Wizard Of Oz Themes

The journeys of the young protagonist female characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), tell a story of growth and self- actualization. Although these fairy tales were written in the past their stories managed to stand the test of time, and still resonate with children and adults today. Both settings occur in faraway magical lands secluded from the real world, simply filled with pure imagination. The characters, Dorothy and Alice must use their wit and young minds to navigate through these unfamiliar lands in hopes of maybe finding their way back home. Throughout their journeys they both go through many trials and tribulations needed in order to mature and develop. Many themes are explored

She decides to follow him down the rabbit hole into the dark tunnel unaware of where it might take her, but without the slightest concern of how she well ever get back home. Alice’s reaction falling through the rabbit hole was quite different from Dorothy’s, she was very impatient to get to the end of the tunnel and to find out where the rabbit hole will take her, ‘“Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? “I wonder how many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud. “I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth…”’ (Carroll 4). Going down the rabbit hole symbolizes the unknown and how sometimes individuals make irrational decisions without an idea of what awaits them on the other side. Both the land of Oz and Wonderland are filled with immense beauty but also an eerie

This can be observed after she fell through the rabbit hole and landed in the dark room. Alice states, “Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I’ve changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different” (Carroll 19). This is just one of many instances in Alice’s journey that demonstrates an identity crisis. It is almost as if she did not want to believe what she was seeing and was incapable of separating her reality from fantasy. Another example that shows Alice being unsure of her identity is when the Caterpillar asks her who she was, Alice replies by saying, “I-I hardly know sir, just at present – at least I know who I was when I got to this morning, but I think I must have been changed several time since then”… “I can’t example myself, I’m afraid, sir,”… “because I am not myself you see” (Carroll 60). Throughout Alice’s journey she questions herself a lot and tries to discover who she truly