THE WIZARD OF OZ. A Fantastic Dream or a Satire of Capitalism?

For Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) in The Wizard of Oz, the Kansas farm is her entire world. She lives with her Aunt Em (Clara Blandick) and Uncle Henry (Charley Grapewin) and spends her days playing with her beloved terrier, Toto (Terry). Her carefree life comes to an abrupt halt when Toto bites a powerful neighbor, the unpleasant Mrs. Gulch (Margaret Hamilton). Enraged, the woman visits Aunt Em and demands that the dog be put down. With seemingly no alternative, Dorothy’s guardians reluctantly agree, and Toto is taken away.

However, Toto escapes on the way and returns to the distraught girl, who realizes that the only way to save him from being euthanized is to run away from the farm. Early in her journey, she encounters a traveling fortune-teller, Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan). Skillfully feigning supernatural abilities, the man tries to convince Dorothy to return, insisting her guardians must be worried. Concerned, Dorothy goes back to the farm. Unfortunately, she finds it empty—everyone has taken shelter in the basement from the approaching tornado. Dorothy tries to hide inside the house, but a falling doorframe strikes her head, and she loses consciousness.

A Place Where Trouble Doesn’t Exist

When she awakens, at first it seems that everything has returned to normal and the tornado has passed. But as she steps outside, Dorothy realizes she is no longer in Kansas. The familiar flat landscape of Aunt Em’s farm has vanished, along with the fields and farm animals. Instead, there is a cobblestone, colorful pathway, lush tropical-like plants, and round, storybook-style houses. Everything Dorothy sees is the opposite of Kansas. Where there was barrenness, there is abundance; where there were simple structures, there are elaborate shapes and decorations.

This is only her first impression. Soon, Dorothy learns many things about the magical creatures she now encounters. Her house has landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, thereby neutralizing her, and Dorothy unintentionally becomes a national hero to the Munchkin community—a society of small people living in this fantastical land. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Billie Burke), explains that by removing one wicked witch and taking her ruby slippers, Dorothy has incurred the wrath of her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). Determined to return home, Dorothy sets out for the Emerald City, where the Great and Powerful Oz is sure to help her.

The Great and Powerful Oz?

Along the way, Dorothy meets characters who reflect people she knows in the real world. The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion remind her of farmhands back in Kansas. The Wicked Witch of the West resembles the unpleasant Mrs. Gulch, and Oz himself bears traits of Professor Marvel, the traveling fortune-teller. In Dorothy’s dream, these characters serve roles similar to those in her everyday life. Her three friends become magical companions whose abilities complement one another, while the Wicked Witch seeks to steal Dorothy’s magical ruby slippers—just as Mrs. Gulch sought to take away Toto. Similarly, Oz is an expanded version of Marvel: a charlatan with a good heart. This doubling is reinforced by casting actors in dual roles, making each Oz character an alter ego of someone in Kansas. Dorothy’s mind colors familiar figures with fairy-tale traits, yet they remain people from her life. The only real connection between Oz and Kansas is Dorothy’s attachment to her guardian; she wants to return to the farm out of concern for Aunt Em, who—Marvel insists—must be worried and missing her.

Dorothy in the Land of Crisis

This is just one interpretation. Another theory refers to the source material—the book by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the mid-1960s, American critic and historian Henry Littlefield suggested that the text contained allusions to the U.S. economic situation at the turn of the 20th century. Dorothy’s yellow brick road represents development based on gold, while her solution—the silver slippers (changed to ruby slippers in the film for technical reasons)—symbolizes the power of the dollar, meant to aid the crisis of rural America, Dorothy’s homeland.

In this interpretation, the Wicked Witch of the East represents East Coast capitalists exploiting society, depicted through the Munchkin tribe. The Winged Monkeys symbolize Native Americans harmed by U.S. gold-based policies. Dorothy’s companions reflect social groups: the Scarecrow represents thoughtless farmers, the Tin Man embodies workers, and the Cowardly Lion personifies William Jennings Bryan, a critic of the silver standard, known for indecision and anti-evolutionary views. The Emerald City represents greenbacks and the seat of a superficially powerful, charlatan-like president. Oz himself embodies gold, measured in ounces (oz).

There’s No Place Like Home

Regardless of the interpretive lens, the 1939 film version is a delight to watch, mainly due to its exceptional world-building. Struck on the head, Dorothy is transported from gray, unremarkable Kansas to a reality so vibrant and intense that it is remarkable she doesn’t faint again. The sheer number of stimuli she encounters is extraordinary, almost overwhelming. Did Dorothy suppress these fantastical visions all along, and did the doorframe blow trigger them? Or did the panic from the Toto incident and the tornado release them? It’s hard to say, but this is one of the most incredible dreams ever depicted for a girl in a film. Truly remarkable—especially considering that this version of The Wizard of Oz celebrated its 85th anniversary last year.