Retrospective: Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
Michael Turton
Recently I played The Wizard of Oz for my listening classes here in
Taiwan, because most of the locals have never heard of this movie,
perhaps the most important and influential Hollywood film ever made.
Having watched it twice in one day, I came away believing that it is
one of the most profoundly atheist films ever brought to the big
screen.
Like all great stories, The Wizard of Oz functions on many different
levels. On the shallowest, the story is a political allegory of the
Free Silver movement on the plains at the turn of the century. In that
interpretation, most associated with the work of Henry Littlefield,
the Scarecrow represents farmers (no brains), the Tin Man stands for
industrialists (no heart), and the Cowardly Lion politicians (no
courage). Dorothy the goodness of Kansas farmers. She goes to Oz (New
York) where she meets a (financial) Wizard on a road of yellow bricks
(gold) wearing slippers of silver (changed in the movie). The Wicked
Witch of the West and East represent the evil Coasts with their need
for gold, while North and South are good and represent Canada and
Mexico, where silver still predominated ("the Almighty Dollar" is 19th
century slang for the Mexican silver dollar, the medium trade in the
Pacific basin, not the US dollar). However, we can strike deeper than
this.
As some readers will be aware, L. Frank Baum was deeply interested in
Theosophy, one of those Western mystical movements invented from time
to time based on Eastern ideas (or more accurately, what Westerners
percieve such ideas to be). The Theosophy Society was founded in 1875
and has continued to the present day on the three principles of :
To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without
distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color.
To encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and
science.
To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in
humanity.
The The Wizard of Oz incorporates many Theosophical ideas. For
example, according to an analysis on the Theosophy Society's site:
"Toto represents the inner, intuitive, instinctual, most animal-like
part of us. Throughout the movie, Dorothy has conversations with Toto,
or her inner intuitive self. The lesson here is to listen to the Toto
within. In this movie, Toto was never wrong. When he barks at the
scarecrow, Dorothy tries to ignore him: "Don't be silly, Toto.
Scarecrows don't talk." But scarecrows do talk in Oz. Toto also barks
at the little man behind the curtain. It is he who realizes the Wizard
is a fraud. At the Gale Farm and again at the castle, the Witch tries
to put Toto into a basket. What is shadow will try to block or contain
the intuitive. In both cases, Toto jumps out of the basket and
escapes. Our intuitive voice can be ignored, but not contained.
In the last scene, Toto chases after a cat, causing Dorothy to chase
after him and hence miss her balloon ride. This is what leads to
Dorothy's ultimate transformation, to the discovery of her inner
powers. The balloon ride is representative of traditional religion,
with a skinny-legged wizard promising a trip to the Divine. Toto was
right to force Dorothy out of the balloon. Otherwise she might never
have found her magic. This is a call for us to listen to our
intuitions, our gut feelings, those momentary bits of imagination that
appear seemingly out of nowhere."
As a result of this incorporation of Theosophical ideals, The Wizard
of Oz contains many incidents that cast ordinary religion in a
negative light. A few of the highlights will be presented here.
The role of the Wizard of Oz as a stand-in for the Christian God is
almost too clear. As they try to bull their way in to see the Wizard,
the dialogue is incisive and humorous, reminiscent of the famous
parody _Kissing Hank's Ass_, but also of the anecdotes told in many
cultures about city slickers and country wisdom, for Dorothy is the
untainted heart of the heartland brought to the Big City. When the
gatekeeper announces that no one ever sees the Wizard, Dorothy
responds in her usual Wise-Innocent/down-n-direct country way with the
ultimate riposte to arguments about Divine Hiddenness: then how do you
know he really exists? Later they find that the Wizard is a fraud, an
obvious comment on the reality of God, and that it is their
experiences and growth that have made them meritable humans, not grace
from Beyond, just as atheists often argue. Yet in this critique
something more may be found. The Witch is evil, but unlike the Wizard,
her power is real. Unlike Good, evil has reality and must be fought by
actions, not words. This too atheists often argue, for while the
Divine does not exist, we confront a world where great evils, from
evironmental pollution to genetic manipulation to nuclear weapons,
make real the possible destruction of our planet.
The Quest of the Broomstick offers a negative comment on the sociality
of traditional religious belief. Dorothy and her partners seek out the
Broomstick so that they can enjoy the selfish benefits of the Wizard's
Power and go home, get brains, a heart or courage, just as many
religious believers exhibit same the marked self-centeredness,
pursuing religion so they can get rich, live forever, or heal some
percieved problem in their lives. But then the Four Questers take the
next step, give up their self-centered ways and learn that their
belief is a fraud and that the answer is in themselves. This ability
to define our own lives and beliefs through personal growth and
struggle is a common atheist belief in the West (also a core belief of
Theosophy).
Dorothy's first stop on the Yellow Brick Road is an apple orchard. As
she gambols into the orchard with the Scarecrow on her arm, the viewer
is treated to a brief glimpse of the Wicked Witch of the West behind a
tree, the Serpent watching the new Adam and the new Eve enter. The
Apple Orchard is an obvious stand-in for Eden, and here the story
offers us its improvement on the Christian Myth of the Fall. Instead
of biting the apple and dooming the human race, the trees themselves
prevent Dorothy from getting their fruit when she plucks one. Later
on, Evil itself prevents the Fall, for the Witch appears and drives
them from Eden with her fire (another reversal of the Eden myth, where
the Lord sets a fire to prevent anyone from entering) before Dorothy
can eat the Apple. Thus, in the movie's retelling of the Eden tale,
Dorothy, not the Serpent, comes out on top and there is no nihilistic
belief in original sin or condemnation of what is human in favor of a
false Divinity.
A number of key anti-religious motifs illuminate the movie. Take
authority, an important aspect of religions like Christianity and
Islam: it has no power over Dorothy. She ignores the Law to save Toto.
The Munchkin leaders recognize her power, Glinda terms her an equal at
first, and of course she arrives by slaying another authority figure,
the Wicked Witch of the East. She cows the King of the Forest. In Oz
she is fawned over and the Wizard cannot say "no" to her. The Witch
imprisons her but ultimately Dorothy destroys her. Dorothy's innocence
and humanity defeats them all. Unlike organized Christianity, which
regards human nature as basically evil, a wild dog which must be
whipped out to kennel, Dorothy regards others as basically good,
always trusting and loving others, and receives love and trust in
return. In concert with others, she overcomes evil and experiences
growth. This is a deeply humanistic philosophy.
Pantheism, a core belief of Theosophy, is deeply woven into The Wizard
of Oz. For example, Glinda appears as a pantheist Overspirit who has
power in all places in the land of Oz (Munchkinland, the poppy field,
the city of Oz). Dorothy, who has no parents, appears as the
autochthonic Child of the Oversoul, sent into the world to find
itself. Naturally atheists who reject pantheism will reject this
aspect of the movie. Nevertheless, a case can be made that The Wizard
of Oz, with its strongly anti-religious themes, its emphasis on faith
in self, personal growth, achievement and human experience and common
sense over faith in God, grace, predetermination, and divine wisdom,
should be in the collection of every atheist.
Michael Turton
tur...@yahoo.com
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