Good And Evil In Wicked By Don Sewers

There are few instances when a person is influenced by something to the extent of questioning their life. Something that is so powerful that it can create emotion in all of the people who experience it. Artists fight to create this something in order to connect people through it. However, in today’s culture where fads come and go it is often difficult to find such works of art. Cultivated through the things that make us human, great art always finds a way to make an impact. Through art we can experience love, anger, fear and many other emotions. With an understanding of the human condition, artists can create things that contain inspiration for all. Great art can speak to people of different generations with new relevance; it is timeless.

These themes explored help to prove the musical as a work of art. One theme that is often found in works of are is the theme of good and evil. However, Don Sewers wrote, “Wicked shows the perils of turning the polarities of human nature--good and evil--into opposites--good or evil.” The musical constantly has the audience changing their view on what is good and what is evil. In the opening song Glinda poses the question, “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” There is often dramatic irony in the storyline, therefore the audience’s view is meant to be quite different from that of the character. Upon analyzing the musical it seems as though this question of good or evil makes the work seem like political satire. We look at the things that they want us to look at, and we don’t see the things that they want us to ignore (Sewey). Another theme that is covered throughout the musical is discrimination. Although, it may seem as though Elphaba with her green skin would be the main person who is discriminated, this is not the case. As Stacy Wolf covers her essay, the “Other” in the story is the animals (10). The animals of Oz are born with the innate ability to learn how to speak. However, people like the Wizard are trying to eradicate the talking animals. Slowly, the animals who can speak are beginning to disappear. “Animals should be seen and not heard .” This is a powerful quote from the musical. The animals can be seen as symbolizing the Jews, while those who tested on them eerily resembled the Nazis. Not only are these ideas themes in the musical, but they are also ideas that are tested in the real world. Everybody wants to fit in to a group in life. Elphaba felt the pain of being and outcast. The color of her skin is what made her stand out as different. Sometimes people can feel “green” in some way or another. They can feel