The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz

My first opinion:

I really like fairy tales and musicals. I’ve seen the TV show and the musical of this story. So I already knew that I would like the story in the book. I think it is a great book for kids, because it improves their sense of imagination. I will explain in my theory why imagination is important.

In class:

In class we talked about what we really liked and didn’t like, what patterns we saw and which questions we had. What I really liked about the story is the fact that Dorothy travels to a more colourful world than she came from. And the other thing I liked was the fact that they (Dorothy, the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion) just had to believe in themselves to get what they all were looking for (the brains, the heart and the courage). What they all didn’t know was that it had always been there already.

What I didn’t like in the story was that the wizard of Oz seemed to be a fake. If I had read this as a kid, I really think that would have been a big bummer.

The pattern I see in this story is that Dorothy, the scarecrow, the lion and the tin man are all searching for something they already posses.
Besides that we talked about why we write stories, when the first children books were written and what these stories were about. We write stories because we talk about the world as it is, but also about the world as we would like it to be or as a warning. The first children's books were written around 1800 and it was a watered down adult version of the bible. We also compared the books we had to read (Peter Pan, Alice, secret garden and the Wizard) with each other. We came to the conclusion that these books could be compared with Disney films where parents are absent most of the time and in all of the books the characters grow up.

Theory:

In the reader Maass’ theory says; “ The story has at least one unforgettable character. Most likely that character grows, or matures and emerges from the story as a changed person”. In the Wizard of Oz Dorothy is the one who’s growing up. In the story she learns to just believe in her own abilities and help others to find theirs. She does that by searching for the Wizard of Oz and overcoming obstacles during her journey.  Maass also says that what happens to the characters is unusual, dramatic or meaningful. This is also true for Dorothy because it isn’t very usual, that a tornado will take you to Oz and besides that all the other things that happen to her in Oz. The setting is described in so many details, that it makes you feel as if you are there at that moment. This is what Maass calls a “captivating setting”.(reader: Youth Literature, P. 21, 22 and 23)

The importance of this book is the fact that it helps children to improve their sense of imagination. This is important because it will expand a child’s mind. There are five benefits of encouraging a child’s imagination. These are; developing social skills, build self confidence, boost intellectual growth, practice language skills and work out fears. As children play pretend, they learn more about how people interact. Imagining themselves as a hero will develop their confidence about their abilities and potentials. Using imagination is the beginning of abstract thought. It can help children to work out their fears and worries. When children role-play about the big bad monster under their bed they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn't seem quite so big or so bad. (Digest, 2013)

The writer of the Wizard of Oz, Frank Baum, says that he had written the story just to please children. Some say there’s a deeper meaning behind this story. They say it has something to do with the economics and politics. The story seems to be a popular tool for teaching university and high school students about the depression of the late 19^th century. A man called Henry Littlefield believed that the characters could represent the personalities and themes of the late 1800, with Dorothy embodying the everyman American spirit (Jahangir, 2009).

I think it’s quite interesting to know that these stories are interpreted differently. That there are people who see a deeper meaning in a story which the writer didn’t intend to give. People actually see the story differently to feel supported in their own theories of life.  

Age:

I think, and we talked about this in class, the age belonging to this book is 8 years old. It is not a very difficult book to read and there aren't happening very shocking things. So I think for an English speaking child, 8 years will be fine. When I look at Dutch speaking children, I think they have to be 11 or 12 years old to be capable of reading this book, because that's for most children, the first time they have English at school. 

Sources:

Digest, R. (2013, September 17). Parenting. September 17, 2013, van www.rd.com: http://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/encourage-your-childs-imagination/

Jahangir, R. (2009, March 17). BBC News Magazine. September 15, 2013, van BBC News Magazine: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7933175.stm