The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The only thing I recalled of the Wizard of Oz before reading the book, was the movie with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross which I mainly remember as a movie with lots of music and dancing. Now that I have read the book, and come to know better the characters, I have grown fond of them. I liked especially the building up of each character. For example, the Tin Woodman, made of tin because his limps where chopped off, who wants a warm heart very badly, but already is a very kind hearted creature and who is very handy in handling an axe. All the features of a character really fit well together. As a reader, one feels the love of the author for his characters; he really created them with great care and love.

In the second place, I liked the working together of the characters when encountering difficulties. By working together they achieve great things, for example while removing the big sleeping Lion from the field of poppies. As a result, the story creates an overall feeling that it is possible to overcome any problem as long as we work together and encourage each other. So, according to Anne Fine, one of the UK’s leading experts on writing for children, this book deserves a place in a catalogue of books for young people, because readers of this book will feel more enlightened after having read the Wizard of Oz.

The only thing that puzzles me is the age of the target group. Would teenagers be interested in reading theWizard of Oz? On the one hand they would like it, for they can identify with the characters that discover on this journey their own value. This process of finding one’s own value is also a key feature in a young adult’s life. On the other hand, I wonder whether the simple structure of characters that is either entirely good or bad, and nothing in between, appeals to readers of this age. I find it a bit childish.

Furthermore, I find the story of the Wizard of Oz suitable for teenagers, because among others of the wonderful plot. As a reader, one wonders ‘How will Dorothy ever be able to return to Kansas?’ Another important trait that makes it appealing to teenagers is that it has a varying and captivating setting. The different countries like, Munchkin Country, Winky Country, Quadling Country and Emerald city, each of them holding unique cultures and landscapes make sure as a reader one doesn’t get bored and keeps reading. Drawing maps of this different countries and the Yellow Brick Road would be a suitable and helpful class assignment. For, the author describes clearly and with detail the landscape and its colours, what makes it easy for pupils to visualize the setting of the story and consequently put it on paper.

Throughout the story there is a clear pattern. Namely, good beats evil and each character encounters difficulties which help them to discover their strength and as a result get more confident. The Wizard of Oz is a lovely and magic journey along the Yellow Brick road to adulthood.