The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Baum created a quest-oriented tale filled with wonder and joy that also features the triumph of good over evil. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion when Dorothy and her friends achieve their individual dreams after working together to overcome many challenges. How does each character’s small victories during the journey illustrate their innate goodness? Does their eventual victory seem inevitable, given the evil and selfish qualities of the characters who stand in their way?

Teaching Suggestion: In unpacking this question, students might find it helpful to recall and detail the challenges faced by the group on their way to the Emerald City, to the Land of the West, back to the Emerald City, and then to the Land of the South. How are kindness and selflessness illustrated by the Scarecrow, the Woodman, the Lion, or Dorothy on each occasion? On the other hand, how does the Wicked Witch of the West choose to deal with the problems she encounters?

Differentiation Suggestion: Students may find it useful to create a 3-column table detailing each Challenge, Character(s) Facing the Challenge (Dorothy and friends or Wicked Witch of the West), and Solution. This tabular layout will enable students to more easily identify that Dorothy and her friends acted with love and selflessness, whereas the Wicked Witch of the West acted selfishly and cruelly.