BOOK REPORT

in
21st Century Literature in
Philippines
and the World
❝ The Wizard of Oz ❞
By: L.Frank Baum

Christian Arjay Y. Soberano

12 - Einstein
Title: The Wizard of Oz
Author: L.Frank Baum
Setting: Kansas and Oz, a magical land
Characters and Characterization:

 Dorothy, the protagonist; a girl who loves her dog Toto; she is brave,
kind, and loyal; she wants to return to Kansas and her family
 The Scarecrow, who wants a brain; he is smart, friendly, and helpful;
he becomes the ruler of the Emerald City
 The Tin Woodman, who wants a heart; kind and gentle, but unable to
feel emotions; he becomes the ruler of the Winkies
 The Cowardly Lion, who wants courage; despite his fierce look, he
sees himself as a coward; he becomes the king of the beasts.
 The Wizard of Oz, a humbug who pretends to be powerful; he is
cunning, resourceful, and remorseful; he returns to Kansas by a
balloon
 The Wicked Witch of the West, who is the main villain; she is cruel,
greedy, and vengeful; she wants to kill Dorothy and take her silver
shoes; she is killed by water
 Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, who helps Dorothy; she is wise,
benevolent, and beautiful; she tells Dorothy how to use the silver shoes
to go back home
 Other creatures that live in Oz, such as the Munchkins, Winged
Monkeys, and other beings.
Plot:

 Exposition/Introduction:
Dorothy and Toto are carried by a tornado to Oz. There, they meet the
Munchkins and Glinda. They follow the yellow brick road to see the Wizard
of Oz, guided by Glinda.

 Rising Action:
They come across the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion and
become friends with them. They face many obstacles and dangers. The
Wicked Witch of the West is another issue they must handle.

 Climax:
They discover that the Wizard of Oz is not a real wizard but a humbug. He
offers to help them in other ways. He also reveals that he came to Oz from
Kansas by a balloon and wants to return there. He agrees to take Dorothy and
Toto with him. However, the Wizard doesn’t have the magic to grant their
wishes. Dorothy’s friends each find a way to fulfill their desires in a symbolic
manner.

 Falling Action:
Dorothy ends up killing the Wicked Witch of the West by accident when she
throws water on her to put out a fire, which ends up melting the witch. After
the witch’s death, Dorothy frees the Winkies, who were enslaved by the
witch. She returns to the Emerald City with her friends and tells the wizard
what she has done. The wizard praises her for her bravery and gives her
friends tokens of his appreciation. He then prepares his balloon to leave Oz
with Dorothy and Toto. However, when the Wizard attempts to take Dorothy
home in the hot-air balloon, it lifts off without her.

 Resolution/Denouement:
She is left alone in Oz with no way to return to Kansas. However, Glinda
appears and tells her that she can use the silver shoes to go back home by
clicking her heels three times and saying, “There’s no place like home”.
Dorothy follows Glinda’s instructions and bids farewell to her friends. She
wakes up in Kansas with Toto by her side. She is happy to see her family
again and realizes that she has had a wonderful adventure in Oz.

 Moral or Realization:
“Stop trying to be the person you think everyone expects you to be, and just
simply be who you really are”. That’s the moral lesson of the book. Just like
Dorothy and her friends, we often have within us what we seek from others.
It’s about recognizing our own potential and worth rather than trying to fit
into someone else’s expectation. So, let’s embrace our true selves and let our
unique qualities shine.