VINIEGRA, Caren Q.

4LM2
2013-055875 October 13, 2016

Thought Piece: On Human Virtues in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The rise of the story commences when Dorothy was hit by a wind-blown window sash
while there was a windstorm in her home in Kansas, and thus she began dreaming. She finds
herself in a foreign place called Munchkinland with the desire to go home. She was given the
advice to go to the Wizard of Oz for he knew how she may be able go home. Along the way, she
met friends who each wanted something for their own benefit: the Scarecrow who wanted a
brain, as the Tin Woodman who wanted a heart, and lastly, the Cowardly Lion needed courage.
They were all convinced that the Wizard will be able to give them what they lack. When they
finally reached the Wizard in Emerald City, he agreed to grant their wishes if they bring him the
Wicked Witchs broomstick. They have journeyed to the Witchs castle to retrieve the
broomstick, and defeated her on the process. On their way back to the Emerald City to present
the broomstick, they have discovered that the Wizard was a mere middle-aged man with no
powers.
He then convinced the four to grant them their wishes, giving the Scarecrow a diploma,
the Lion, a medal; and the Tin Man, a ticking heart-shaped watch. As for Dorothy, he agreed to
take her home through a hot-air balloon, for he too, lived in the same world. He then prepares to
launch the balloon and take Dorothy, when her dog, tried to chase a cat, causing them to be left
behind by their supposed trip home. She then learns that there was magic within her ruby
slippers through the good witch. She tapped it three times while repeating, theres no place like
home. She then awakens from her dream to find her family surrounding her.
As an analysis to the story, the Scarecrow, who sought intellectual virtues, showed
prudence when he had thought of cutting the rope of the chandelier to outrun the army of Winkie
Guards. The Lion, exemplified fortitude in fighting for his friends, and finally triumphing over is
fear, and finally the Tin Man, who seeks humanity, showed care and love for the Scarecrow when
he threw himself to the fire when the Witch attacked the Scarecrow so that he would not burn
down. As for Dorothy, the journey in her dream also signifies her growing up. She needed to
exhibit temperance, as the metaphor of the ruby slippers simply says that she only has to realize
that there is no place like home, when she once dreamed to find a place where there is no trouble
somewhere over the rainbow. The Wizard, acted with justice as he had rendered what is due to
them to make them realize what they already have, by giving them tokens and certification of
their virtues.
The virtue each character was searching for was already present within them from the
beginningnot that the virtue was innate within them, only that they were not fully aware that
they are capable of the virtue they seek, as what they normally did in their daily living does not
give rise such virtue. What the wizard had presented was mere certification that they indeed
possess these thingsjust like how it is in reality. To use the metaphor in the story, we are also
presented a diploma to certify our knowledge, whereas without it we are still equipped with the
same knowledge; and the medal is to certify ones achievement, and without it does not mean
that we are not capable of such. This items are for mere gratification, and it does not signify
ones possession.