Themes
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
The short green man leads the group through the magnificent streets of the Emerald City. The group marvels at how beautiful and green everything is, and eventually they reach the palace in the center of the city. A green-clad soldier enters the throne room to speak with the Wizard about Dorothy’s request, and he soon returns with good news. He explains that the Wizard has agreed to see Dorothy and her friends, but he'll only speak with one person per day. Therefore, each of them is given a room of their own in the palace, as they’ll be expected to stay in the Emerald City for several days. The rooms are luxurious, and Dorothy’s room contains new green clothes for her to wear. She puts a green apron on herself and a green ribbon on Toto before going to see the Wizard the next morning.
The fantastical sights of the Emerald City build excitement and anticipation for the possibility of Dorothy and her friends finally having their wishes granted. In such a marvelous place, it almost feels as though their troubles are over. Even so, the constant presence of the color green reminds Dorothy (and the reader) that she isn’t yet back where she belongs: back on the gray prairies of Kansas. Despite this, the Emerald City still seems full of hope and promise as Dorothy and the others wait for the Wizard of Oz.
Themes
After Dorothy waits in the hall outside the Wizard’s throne room, the signal bell rings, meaning it’s finally time for Dorothy to see the Wizard of Oz. She enters the enormous throne room and sees a green marble throne, on which sits a large head with no body—the Wizard himself. In a voice less terrible than Dorothy expected, he asks her where she got her silver slippers and the mark on her forehead. After she explains that she killed the Witch of the East and was blessed by the Witch of the North, she tells Oz that she wants to return to Kansas. After some thought, the Wizard only agrees to grant her request after Dorothy has killed the Wicked Witch of the West. To Dorothy’s dismay, Oz is very firm on this point, insisting that Dorothy must complete this dangerous task for him.
Even after meeting new friends and experiencing the wonders of the Emerald City, Dorothy remains adamant in her desire to return home. Her beliefs haven’t changed since her previous conversation with the Scarecrow; there’s a place where she belongs, and it isn’t the Land of Oz. The Wizard’s disappointing reply is a reminder that Oz doesn’t work like Dorothy’s ordinary world. It isn’t as simple as going home right away, for the Land of Oz is defined by its conflict between good and evil. This conflict must be resolved before Dorothy’s adventure here can come to an end. In the Wizard’s view, Dorothy’s silver shoes and the mark on her forehead single her out as a special individual who is capable of nearly anything.
Themes
Dorothy leaves the throne room and sadly breaks the bad news to her friends. She’s never killed anything on purpose, and she doubts she could ever kill the Witch of the West. On the following days, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion each have their own meetings with the Wizard, who takes a different form for each meeting. He takes the form of a beautiful woman for the Scarecrow, a beast for the Tin Woodman, and a ball of fire for the Lion, but his message is always the same. He refuses to grant any of their requests until they’ve helped Dorothy kill the Witch of the West. Reluctantly, the four of them eventually agree to attempt to kill the Witch, as their wishes will never be granted otherwise. They decide to leave the Emerald City the next morning.
The conflict of good vs. evil persists, and none of Dorothy’s friends can achieve what they wish to until they defeat the remaining evil of the land. Notably, Dorothy also shows her first significant sign of self-doubt after her discouraging meeting with the Wizard of Oz. While she has confidence in her ability to somehow get back to Kansas, she doubts that she can kill a witch on purpose. This shows that even Dorothy’s confidence has its limits and that all four of the traveling companions struggle with self-doubt to some extent. They believed that the Wizard could solve all their problems, but now they must rely on themselves once more.
Themes
