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Summary
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Wizard of Oz, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Self-Doubt vs. Self-Confidence
Home and Belonging
Good vs. Evil
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
Dorothy is a young girl who lives on a small farm on the prairies of Kansas. She lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and her beloved little black dog, Toto. The land around the farm is flat, bare, and gray for as far as the eye can see. After years of living on the harsh prairie, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are as gloomy as their environment, but Dorothy keeps a cheerful attitude and always finds something to laugh at. Toto is her main source of joy, and the two of them often play in the family’s tiny farmhouse, which has only one room.
The beginning of the novel establishes hat Dorothy is happy where she is. While her surroundings might be dull and gray, her friendship with Toto makes her life feel more meaningful. She doesn’t seem to feel like her life lacks anything; instead, she is exactly where she belongs.
Active
Themes
Quiz
Test Yourself
One day, a strong wind picks up, and Uncle Henry shouts to Aunt Em that a cyclone is coming. While Uncle Henry runs off to secure the farm animals, a frightened Aunt Em hurriedly descends into the cyclone shelter, accessed through a trapdoor in the middle of the house. She screams for Dorothy to follow her down, but Toto scampers out of Dorothy’s arms and hides under the bed. Not wanting to leave her dog behind, Dorothy quickly reaches under the bed, grabs Toto, and hurries towards the shelter. Before she can reach the trapdoor, however, the wind shakes the house and sends Dorothy falling to the floor. In moments, the cyclone picks up the entire farmhouse, carrying it high in the air for miles in the eye of the storm.
The arrival of the cyclone marks a sudden turning point in Dorothy’s simple but peaceful life. It seems to promise that Dorothy’s happy existence is in danger, as even her parental figures openly worry about what the storm might bring. Dorothy’s willingness to risk her own life to save Toto reinforces how much she cares for him. It also emphasizes her childlike innocence and kindness. Despite the danger, her friendship with Toto is more important than her own safety.
Active
Themes
Literary Devices
Quiz
Test Yourself
Dorothy and Toto ride through the air in the tumbling farmhouse for hours as the wind howls around them. Once, Toto falls through the open trapdoor and Dorothy is afraid she’s lost him. But the air pressure fortunately keeps Toto aloft, allowing Dorothy to grab him and shut the trapdoor. While the cyclone scares both of them, Dorothy eventually pushes past her fear and resolves to accept her fate, whatever it might be. She calmly lies down on her bed and decides to wait out the cyclone and see what happens. Eventually, she falls asleep.
