Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum.
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Dorothy Gale
major
Also known as Dorothy, little Dorothy, V Dorothy
Dorothy arrives in this story fresh from California, separated from Toto and saddled with Eureka, a kitten whose manners leave much to be desired. She is the fixed star of Baum's Oz books — the child readers refused to let him retire — and her calm familiarity with witches, nome kings, and talking beasts steadies everyone around her. When the ground opens and swallows her companions into strange countries below, it is Dorothy's unshakable matter-of-factness that keeps the group moving toward home.
Jim the Cab-Horse
major
Also known as Jim, old Jim, XVI Jim, Real Horse, noble Horse, Jim the Cab
Jim has spent his whole life as a servant, so Oz's royal treatment goes straight to his head — he snaps at stewards and demands oatmeal raw. His first encounter with the Sawhorse, a gold-shod log that claims to be the only horse in Oz, becomes a prickly comedy of pride between a real animal and a splendid imitation. His blunt horse sense and wounded dignity give the underground journey a grounding, grumbling counterweight to Dorothy's cheer.
Zeb
major
Also known as Quick Zeb, Zeb of Hugson, Hugson
Zeb is the newcomer in a party of Oz veterans, uneasy at the thought of a land full of talking animals and uncertain whether he can fight when it counts. He clings to the Wizard as a fellow outsider and worries openly about Dorothy when she vanishes from sight. His skepticism and willingness — however doubtful — to stand his ground make him the reader's stand-in as the group descends into the Valley of Voe and beyond.
Eureka the Kitten
supporting
Also known as Eureka, the Kitten
Eureka travels in Toto's place and immediately tests every boundary, from invisible hosts to the tempting damas fruit that would render her unseen. She is greedy, curious, and only barely obedient, deciding she won't touch the fruit but insisting Dorothy keep it away from her. Her small rebellions add a domestic, comic friction to the journey — and a quiet worry that Dorothy might lose her altogether.
Princess Ozma
supporting
Also known as Ozma, the Princess Ozma, The Princess
Ozma rules the Emerald City with a sweetness that has made her people fiercely loyal, and her subjects will not willingly part with her even for the returning Wizard. She is the reason Oz feels like a homecoming rather than a destination — the friend Dorothy trusts and the monarch whose magic powder once gave a sawhorse life. Her presence in the story's background reminds the travelers, and the reader, what they are trying to get back to.
The Wizard
supporting
Also known as Mr. Wizard, the little Wizard, the Wizard of Oz, Oz, the Wonderful Wizard
The Wizard built the Emerald City and ruled it once by sheer showmanship, and he returns to Oz not to reclaim a throne but to revisit old friends like Jellia Jamb and the green-whiskered soldier. He carries a satchel of tricks and a jointed sword, and he is the first to admit he is no warrior. His fondness for the Munchkins, Winkies, Quadlings, and Gillikins — and his willingness to yell when fighting fails — make him the story's warm, self-aware anchor.
The Tin Woodman
supporting
Also known as Tin Woodman, The brilliantly polished Tin Woodman, Nick Chopper
Once a flesh-and-blood man named Nick Chopper, he now reigns over the Winkies as a famously kind-hearted ruler. Though he no longer appears in person, his reputation as one of Oz's 'very important people' shapes how newcomers like Zeb imagine the strange land they are about to enter. His enduring friendship with Dorothy and the Scarecrow anchors the reunion that draws the Wizard back toward the Emerald City.
The Scarecrow
supporting
Raised from a pole in a cornfield to rule the Emerald City, he is one of the celebrated figures Dorothy names when the Wizard asks after old friends. His longing for brains has long since given way to a reputation for wisdom, making him a natural steward of Oz's most famous city. His continued prominence helps convince the Wizard that Oz has flourished in his absence and is worth returning to.
The Sawhorse
minor
Also known as Sawhorse
A wooden sawhorse brought to life, used as a mount in Oz.
Billina
minor
A talking yellow hen who accompanies Dorothy and her friends.
The Hungry Tiger
minor
Also known as the Tiger
A large tiger who longs to eat but is too kind-hearted.
The Cowardly Lion
minor
Also known as the Lion
A lion who pretends to be cowardly but is actually brave.
Uncle Hugson
minor
Also known as Uncle Bill Hugson, Uncle Bill, Hugson
Zeb's uncle who runs a ranch in California.
The Gargoyles
minor
Also known as Gargoyles
Wooden flying creatures who attack intruders in their mountain.
The Mangaboos
minor
Also known as Mangaboos, the heartless Mangaboos
Vegetable people who live in the Glass City underground.
The Braided Man
minor
A peculiar man made of braided hair on Pyramid Mountain.
Jellia Jamb
minor
Also known as Jellia
A servant in the Emerald City who assists Ozma.
Professor Woggle-Bug
minor
Also known as the Woggle-Bug
A highly magnified and educated woggle-bug who teaches in Oz.
Toto
minor
Dorothy's loyal little black dog from Kansas.
Tik-Tok
minor
A mechanical man who must be wound up to move and think.
The Gurgles
minor
Strange creatures encountered in the Valley of Voices.
Gwig
minor
A strange creature met during the journey underground.