The Wonderful Wizard of Oz · Question
How does The Wonderful Wizard of Oz develop the theme of Home and Belonging?
Answer
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum develops Home and Belonging across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Dorothy's primary motivation throughout the story is to return to Kansas and her family, emphasizing the theme that home is a place of love and security, even when contrasted with the magical Land of Oz.
Dorothy's primary motivation is to return to Kansas, and the story emphasizes that home is where love and family are.
The small, gray house on the prairie is Dorothy's home, but it is lifted away by the cyclone, setting the stage for her journey to find a new sense of belonging.
Dorothy's immediate desire to return to her aunt and uncle in Kansas highlights her longing for home and belonging in a strange new land.
Evidence in the book
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Dorothy's primary motivation is to return to Kansas, and the story emphasizes that home is where love and family are.
- The Cyclone
The small, gray house on the prairie is Dorothy's home, but it is lifted away by the cyclone, setting the stage for her journey to find a new sense of belonging.
- The Council with the Munchkins
Dorothy's immediate desire to return to her aunt and uncle in Kansas highlights her longing for home and belonging in a strange new land.
- The Road Through the Forest
Dorothy explains to the Scarecrow that no matter how beautiful Oz is, she prefers her gray home in Kansas, reinforcing the theme that home is irreplaceable.
- X: The Guardian of the Gate
Dorothy's sorrowful admission that Kansas is her home, though she doesn't know where it is, underscores her longing for belonging.
- The Rescue
Dorothy's longing for Kansas and Aunt Em drives the group's decision to return to the Emerald City, emphasizing her desire for home.
- How the Balloon Was Launched
Dorothy's longing for Kansas drives the chapter's central conflict, and her failure to board the balloon underscores her deep desire to return home.
- Away to the South
Dorothy's primary motivation is to return to Kansas and her family, highlighting the theme of home and belonging.
