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Spiritual Symbolism in the Wizard of Oz: The Soul's Journey on the Golden Path

2005
Author(s): Farias, Javier
Illustrator(s):
Publisher(s): Doggie in the Window Publications
Genre(s): Religious & Spiritual

Comments:
Great read for anyone who loves the movie! This is a deep book, but it's not heavy, and Javier J. Farias did not miss a beat elevating every aspect of the Wizard of Oz film. The love comes through! There is a marked difference between the film and the original book by L.F. Baum: Dorothy is not a child, but an adolescent. So I appreciated being able to read Farias's insights, as I grew to adore the movie when I turned 13. (I read the original book when I was 9, and loved it.) But as a kid, the movie haunted me and I wasn't really sure what to think of it until I became a young lady. Dorothy's a young woman grappling with the concerns about where she fits-in in her world, and who she is as a person with natural power. Often inspired by Toto, she knows she can't depend on her immature tendencies to act-out. She is challenged to find integrity in order to get her needs met. (Gee, I think I just described the little girl downstairs!) In 13 chapters, Farias details Dorothy's journey in metaphysical allegory. As a student of the film, I took copious notes and found this to be the most thorough collection of insights I've read. Especially interesting is the harassment from the Wicked Witch of the West, and her affect on Dorothy... Who might not have made it out of the Deadly Field of Poppies, and who was challenged to "surrender" unceasingly by a force set-out to destroy her.