The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Author: L. Frank Baum.
Genre: Literature, fiction, children's lit, YA, fantasy, adventure.
Country: U.S.
Language: English
Publication Date: 1900.
Summary: When Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are swept away from Kansas in a wild cyclone, they find themselves in the strange and magical land of Oz. Following the yellow-brick road, Dorothy and her new friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, journey to the Emerald City where the great and powerful Wizard lives. If they are lucky enough to get to Oz, they hope the powerful Wizard can gift the Scarecrow with a brain, the Tin Man with a heart, the Lion with courage, and Dorothy and Toto with a way back home.
My rating: 8/10.
My review: Baum is a fantastic story-teller, and his style is just perfect for fairy tales. Reading him reminds me of reading Brothers Grimm or J.M. Barrie. He perfectly combines the elements of darkness and light, which may seem a little too dark at times in retrospect, for an adult, but is perfect for children who are still growing their empathy (for instance, I do not remember being disturbed by the fact that 40 wolves, bees, and crows are slaughtered by the travelers on the way to the witch's house, whereas as an adult I found that a little jarring). I absolutely love one of the main morales in the story - that things like a heart, a brain, or courage, are not tangible, and cannot be given by can be developed by exercising them. Almost from the very beginning it is apparent that the Scarecrow is the smartest, Tin Man the most compassionate, and the Lion the most courageous. There is also something that darkly appeals to me about the City of Oz being as much of a lie as its wizard. The compelling thing about this concept to me is that it's likely as much a lie of the "wizard" as people's willing acceptance of his lie.
♥ The Scarecrow listened carefully, and said, "I cannot understand why you should wish to leave this beautiful country and go back to the dry, gray place you call Kansas."
"That is because you have no brains," answered the girl. "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home."
♥ "By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City."
"I hope so," said Dorothy earnestly, "since you seem anxious to have them."
"Oh, yes. I am anxious," returned the Scarecrow. "It is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool."
♥ "It must be inconvenient to be made of flesh," said the Scarecrow thoughtfully, "for you must sleep and eat and drink. However, you have brains, and it is worth a lot of bother to be able to think properly."
♥ "It was a terrible thing to undergo, but during the year I stood there I had time to think that the greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask Oz to give me one. If he does, I will go back to the Munchkin maiden and marry her."
Both Dorothy and the Scarecrow had been greatly interested in the story of the Tin Woodman, and now they knew why he was so anxious to get a new heart.
"All the same," said the Scarecrow, "I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one."
"I shall take the heart," returned the Tin Woodman; "for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world."
♥ "But that isn't right. The King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward," said the Scarecrow.
"I know it," returned the Lion, wiping a tear from his eye with the tip of his paw. "It is my great sorrow, and makes my life very unhappy. But wherever there is danger, my heart begins to beat fast."
"Perhaps you have heart disease," said the Tin Woodman.
♥ Thereafter he walked very carefully, with his eyes on the road, and when he saw a tiny ant toiling by he would step over it, so as not to harm it. The Tin Woodman knew very well he had no heart, and therefore he took great care never to be cruel or unkind to anything.
"You people with hearts," he said, "have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. When Oz gives me a heart, of course I needn't mind so much."
♥ ...the Cowardly Lion laughed.
"I have always thought myself very big and terrible. Yet such little things as flowers came near to killing me, and such small animals as mice have saved my life. How strange it all is!"
♥ The Lion would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room. But he had too much sense to let this worry him. He sprang upon the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep in a minute.
♥ "Why should I do this for you?" asked Oz.
"Because you are strong and I am weak. Because you are a Great Wizard and I am only a little girl."
♥ "Can you give me brains?" asked the Scarecrow.
"You don't need them. You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it doesn't know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get."
♥ "But how about my courage?" asked the Lion anxiously.
"You have plenty of courage, I am sure," answered Oz. "All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty."
♥ "By means of the Golden Cap I shall command the Winged Monkeys to carry you to the gates of the Emerald City," said Glinda, "for it would be a shame to deprive the people of so wonderful a ruler."
"Am I really wonderful?" asked the Scarecrow.
"You are unusual," replied Glinda.