerk
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 241
Bibliographic Info: photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2899-1
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8291-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
L. Frank Baum’s Fourteen Full-Length Oz Books      xi
Preface      1
Introduction      5

1. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
DOROTHY’S TIMELESS ADVENTURE      21
2. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
THE WIZARD HIMSELF      35
3. The Marvelous Land of Oz
TIP’S PROGRESS      45
4. Ozma of Oz
THE FIRST UNDERGROUND JOURNEY      59
5. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
BAUM’S INFERNO      76
6. The Road to Oz
BAUM’S PICARESQUE      91
7. The Emerald City of Oz
GOODBYE TO KANSAS, GOODBYE TO OZ      101
8. The Patchwork Girl of Oz
SAVING UNC NUNKIE      113
9. Tik-Tok of Oz, The Scarecrow of Oz, Rinkitink in Oz
“EXCITING ADVENTURES,” “UNEXPECTED
DIFFICULTIES,” “MARVELOUS ESCAPES”      121
10. The Lost Princess of Oz
RESCUING PERSEPHONE      137
11. The Tin Woodman of Oz
BAUM’S ODYSSEY      147
12. The Magic of Oz
MAGIC AND POLITICS IN OZ      156
13. Glinda of Oz
BAUM’S TALE OF DEMETER AND PERSEPHONE      171
14. Boundaries
OZ AS SACRED SPACE      179
15. Baum’s Oz
(DYS)(EU)(U)TOPIA?      191

Conclusion      204
Notes      209
Bibliography      219
Index      227

Finalist, Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies—The Mythopoeic Society
“useful”—Journal of American Culture.