Discusses The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Analyzes the character of Dorothy and explores her standing as the story's hero. Provides examples of her heroism from the novel.
When you think about the Wizard of Oz, the first thing that you probably think about is the character Dorothy because she was the hero. Dorothy's home is in Kansas where she lives with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. She only considers herself as an ordinary girl, but she is more. She liberates or improves nearly everyone who comes into contact with her. Not only does she help the scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, she defeats the wicked Witch of the West. Throughout the journey that Dorothy had to make to get back home, she made many friends, went through hardships, and followed her guide to achieve her goal.
When a twister comes and picks up Dorothy's house, she ends up in the Land of Oz. The Land of Oz is different and not what she is familiar with, in that case, she starts out to find a way home. The munchkins and the Witch of the North believe that the Wizard can help her and tell her to follow the yellow brick road. Her main goal is to go back home, but before she does that she needs to meet Oz so he can tell her how. Oz states that in order for him to tell her how to get back home, she needs to kill the Witch of the West. Therefore she kills the wicked Witch of the West because she is determined to get back home, and when she returns to him she realizes that he is a humbug and nothing but a little old man.
When Dorothy met the Witch of the North, she gave her a pair of silver shoes or ruby slippers that belonged to the Witch of the East, who Dorothy killed. Dorothy wears them on her journey. The yellow brick road guides Dorothy to Emerald City where the Wizard of Oz lives. At the end, Dorothy figures out that the pair of shoes have been her main guide throughout her long, tough journey.
Throughout Dorothy's journey, she encounters three extraordinary things. The first follower was the Scarecrow. The Scarecrow if full of straw and he needs the Oz to give him a brain. Next the Tin Woodman, who was empty, wants a heart so he can feel things and he believes that Oz can provide a heart for him. Lastly was the Cowardly Lion who was disappointed that he was a coward because lions are supposed to be the king of the jungle. The Cowardly Lion joins Dorothy and the others on their journey to see the Wizard of Oz so he may give him courage.
Although Dorothy made friends, there were many hardships among them. They escaped the deadly fumes of the poppy field with the help of the Queen of Mice. The wicked Witch of the West try to win by sending out wolves, crows, and bees. The witch also doesn't feed the Lion to starve it, but Dorothy secretly feeds it. To put an end to the witch, Dorothy throws water on her and the witch dissolves.
In the end, Dorothy returns home with the help of the good Witch of the North telling her to use the silver shoes because they were her guide all along. Although a young girl, she is a sturdy, determined, and a modern hero. Dorothy's journey to get back home was difficult for a young girl, never the less, she endured the hardship, helped her friends, and followed the guides to master her goal to see Oz and get back home.
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