I have seen the movie version of this book many times however, this is my first time actually reading the book. I am not completely finished with the book, but I would have to say up to this point I actually like the book more than the movie. I found it to be a very easy read, and the pictures that accompanied the story were great.
This is a great story because you actually become part of it, your imagination is put to the test. I think it is great because young children view these different characters as real, at least while reading the story. "The Scarecrow, who was never tired, stood up in another corner and waited patiently until morning came." (pg.59) No one before this book ever thought about scarecrows, and whether they get tired or not, it breaks the boundries some people have in their minds.
I think the greatest moral behind this story is everyone is capable of anything, all they need to do is believe....and imagine. "It was easy to make the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Woodman happy, because they imagined I could do anything." (pg.235) I like that all along you see signs that the scarecrow really does have brains, like when he thinks that they could cut the tree down to walk across when no one else can find a solution. Or how the Lion believes he has no courage but he is willing to stand in front of the others all along in the face of danger. All of the characters are able to overcome their shortcomings.....a great story.
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I agree, this is a great book. I saw the movie a long time ago, but I was never into movies that was based on books because books are better and has more descriptive parts that the movie doesn't have. The pictures are great but they make Dorothy look like a five year old, unless she is a five year old, then I would have to say that she is one brave five year old to go on an adventure with her dog. I have to give her credit for that.
I also agree on the part with the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman and the Lion. Even when the Scarecrow says that he doesn't have a brain, he is constantly thinking up things to help with the journey. Same with the Lion and Tin Woodsman. Lion is always doing things that show that he does courage but his name says otherwise, whereas the Tin Woodsman is loving and caring about living things. For example, the part where Tin Woodman say "Don't!Pleas don't," begged the Tin Woodman. "I should certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again."(pg.90)--that shows that he does have a heart, for he shows love for animals that he have not seen before or incounter.
I'm not done with the book yet, but I'm at the part where they are seaching for the Witch of the West, right after meeting Oz. This book actually kept me interested that I stayed up all night to read this. I read word for word so it takes me awhile to finish a book.
Well, I have to admit that I have been contaminated by the movie and musical versions of The Wizard of Oz. I did not like the book as much as either the play or movie. I realize that this is most likely due to the fact that I read the book so late in life and is also probably because of my age. It was a hard book for me to read. It is probably great for young people, but it did not keep my interest at all. However, I did like the fact that the book did not end with Dorothy waking up from a dream. It makes the possibility that Nicole mentions, that everyone is capable of everything, really IS possible. So, even though it did not interest me very much, it does teach valuable lessons regarding friendships, courage, love,
adventure and family.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a tale of a young girl named Dorthy and her adventures in a very foreign land. The story begins in Kansas where Dorthy (and her dog Toto) live with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. When a mysterious cyclone carries Dorthy and Toto away in the farm house she finds herself in the land of Oz. Dorthy soon also finds out that the house has crushed the evil Witch of the East, which granted her a pair of charmed shoes.
Wanting to find her way back to Kansas, Dorthy starts on her journey to Emerald City. Along the way she is joined by the Scarecrow, in search of brains, the Tin Woodsman, in search of a heart, and a Cowardly Lion, in search of courage.
What I found interesting about the the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was its moral message. Throughout the story the characters are thrown into complicated challenges where they must work together and use their strengths to continue on their journey. What is interesting is that each character already demonstrates the trait(s) they long to have. The Lion shows courage when he jumps across the great ditch (pg 92), the Scarecrow showed that he had brains when he offered to go first over the ditch because he couldn't be injured (pg 91) and the Tin Woodsman showed heart when he saved the field mice from certain death (pg 118). Also, Dorthy has the key to go home, her shoes, the entire time. These are just a few examples, there are quite a lot more situations like these throughout the story.
When the group reaches Oz himself and realize he is not a real wizard, he tells them that they do not need their wishes fulfilled because they already have all they need (pg 223). The weird thing is that the characters don't believe him. They insist that Oz grants their wishes, even though he isn't magical. The moral of the story is overshadowed by the characters insistence on receiving their wishes. I think it would have been better if Oz could have truly made them believe that they already had everything they needed.
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